ARTICLE 2. Eminent Domain Proceedings [11580. - 11588.]

Cal. Water Code - WAT 2.

in effect

Cal. Water Code - WAT § 11580. Section 11580.

When the department cannot acquire any necessary property by agreement with the owner, the department may exercise the power of eminent domain to acquire the property in the name of the state if the project for which the property is being acquired has been authorized and funds are available therefor.

Cal. Water Code - WAT § 11584. Section 11584.

No water which, prior to January 13, 1934, was appropriated, or for which application has been filed prior to January 13, 1934, and remains in good standing, nor any tunnels, canals, dams, and appurtenant works dedicated to public use prior to July 1, 1933, may be acquired by the department through eminent domain proceedings except, unless and until it is first determined in a court of competent jurisdiction that the use proposed to be made thereof by the department is a more necessary public use than that to which it has already been appropriated or dedicated.

Cal. Water Code - WAT § 11585. Section 11585.

Where any water or property mentioned in the next preceding section has, prior to July 1, 1933, been filed on, appropriated, or dedicated to public use by any State agency, the use thereof by the State agency shall be deemed a more necessary public use.

Cal. Water Code - WAT § 11586. Section 11586.

Where any water or property mentioned in Section 11584 has, prior to July 1, 1933, been filed on, appropriated, or dedicated to a public use by any state agency and the use proposed to be made thereof by the department is consistent with the continuance of the use thereof by the state agency for its purposes, the right to use such property for the purposes proposed by the department is common and consistent with the use being made thereof by the state agency and may be acquired by eminent domain.

Cal. Water Code - WAT § 11588. Section 11588.

Whenever the right of occupancy of any person upon national forest or national park lands is terminated because of the construction of the project, the department shall, in connection with the construction of the project, acquire, by purchase or condemnation, any buildings or improvements constructed upon such lands by the person. In any such purchase or condemnation proceedings, the department shall pay the value of the improvements in place as the value existed prior to revocation of the federal permit or their replacement cost, less depreciation, whichever is lesser. This section is not applicable to improvements located on right-of-way across national forest or national park lands.

Source: CA Legislative Counsel Bulk DataURL: https://downloads.leginfo.legislature.ca.gov/pubinfo_2025.zipFetched: 6/27/2026