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HomeWater CodeDiv. 2Pt. 1Ch. 1§ 1015 Water Transfer Violation Assessment

§ 1015 Water Transfer Violation Assessment

Water Code·California
AI Summary·Official Text·Key Terms·Related Statutes·References
AI SummaryVerified

§ 1015 Water Transfer Violation Assessment

This law says that if someone is accused of misusing water during a temporary water transfer, the investigation will focus on how the person receiving the water used it. If the receiver loses their right to use the water because they wasted it or didn't use it properly, that right goes back to the original owner.

Key Takeaways

  • •If water is temporarily transferred, the receiver is responsible for using it properly.
  • •If the receiver wastes or misuses the water, they lose the right to use it.
  • •The right to use the water goes back to the original owner if the receiver loses it.

Example

Farmer A temporarily transfers water rights to Farmer B. Farmer B is accused of wasting water.

The investigation will check if Farmer B wasted the transferred water. If they did, Farmer B loses the right to use that water, and it goes back to Farmer A.

AI-generated — May contain errors. Not legal advice. Always verify source.

Official Source
View on CA.gov

§ 1015 Water Transfer Violation Assessment

During the term of a temporary change, as defined in Section 1725.5, if an enforcement action or other proceeding is commenced that alleges that the use of water violates Section 2 of Article X of the California Constitution, Sections 100, 101, 1410, and 1675, or any other legislative, administrative, or judicial limitation on the water that is subject to that water transfer and the water involved is, at the time of the alleged violation, subject to a water transfer, the determination of the alleged violation shall be based on an assessment of the transferee’s use of transferred water. If a transferee’s right to use transferred water is divested, in whole or in part, on the basis of the transferee’s abandonment, forfeiture, waste, or unreasonable use of the transferred water, the divested portion of the right shall revert immediately to the transferor. (Amended by Stats. 2022, Ch. 675, Sec. 1. (AB 2895) Effective January 1, 2023.)

Last verified: January 11, 2026

Key Terms

temporary changetransfereetransferordivestedabandonmentforfeiturewasteunreasonable use

Related Statutes

  • § 1014 Water Transfer Rights Protection
  • § 1016 Water Transfer Reversion Rights
  • § 1005.4 Groundwater Replenishment Protection
  • § 1010 Water Use Credit Protection
  • § 1012 Colorado River Water Conservation

References

  • Official text at leginfo.legislature.ca.gov
  • California Legislature. Water Code. Section 1015.
View Official Source