SECTIONS 2525-2529 - California Statutes

WATER CODE

SECTION 2525-2529

2525. Upon petition signed by one or more claimants to water of any
stream system, requesting the determination of the rights of the
various claimants to the water of that stream system, the board
shall, if, upon investigation, it finds the facts and conditions are
such that the public interest and necessity will be served by a
determination of the water rights involved, enter an order granting
the petition and make proper arrangements to proceed with the
determination.

2526. As soon as practicable after granting the petition the board
shall prepare and issue a notice setting forth the following:
(a) The facts of the entry of the order and of the pendency of the
proceedings;
(b) That all claimants to rights to the use of water of the stream
system are required to inform the board within 60 days from the date
of the notice, or such further time as the board may allow, of their
intention to file proof of claim;
(c) The date prior to which all claimants to rights to the water
of the stream system shall notify the board in writing of their
intention to file proof of claim and the address to which all
subsequent notices to the claimant relating to the proceedings may be
sent;
(d) A statement that all claimants will be required to make proof
of their claims at a time to be fixed by the board after the
conclusion of its investigation.

2527. The notice shall be published at least once a week for four
consecutive weeks, commencing within 20 days of the date of issuance
of the notice, in one or more newspapers of general circulation
published in each county in which any part of the stream system is
situated, and, within the same 20-day period, the notice shall be
mailed to all persons known to the board who own land that appears to
be riparian to the stream system or who divert water from the stream
system.

2528. Whenever proceedings are instituted for the determination of
rights to water, it is the duty of all claimants interested therein
and having notice thereof as provided in this chapter, to notify the
board of their intention to file proof of claim and to appear and
submit proof of their respective claims at the time and in the manner
required by this chapter.

2529. (a) Within 60 days after the date by which claimants to
rights to the water of the stream system are required to notify the
board in writing of their intention to file proof of claim, the board
shall prepare and file for record, in the office of the county
recorder of each county in which any part of the stream system is
situated, a notice setting forth all of the following facts:
(1) The order has been entered and the proceedings are pending.
(2) Information regarding the status of the proceedings may be
obtained from the board.
(3) The proceedings will result in a determination of the rights
to water of the stream system.
(4) Any claimant who fails to appear and submit proof of his or
her claim as provided in this chapter shall be held to have forfeited
all rights to water previously claimed by him or her on the stream
system, other than as provided in the decree, unless entitled to
relief under the laws of this state.
(5) At the conclusion of the proceedings, the superior court will
enter a decree determining the water rights appurtenant to each
parcel identified in the notice, including the specific parcel
against which this notice appears, and the decree may accord the
claimant for that parcel water rights which are different from those
he or she has claimed.
(b) The notice shall identify the current owners of each parcel
that appears to be riparian to the stream system or to which water is
diverted from the stream, and shall be recorded in a manner so that
anyone researching the title of a parcel will find the notice.
(c) If the board subsequently identifies an additional parcel or
parcels which appear to be riparian to the stream system or to which
water is diverted from the stream, the board shall prepare and file
for record a supplementary notice identifying the current owners of
the additional parcels. The supplementary notice shall be recorded in
the same manner as the original notice.