Bay-Delta Program & Delta Watermaster Portals

San Francisco Bay/Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta Estuary (Bay-Delta) Program

Satellite View The San Francisco Bay/Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta Area (click to enlarge)

The San Francisco Bay/Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta Estuary (Bay-Delta) includes the Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta, Suisun Marsh, and San Francisco Bay. California’s two major rivers, the Sacramento and the San Joaquin, converge in the Delta and meet incoming seawater from the Pacific Ocean in San Francisco Bay. Water diversions from the Delta supply a portion of the drinking water to over two thirds of Californians and for millions of acres of farmland.

The State Water Board’s Bay-Delta Program facilitates the development and review of plans and policies to protect beneficial uses of the San Francisco Bay/Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta Estuary (Bay-Delta) pursuant to the California Water Code and federal Clean Water Act. The Bay-Delta Program also facilitates water right activities related to the Bay-Delta, including implementation of the Bay-Delta Water Quality Control Plan through water right requirements. The Bay-Delta Program resides in the Division of Water Rights because of the critical importance of flow objectives in the Water Quality Control Plan for the Bay-Delta. The Bay-Delta Program also oversees implementation of the State Water Board’s and Central Valley and San Francisco Bay Regional Water Quality Control Boards’ (Water Boards) 2008 Strategic Workplan for Activities in the Bay-Delta, including long-term coordination of Water Board activities through the Water Boards’ Bay-Delta team.

»»  Visit the Bay Delta Program Page

Office of Delta Watermaster

Aerial View The Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta (click to enlarge)

The Office of Delta Watermaster was established to oversee the monitoring and enforcement of water right activities regarding water diversions in the Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta.

Under the provisions of the Water Reform Legislation of 2009, the Delta Watermaster’s authority extends to all diversions within the legal Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta and includes water appropriations within the Delta watershed.

»»  Visit the Office of Delta Watermaster Web Page

Other Useful Links

• Visit the State Water Board Drought Actions Page

  Subscribe to receive email notifications and the latest updates on various topics under the "Water Rights" title bar on the State Water Board's Email Subscriptions Mailing Lists web page

(Updated 9/30/15)