Frequently Asked Questions
The Sacramento River Settlement Contractors (SRSC) was established prior to construction of the Central Valley Project (CVP) and Shasta Dam, to protect and preserve members’ water rights. SRSC is a 501(c) (6) nonprofit mutual benefit corporation organized under the California Nonprofit Mutual Benefit Corporation Law.
The Sacramento River Settlement Contractors (SRSC) include 145 agricultural and municipal senior water rights holders in the Sacramento Valley. These individual property owners, irrigation and reclamation districts and mutual water companies throughout the region hold pre-1914 appropriative water rights on the Sacramento River.
The five largest members are Glenn-Colusa Irrigation District, Reclamation District 108, Sutter Mutual Water Company, Anderson-Cottonwood Irrigation District and Natomas Central Mutual Water Company. Each holds rights to more than 120,000 acre-feet of water each year.
The complete Sacramento River Settlement Contractors Corporation Member list can be found here.
During the 1930s, the United States Bureau of Reclamation began exploring the need for canals to deliver much-needed water to sustain people and farms in the Central Valley. Since the Central Valley Project would use the Sacramento River to convey water from Lake Shasta, it required the cooperation of water rights holders along the river. Following nearly two decades of negotiation, more than 100 agricultural and municipal senior water rights holders in the Sacramento Valley collectively reached agreements with state and federal officials to protect these senior water rights. The Sacramento River Settlement Contracts were first signed in 1964, covering a 40-year term. The contracts were renewed for a second 40-year term in 2005.
SRSC protects the interests and water supplies of those holding Sacramento River Settlement Contracts, which were established with the U.S. Bureau of Reclamation to identify how much water contractors can divert from the Sacramento River. SRSC also manages water resources in the Sacramento Valley for multiple beneficial purposes, including water for cities, rural communities, farms, fish and wildlife and their habitats.
Additionally, the SRSC develops river restoration projects, including habitat enhancement for salmon spawning and rearing, fish screens, fish food production and flow agreements.
The Sacramento River is more than just a source of water. It is a vital part of life across the region, which is made possible with a thriving and vibrant ecosystem. For that reason, SRSC takes an active role in protecting the watershed.
In its role as a steward for the river basin, SRSC responsibly balances the needs of water users and the entire ecosystem. Basin-wide planning helps meet the water supply needs in SRSC members’ service areas, including consideration of new surface water storage and other projects.
