#water as a public trust

Senate Bill 3327 SD1 HD1 proposes to separate the Water Commission from the Department of Land and Natural Resources to minimize conflicts of interests between the two agencies. The bill would also grant the agency its own authority to declare emergencies, retain independent legal counsel, and levy fines up to $60,000 per violation of the Water Code. 

Essentially interim instream flow standards reduce the use of water for non-instream uses, particularly under low-flow conditions. “We really seek to prioritize public trust uses over non-public trust uses and IIFS are one tool that helps us do that,” state hydrologists said.