Water Board – Small Irrigation Use Registration
Water Board – Small Irrigation Use Registration was announced earlier this week. It represents important information for cannabis cultivators in California.

Yesterday the State Water Board announced that the Small Irrigation Use Registration is available through the Cannabis Portal. This is an exciting development, providing for streamlined registration of water storage for small-scale irrigation.
The source for much of the information listed below is the California Water Board’s
Water Boards Cannabis Cultivation Programs Website
Many cultivators will need to obtain a registration by April 1, 2018. Please click here to learn more.
Background: On October 17, 2017, the State Water Board adopted the Cannabis Cultivation Policy – Principles and Guidelines for Cannabis Cultivation (Cannabis Policy) and General Waste Discharge Requirements and Waiver of Waste Discharge Requirements for Discharges of Waste Associated with Cannabis Cultivation Activities ( Cannabis General Order). The State Water Board is establishing this new regulatory program to address potential water quality and quantity issues related to cannabis cultivation and to meet the directives of Senate Bill (SB) 837 (Statutes 2016, Chapter 32, Committee on Budget and Fiscal Review) and the Medicinal and Adult-Use Cannabis Regulation and Safety Act (MAUCRSA; Senate Bill 94 [Statutes 2017, Chapter 27, Committee on Budget and Fiscal Review]).
Water Rights
- Cannabis Cultivation Water Rights Homepage – Information on the development of principles and guidelines for diversion and use of water for cannabis cultivation and water rights information related to cannabis cultivation. Principles and guidelines for cannabis cultivation will be incorporated into the State Water Board’s water right and regulatory programs and the California Department of Food and Agriculture’s CalCannabis Cultivation Licensing.
Water Quality
- Cannabis Cultivation Water Quality Homepage – Information on cannabis cultivation water quality programs to address water quality impacts from cannabis cultivation and associated activities on private property. This includes information on the Cannabis Cultivation Waste Discharge Regulatory Programs established by the North Coast Regional Water Board and the Central Valley Regional Water Board.
Cannabis General Order and Small Irrigation Use Registrations (Portal)
- Cannabis Regulatory Programs for Cannabis General Order and Small Irrigation Use Registrations (Portal) – The Cannabis Cultivation General Order and Small Irrigation Use Registration Portal (Portal) is an online tool cannabis cultivators can use to register with the Division of Water Rights (DWR) to obtain a small irrigation use water right or to enroll in the Division of Water Quality (DWQ) Cannabis General Order/Waste Discharge Requirement (WDR) program. Only cultivators who divert from a surface water source for the use of irrigating commercial cannabis will need to obtain a SIUR certificate while all cultivators will need to obtain coverage under the General Order/WDR. Please click here to enter the portal.