Hearings Program

USBR/DWR – Consolidated Place of Use Petition Hearing

The State Water Board held a hearing to receive evidence relevant to determining whether to the approve California Department of Water Resources (DWR) and United States Bureau of Reclamation's (USBR) petition to consolidate the authorized place of use of the USBR’s permits and license to include the State Water Project (SWP) authorized place of use downstream of the Barker Slough and Harvey Banks Pumping Plants, and the DWR permits to include the Central Valley Project (CVP) and Friant authorized places of use downstream of the confluence of the Sacramento and Feather Rivers. The hearing will provide an opportunity for the petitioner, interested parties, and any protestants to the petition to introduce evidence relevant to the State Water Board’s consideration of the petitions.

Submitted Petitions for Reconsideration
- California Water Impact Network and California Sportfishing Protection Alliance
- California Salmon and Steelhead Association
May 21, 2009 - State Water Board Letter approving the 2009 Reporting Plan developed by the Department of Water Resources (DWR) and the U.S. Bureau of Reclamation (Bureau), and submitted on May 21, 2009, in compliance with State Water Board Order 2009-0033.
May 18, 2009 - Submitted Comments to the Draft Order
May 13, 2009 - Cover Letter for the Draft Order (dated May 13, 2009) Approving A Change In The Place of Use of Use of License and Permits of the California Department of Water Resources and United States Bureau of Reclamation In Response To Drought Conditions.
May 5, 2009 - Submitted Objections and/or Comments to acceptance of CEQA documents into evidence:
May 1, 2009 - Letter to Service List regarding acceptance of CEQA documents into evidence.
April 28, 2009 – Department of Water Resources Letter providing:
- Notice of Exemption (NOE) that was filed on April 27, 2009
- Application for Secretarial Determination Regarding Drought Emergency Project
  - March 30, 2009 – Report to the Governor: “California’s Drought: Water Conditions and Strategies to reduce impacts”
  - January/February 2009 – ARE Study: “Economic Impacts of Reductions in Delta Exports on Central Valley Agriculture”
  - April 14, 2009 – Fresno County Board of Supervisors Resolution 09-134: Proclamation of Existence of Local Emergency
  - February 20, 2009 – Westlands Water District Press Release on water allocation.
- April 14, 2009 – Reclamation's Biological Assessment and Draft Environmental Assessment, Final Environmental Assessment, Comments and Final Finding of No Significant Impact (FONSI) for the 2009 Drought Water Bank. (These documents analyze impacts to land fallowing and the giant garter snake which were an issue during the Place of Use Petition Hearing.) The FONSI was issued on April 14, 2009.
Reporter's Transcript: April 27, 2009 | April 28, 2009
Submitted Closing Statements
- California Salmon and Steelhead Association
- Defenders of Wildlife (conditions for petition approval)
Submitted Policy Statement
List of Exhibits (4/22/07)
April 14, 2009 – Service List of Participants
Submitted Notices of Intent to Appear
Submitted Protests
March 30, 2009 – Notice of Petition, Notice of Public Hearing and Notice of Pre-Hearing Conference
March 20, 2009 – DWR’s Transmittal Memorandum for Petition for Change

(Updated 2/14/13)