Transfers and Cure
Prior to a Party being assessed an Overuse Assessment, the Judgment provides Water Right Holders an opportunity to cure the Overuse “in the Water Year [immediately] following the Water Year in which the Overuse occur[s].” (Judgment, § 4.15.2.) During the cure period, Water Right Holders can use less groundwater than their Annual Allocation or obtain additional Annual Allocation through the Judgment’s transfer process. (Judgment, § 4.15.2.)
However, if a Water Right Holder fails to cure the Overuse as provided in the Judgment, the Water Right Holder, Party, or Person shall be subject to an Overuse Assessment and/or injunctive relief, as applicable. (Ibid.) “Failure to pay [an] Overuse Assessment will incur interest on the amount owed and further enforcement [],” including additional enforcement measures such as injunctive relief and liening the associated real property for unpaid Overuse Assessments. (Judgment, § 4.15.3.)
Water Year 2023 (Oct. 1, 2023 – Sept. 30, 2024) was the first WY in which Water Right Holders reported their groundwater use to the Watermaster, thus WY 2024 (Oct. 1, 2024 – Sept. 30, 2025) is the cure period.
Associated forms and resource materials for the transfer process are listed below.
- Watermaster Transfer Request Form (due October 31, 2025)
- WY 2024 Annual Allocations
- Updated WY23-24 Annual Allocations Accounting
- Watermaster Service List
The Watermaster provides resources containing available allocation for trade but does not provide allocation brokering services in the form of a water market. However, Las Posas Valley Water Market | Buy & Sell Allocations is a private market available to connect Water Right Holders to other parties interested in allocation transfers. All allocation transfers between parties are private transactions subject to the Watermaster’s approval and the conditions imposed by the Judgment.
Please submit completed Transfer Request Forms to LPV.Watermaster@venturacounty.gov by October 31, 2025.