Water Rights

What is a Water Right?

A water right is legal permission to use a reasonable amount of water for a beneficial purpose such as swimming, fishing, farming or industry. f you take water from a lake, river, stream, or creek, or from underground supplies for a beneficial use, the California Water Code (Division 2) requires that you have a water right. Because California water right law is complicated, you may have a water right even if you do not have a water right permit issued by the state. Read more...

Public Trust Doctrine

The origins of the public trust doctrine are traceable to Roman law concepts of common property. Under Roman law, the air, the rivers, the sea and the seashore were incapable of private ownership; they were dedicated to the use of the public. This concept that tide and submerged lands are unique and that the state holds them in trust for the people has endured throughout the ages. Read more...

The Rights of Nature

Recognizing the Rights of Nature is transforming how local to national governments interact with, relate to and govern nature and offers our brightest hope for protecting the earth. A revolutionary model—rights-based organizing—has sprouted. A growing number of communities are taking this one step further, recognizing that nature is not just property—nature has rights: rivers have a right to flow, and ecosystems have the right to flourish and evolve. This model is redefining human governance and relationship with the earth by recognizing Nature's inalienable rights and protecting these rights under law. Read more...

Ecuador Grants Rights to Nature

They didn’t cast a single vote, but Ecuador’s monkeys, tortoises (pictured) and orchids just acquired constitutional rights, along with the rest of the nation’s nature.The document included language making Ecuador the first nation to legislate rights for nature:

“Nature or Pachamama [the Andean earth goddess], where life is reproduced and exists, has the right to exist, persist, maintain and regenerate its vital cycles, structure, functions and its processes in evolution. Every person, people, community or nationality, will be able to demand the recognition of rights for nature before the public bodies.” Read more....

Russian River Frost Protection

The State Water Resources Control Board (State Water Board) has held several workshops to receive information regarding the need for and the effect of water diversions for purposes of frost protection of crops.The State Water Board requested information regarding the current hydrology of the Russian River watershed, the status and life history of Russian River salmonids, issues associated with frost control and particularly with water diversions for frost control, the impact or potential impact of water diversions on Russian River salmonids, ongoing cooperative voluntary actions that are being taken to address these issues, and the need for further regulatory action by the State Water Board. Read more...

Press Democrat article: Sonoma Supervisors consider new frost protection regulations (12/6/10)

The Story of Bottled Water

See more videos at The Story of Stuff web site.