(a) The Legislature finds and declares that it is in the public interest to provide a timely, efficient, and economic procedure for the acquisition of rights to appropriate water for a small domestic use, including incidental stock watering and irrigation uses, a small irrigation use, and for a livestock stockpond subject to prior rights.

(b) As used in this article:

Terms Used In California Water Code 1228.1

  • Livestock stockpond: means a water impoundment structure constructed for livestock watering use not to exceed direct diversion of 4,500 gallons per day, or diversion to storage of 10 acre-feet per year, as that use is defined by the board, and including impoundment for incidental aesthetic, fire protection, recreational, or fish and wildlife purposes. See California Water Code 1228.1
  • Small domestic use: means a domestic use, as that use is defined by board rule, or a use for aesthetic, fire protection, recreational, or fish and wildlife purposes that is associated with a dwelling or other facility for human occupation, that does not exceed direct diversion of 4,500 gallons per day or diversion to storage of 10 acre-feet per year. See California Water Code 1228.1
  • Small irrigation use: means either of the following:

    California Water Code 1228.1

  • water: includes the term "use of water. See California Water Code 1000

(1) “Small domestic use” means a domestic use, as that use is defined by board rule, or a use for aesthetic, fire protection, recreational, or fish and wildlife purposes that is associated with a dwelling or other facility for human occupation, that does not exceed direct diversion of 4,500 gallons per day or diversion to storage of 10 acre-feet per year.

(2) “Small irrigation use” means either of the following:

(A) An irrigation use, heat control use, or frost protection use, not to exceed diversion to storage of 20 acre-feet per year, including impoundment for incidental aesthetic, fire protection, recreational, or fish and wildlife purposes.

(B) An irrigation use not to exceed direct diversion of 42,000 gallons per day, up to a maximum of 20 acre-feet per year.

(3) “Livestock stockpond” means a water impoundment structure constructed for livestock watering use not to exceed direct diversion of 4,500 gallons per day, or diversion to storage of 10 acre-feet per year, as that use is defined by the board, and including impoundment for incidental aesthetic, fire protection, recreational, or fish and wildlife purposes.

(Amended by Stats. 2015, Ch. 683, Sec. 45. (SB 798) Effective January 1, 2016.)