Cannabis Cultivation Tools & Resources

Cannabis Tools

Water Boards Cannabis Cultivation Program Application Portal (Portal)
Visit the Portal by clicking the link above to apply for coverage under the Cannabis Cultivation General Order or to file for a Small Irrigation Use Registration (SIUR) for Cannabis Cultivation. All commercial cannabis cultivators must apply for coverage under the Cannabis Cultivation General Order.

Online Cannabis Compliance Gage Mapping Tool
The Online Mapping Tool provides cannabis cultivators that divert surface water with a tool to check whether they may divert for cannabis cultivation on a given day.

Cannabis Resources

Cannabis Compliance Gages Website (Cannabis Policy, Attachment A, Section 4)
Provides an overview of the Cannabis Policy’s current list of active compliance gages and the associated Tessmann Instream Flow Requirements. Please use the online mapping tool above to determine whether water is available to divert at your point of diversion.

Existing Flow Requirements
This webpage provides a comprehensive list of existing instream flow requirements in California, as reflected to the best knowledge of State Water Board staff. While this webpage was developed to assist cannabis cultivators with compliance with the Cannabis Policy, it has utility beyond cannabis cultivation. Cannabis cultivators should refer to the Cannabis Cultivators section.

Cannabis Priority Watersheds
The State Water Board in coordination with the California Department of Fish and Wildlife (CDFW) have identified Cannabis Priority Watersheds throughout the state that are of special environmental concern and are at increased risk of environmental impacts due to cannabis cultivation activities.

Cannabis Fully Contained Springs
Fully contained springs do not flow off a person’s property in the absence of diversion, including wet years, or after periods of heavy rain. The Cannabis Cultivation Policy allows cultivators to request an exemption from certain flow requirements if the spring being used for cannabis cultivation meets a set of pre-determined conditions. The full text of the requirements is available.  Detailed information on how to request a fully contained spring exemption is available at the Fully Contained Springs page.

Cannabis Frequently Asked Questions
Check out our Frequently Asked Questions page to get answers to your burning Cannabis questions!

Water Hauling and Cannabis Cultivation Fact Sheet

2018 Cannabis Program Review & Assessment Report
In June 2019, the Water Boards’ Cannabis Program finalized its 2018 Program Review & Assessment Report, which provides highlights of the Program’s accomplishments in 2018, discusses internal and external challenges the Program has faced, and recommendations to improve Program effectiveness.

The status of the proposed recommendations is also available (last updated October 11, 2019).