3940 State Water Resources Control Board
Program Descriptions

10 - WATER QUALITY

This program ensures the highest possible quality of water for the state. Specific activities are to:
  • Formulate, adopt and update water quality control plans and policies that set standards and provide guidance in water management decisions.
  • Monitor water quality to determine compliance with control plans, permit terms, conditions and water standards; implement the Total Maximum Daily Loads program to address pollution in the state's most seriously impaired water bodies by developing plans that allocate responsibility for reducing pollution.
  • Ensure that the waters of the state are not degraded by hazardous waste spills or tank leaks, or by spills or tank leaks from solid and hazardous waste treatment, storage, and disposal facilities.
  • Require waste dischargers, including storm water dischargers, to prevent and abate water pollution and inspect dischargers to determine compliance with requirements.
  • Assist owners and operators of underground tanks in financing the cleanup of unauthorized releases from their tanks.

20 - WATER RIGHTS

This program ensures that California's water resources are put to beneficial use, while protecting prior rights, water quality and the environment. Specific activities are to:
  • Allocate the unappropriated waters of the state to ensure the use of water in accordance with state laws.
  • Maintain a record of title of appropriative water rights initiated and maintained since 1914, including those for stockponds, livestock and small domestic use ponds.
  • Maintain records of water diversion and use under riparian and pre-1914 rights, stockpond water rights, groundwater extractions in four southern counties, and cessation of, or reduction in, extractions of groundwater by use of water from a contributory source.
  • Enforce permit and license terms and conditions, abate illegal diversions, protect public trust resources, and prevent waste or unreasonable use under all rights.
  • Assist the courts in determining existing rights to surface water throughout the state through court reference and statutory adjudication proceedings, and in determining rights to groundwater through the groundwater adjudication process.

30 - ADMINISTRATION

This program includes management, program and policy direction, budgeting, accounting, human resources, data processing, legislation and public information for the department's programs, and coordination with the nine Regional Water Quality Control Boards.