Digitizing water rights

California is just beginning to digitize  water rights dating to the Gold Rush. California’s goal is to create a database that combines water rights, geospatial mapping, and water diversion data. The $60 million digitization project will include 2 million historic water records that are currently only on paper. The project dovetails into SB 389 (2023 | CA) that allows California’s water board clear authority to investigate the validity of water rights, including senior rights.

Governing | California Finally Starts Digitization of Water Rights Records