Tuesday, Jul 12 2011 11:51AM
Some California counties are disputing the state's right to reduce water allocations during droughts.
The ongoing battle between the California Department of Water Resources and Butte County over water rights may eventually head to trial, the Chico Enterprise-Record reports.
The paper says the dispute stems from area-of-origin water rights contracts approved in the early 1960s. That deal set aside 27,500 acre-feet of water from the Oroville Dam for use in Butte County.
However, the state says it should be allowed to pare back that water supply to local
water system services if the area is going through a drought. Butte County officials say even though they only currently use 10 percent of the allotment, the county should still be able to lease it to other areas. Under the terms of the Table A water contracts, the county pays the state for the full amount each year even if it's not used.
Similar contracts are in place for other counties throughout the region, the paper reports. Until 2008, the Enterprise-Record reports the county had an agreement with the state so it only paid for water it used.
The Solano County Water Agency, Napa County Flood Control and Water Conservation District and Yuba City have all joined Butte County in the dispute.