Scott River Watershed Curtailment Orders and Addendums for 2025 Scott-Shasta Emergency Regulations

Curtailment Status:

Scott Watershed - Opportunity to divert for Inefficient Livestock Watering: On October 14, 2025, California Department of Fish and Wildlife (CDFW) made the determination that flows have been sufficient to stimulate the Chinook salmon migration into Scott River. This means that large livestock diversions may be possible in the Scott River and Shasta River watersheds until October 31, 2025, so long as other conditions are met, including connectivity, bypass, and notification conditions.  After November 1, no diversions for inefficient livestock watering are allowed until CDFW finds that sufficient flows to stimulate coho have occurred. Parties that want to divert for livestock need to confirm all the criteria outlined in the Emergency Regulation is met before diverting surface water for livestock.

Scott River Watershed: On July 22, 2025, the State Waterboard issued Addendum 8, suspending all curtailments in the Scott River. The State Waterboard recently issued Addendum 7 reinstating curtailments based on the flows at the Fort Jones USGS gage dropping below the July minimum flow requirement of 50 cfs. Several community members expressed concern regarding the accuracy of the measurement, and USGS has revised their flow measurements upward based on the Watermaster’s measurements. It is important to note that Scott River flows have been declining, and all diverters are still encouraged to conserve and coordinate their diversions as flows decrease to maintain the minimum instream flows.

• Order WR 2024-0024-DWR: Curtails surface water diversions in the Scott River watershed.
• Order WR 2024-0025-DWR: Curtails adjudicated groundwater rights and groundwater diversions associated with parcels listed in Attachment A of the Order, for the Scott River watershed.

Scott River Watershed Curtailment Status Map