State Water Resources Control Board Again Addresses Instream Flow Concerns in Scott and Shasta Rivers Through Emergency Rulemaking

March 2024

California Water Law and Policy Reporter, Volume 34, Number 6

On February 1, 2024, the California Office of Administrative Law (OAL) approved the State Water Resources Control Board’s (State Water Board or Board) proposed Scott and Shasta River Watersheds Drought Emergency Regulations (2024 Regulations). The 2024 Regulations allow the State Water Board to curtail diversions in the Scott and Shasta river watersheds when necessary to maintain minimum instream flow requirements. (Notice of Proposed Emergency Rulemaking (Jan. 12, 2024) (Notice) State Water Resources Control Board. As a result of using emergency rulemaking to managing water resources in the Klamath Watershed, the State Water Board denied a petition for rulemaking to establish permanent regulations for instream flow on the Shasta River.

Subscribers to the California Water Law & Policy Reporter can read the full legislative update here.