Water Boards Cannabis Cultivation
Welcome to the Water Boards Cannabis Cultivation Program webpage. This program, which is now in effect, was approved and put into the state’s regulatory code by the Office of Administrative Law on December 18, 2017. The Water Boards Cannabis Cultivation Program has four main components to address potential water quality and quantity issues related to cannabis cultivation. More information on the program components can be found below.
What's New!
Having trouble filling out your Cannabis Small Irrigation Use Registration? We can help!
Water Rights staff is available to help with one-on-one technical assistance over the phone.
NEW Call us at (916) 319-9427 or email us to schedule a phone appointment at CannabisReg@waterboards.ca.gov
NEW Cannabis Cultivation Permitting and Compliance Workshops December 4th-6th – Palm Desert, Adelanto, and Needles (Flyer)
NEW Notice of Opportunity for Public Comment, Staff Information Workshops, Board Workshop, and Public Hearing (Notice)
On September 28, 2018, the State Water Board released proposed updates to the Cannabis Cultivation Policy – Principles and Guidelines for Cannabis Cultivation (Cannabis Policy), Cannabis Cultivation Policy Staff Report (Staff Report), and General Waste Discharge Requirements and Waiver of Waste Discharge Requirements for Discharges of Waste Associated with Cannabis Cultivation Activities (Cannabis Cultivation General Order) for public comment.
The public comment period ended November 28, 2018. To view the comments received, click here.
The State Water Board will hold public hearings to receive oral comments regarding (1) the Cannabis Policy, and (2) the Cannabis Cultivation General Order. The State Water Board may adopt each of these items after their respective hearings. The hearings will be conducted as part of the Board’s February 5, 2019, State Water Board meeting. The location and start time of the Board meeting are provided below.
Tuesday, February 5, 2019
9:30 A.M.
Joe Serna Jr. CalEPA Headquarters Building
Coastal Hearing Room
1001 I Street, Second Floor
Sacramento, CA 95814
Additional information is available in the Notice.
NEW State Water Board Workshop Presentation on Proposed Updates to the Cannabis Policy - October 16, 2018 (Sacramento)
NEW Compliance Gage Webpages
Online Cannabis Compliance Gage Mapping Tool - The Online Mapping Tool provides cannabis cultivators that divert surface water with a tool to check whether they may divert for cannabis cultivation on a given day.
Cannabis Compliance Gages Website (Cannabis Policy, Attachment A, Section 4)- Provides an overview of the Cannabis Policy’s current list of active compliance gages and the associated Tessmann Instream Flow Requirements. Please use the online mapping tool above to determine whether water is available to divert at your point of diversion.
NEW Cannabis Priority Watersheds
The State Water Board in coordination with the California Department of Fish and Wildlife (CDFW) have identified Cannabis Priority Watersheds throughout the state that are of special environmental concern and are at increased risk of environmental impacts due to cannabis cultivation activities.
Quick Links
Water Boards Cannabis Cultivation Program Application Portal (Portal) is now live!
Visit the Portal by clicking the link above to apply for coverage under the Cannabis Cultivation General Order or to file for a Small Irrigation Use Registration (SIUR) for Cannabis Cultivation. All commercial cannabis cultivators must apply for coverage under the Cannabis Cultivation General Order.
Water Boards Cannabis Cultivation Program Components
Cannabis Cultivation Policy – Principles and Guidelines for Cannabis Cultivation (Cannabis Policy)
The Cannabis Policy establishes principles and guidelines (requirements) for cannabis cultivation activities to protect water quality and instream flows. The purpose of the Cannabis Policy is to ensure that the diversion of water and discharge of waste associated with cannabis cultivation does not have a negative impact on water quality, aquatic habitat, riparian habitat, wetlands, and springs. The Cannabis Policy requirements are primarily implemented through the Water Boards Cannabis Cultivation General Order and Cannabis SIUR permits in addition to the California Department of Food and Agriculture's CalCannabis Cultivation Licensing Program.
More Information
Water Quality - Cannabis Cultivation General Order
The purpose of the Cannabis Cultivation General Order is to ensure, to the greatest extent possible, that discharges to waters of the State do not adversely affect the quality and beneficial uses of such waters. The Cannabis Cultivation General Order is a simplified Waste Discharge Requirement (WDR) available to cannabis cultivators to regulate discharges of waste associated with cannabis cultivation. Threats of waste discharge may be from irrigation runoff, over fertilization, pond failure, road construction, grading activities, domestic and cultivation related waste, etc. The Cannabis Cultivation General Order WDRs may be referred to as a “Water Quality Permit” or a “Water Quality Protection Enrollment” by other agencies.
The Cannabis Cultivation General Order implements the Cannabis Policy requirements and addresses activities related to cannabis cultivation or associated land development. Cannabis cultivation activities may occur indoor or outdoor. All commercial cannabis cultivators must obtain coverage under the Cannabis Cultivation General Order.
More Information
Water Rights - Small Irrigation Use Registration (SIUR) for Cannabis Cultivation
The SIUR implements the Cannabis Policy which requires cannabis cultivators to forbear (or cease) from diverting surface water during the dry season. The State Water Board has developed the Cannabis SIUR Program as an expedited process for cannabis cultivators to develop and install storage. The Cannabis SIUR allows for the diversion and storage of up to 20 acre-feet per year and incorporates the requirements of the Cannabis Policy, amongst other requirements, as general conditions.
More Information
Enforcement
Information regarding the Water Boards enforcement program that addresses diversions of surface water and waste discharges that could harm the waters of the State can be found on the Cannabis Cultivation Enforcement Homepage.
Cannabis Cultivation Program Application Portal
The Cannabis Cultivation Program Application Portal (Portal) is an online tool that cannabis cultivators must use to enroll in the Division of Water Quality’s Cannabis Cultivation General Order program and register with the Division of Water Rights to obtain a Small Irrigation Use Registration (SIUR). ALL CANNABIS CULTIVATORS WILL NEED TO OBTAIN COVERAGE UNDER THE CANNABIS CULTIVATION GENERAL ORDER. Only cannabis cultivators who divert from a surface water source for the use of irrigating commercial cannabis will need to obtain a SIUR certificate.
Subscribe to our Cannabis Cultivators email list to receive notifications and the latest updates. After subscribing, you will need to check your email host for a confirmation email to complete the subscription.
Contacts
For assistance with the Portal or questions about cannabis cultivation, please contact us by email at:
Cannabis Policy: CannabisWR@waterboards.ca.gov
Cannabis Cultivation General Order: DWQ.Cannabis@waterboards.ca.gov
Cannabis SIUR: CannabisReg@waterboards.ca.gov