2011 Standard Criteria for Evaluating Water Management Plans
The Bureau of Reclamation has revised the criteria for evaluating water conservation plans required by the Central Valley Project Improvement Act of 1992. The act specifies that these criteria are to be used to evaluate plans prepared by Central Valley Project contractors to meet the water conservation requirements of the 1982 Reclamation Reform Act. The plans must meet the criteria established by the Bureau of Reclamation. The act requires revision of the criteria every three years and this was the fifth revision of the criteria.

Water Management Planner - Developed to meet the 2011 Standard Criteria for Evaluating Water Management plans

2010 Refuge Criteria (.pdf 84k)
The Bureau of Reclamation has created the Refuge Criteria in order to provide a common methodology or standard for efficient use of water by Federal Wildlife Refuges, State wildlife management areas and resource conservation Districts that receive water under provisions of the Central Valley Project Improvement Act (CVPIA). Refuges that entered into water supply contracts with Reclamation, as a result of the CVPIA and subsequent Department of the Interior administrative review process (Administrative Proposal), are required to prepare Refuge Water Management Plans using the Refuge Criteria.

• 2010 Guidebook
• Master Refuge Review Form (MS Word)
• Templates/Plans
  • Refuge Plan
  • GRCD Refuge
  • Drought Contingency
  • Refuge Table  (Excel formatted)
  • Refuge Annual Update

The Sacramento Valley Regional Water Management Plan (Regional Plan) was prepared by the Sacramento River Settlement Contractors in cooperation with the U.S. Bureau of Reclamation, in accordance with the Regional Criteria for Evaluating Water Management Plans for the Sacramento River Contractors. 

The Regional Plan was developed to provide regional, sub-basin and district specific water use, supply, and facility information to support improved water management.  In addition to implementing the Regional Plan, each participating district or company continues to encourage and implement smaller-scale, local water management activities and improvements.

• Sacramento Valley Regional Water Management Plan  Note: This document is 123MB is size and the download time will be related to your internet connection.  Please contact us for a CD version
• 2004 Regional Criteria for Evaluating Water Management Plans in Sacramento Valley

One example of research that supports the urban BMPs is the Irrigation Training and Research Center (ITRC) project. In order to implement BMP Number Five, districts will need to measure their irrigated landscape acreage and develop a water budget accordingly. ITRC has tested five different measurement methodologies and the associated technology. Their report includes information about the cost, challenges, and real experience with the different methods.

• Cal Poly Measurement (.doc 7645k)*
• Appendix A-Shape (.doc 726k)
• Appendix C-Procedures (.doc 1646k)
• Appendix D-CCC (.doc 46k)

This district conducted an on-the-ground and in-the-air analysis of landscape measurement techniques. They compared the results of high tech remote sensing aerial measurement equipment to as-built drawing scanning and a hand measurement method. The district compared the accuracy and cost of the three different methods. This report complements the work performed by ITRC.

• Landscape Measurement Program Main and Appendix A (.pdf 1015k)*
• Summary of the Findings of the Water Shortage/Drought Assistance Survey - Fifty organizations, representing a wide range of Bureau projects and units and including both agricultural and urban water suppliers, were interviewed, either by telephone or face-to-face interviews. The results of this survey are presented here.
• The Center for Irrigation Technology (CIT) San Joaquin Valley Grower Irrigation Survey
  The CIT conducted a survey in an effort to enhance the assistance that growers currently receive with meeting their irrigation needs. This 25 question survey focused on determining current irrigation practices, identifying water management problems, assessing current use of water management resources, and identifying needs to make irrigation improvements. This report contains the findings of the study and provides information regarding the types of technical and financial assistance agencies can provide to assist growers in improving their irrigation management.

The Yolo County Resource Conservation District undertook a one-year pilot program funded by the CALFED Water Use Efficiency Program from December 2000 through December 2001. This report contains the results of the study and provides a thorough analysis of the water quality benefits of practices that the District has long promoted.

• Final Report (.pdf 1.9 MB)
• Appendices (.pdf 1.7 MB)

• Urban Drought Guide (4/21/08)  2.6MB 
• Water Shortage Contingency / Drought Planning Handbook (.pdf 602k)
• Resources for Water Conservation Plan Preparation (.pdf 264k)
• CVP M&I Water Shortage Policy (.pdf 124k)
• Water Shortage Contingency Plan Template (.pdf 602k)

• Cooperative Water Management Study Report  - August 2010
• Mid-Pacific Region Water Management Programs
  The Mid-Pacific Region continues to pursue opportunities for water management efforts that may result in increased efficiency and delay the need for developing new water supplies.
• Achieving Efficient Water Management: A Guidebook for Preparing Agricultural Water Conservation Plans (2.2 MB)
  The BOR prepared this Guidebook to help Agricultural water districts and irrigation organizations prepare water conservation and management plans to achieve more efficient water use. This Guidebook is aimed at organizations of all sizes and complexities, both federally supplied and private.