Overview of California Water Law and Policy
Understand the complex and contentious process of allocating California’s water resources. Gain a comprehensive overview of the legal and regulatory framework for surface water and groundwater rights, as well as the environmental laws that regulate water use. Topics include:
- Allocation of surface water through appropriative and riparian rights
- California's system of groundwater rights
- Authority of the State Water Resources Control Board
- Protecting Northern California’s area of origin laws
- Environmental protections under the public trust doctrine, the Endangered Species Act, CEQA, Section 404 of the Clean Water Act and Fish and Game Code
- California water institutions: the Bureau of Reclamation, Department of Water Resources and local water agencies
- Federal Reclamation Law and the Central Valley Project Improvement Act
- Legal constraints on water transfers
- Allocating interstate rivers: Colorado River Basin and Klamath River Basin
- California's water hub: understanding the Sacramento-San Joaquin Bay-Delta and its regulatory and planning context
Association Credits
Section Notes
This is an online, remote learning course, which consists of 6 hours of content and curriculum that is taught with pre-recorded lectures as well all mandatory live Zoom session with the instructor(s). Pre-recorded lectures and live sessions are accessed via our Canvas learning system and Zoom. This course is the same length as a standard 1 day, in-person course, please be sure to plan your schedule accordingly.
This course is open June 12 – June 14, 2024, with a live session on June 14 2:00-4:00 PM PST.
Attendance of the live session(s) is mandatory to receive credit for this course.
We allow registration through the 12:00 PM PST (noon) on the first day of the course. We cannot extend course access beyond 11:59 PM on last day of class, so students pursuing a late enrollment acknowledge that they will have less time to complete the materials. Please contact the course representative with any questions.
Refund Deadline: June 5, 2024. Refunds and/or enrollment transfers will not be approved after this date.
Enrollment Policies
Drop requests (withdraw with a refund) will be approved, less a $30 processing fee, if the request is received seven calendar days before the course begins. Click here to view complete enrollment policy information including details on withdrawals and transfers.
Refund Deadline: June 5, 2024. Refunds and/or enrollment transfers will not be approved after this date.