In California Drought, Water Rights Lawsuits Thrive
June 30, 2015
With the state entering its fourth straight year of drought, California Governor Jerry Brown has issued water restrictions for some Central Valley irrigation districts, and the districts have filed challenges in court. The scrutiny now being placed on California’s water system is exposing the century-old “first in time, first in right” system, which heavily favors the state’s agricultural industry. On June 12, regulators sent curtailment notices to more than 100 districts and growers with water rights dating back to 1903. Districts have responded with four separate lawsuits and multiple claims, arguing California has no authority over rights awarded prior to 1914, when the state began to regulate water.
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