It's official, this San Joaquin River in California is gone.

There is no one left to cut off. June 29, 2015

Based upon the most recent inflow projections, along with the lack of forecasted precipitation events, the existing water supply in the Upper San Joaquin River watershed is insufficient to meet the needs of pre-1914 claims of right. With this notice, the State Water Board is notifying pre-1914 appropriative claims of right within the Upper San Joaquin River watershed of the need to immediately stop diverting water with the exceptions discussed below. The Upper San Joaquin River runs from upstream of Friant Dam to the confluence with the Merced River.

On January 23, 2015 and again on April 2, 2015, the State Water Resources Control Board (State Water Board) issued a Notice of Surface Water Shortage and Potential for Curtailment due to dry conditions throughout the State. On April 1, 2015, the Governor issued an executive order, order B-29-15, continuing the state of emergency, initially enacted on January 17, 2014, due to drinking water shortages, diminished water for agriculture production, degraded habitat for fish and wildlife, increased wildfire risk and the threat of saltwater contamination to fresh water supplies in the Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta (Delta).

On April 23, 2015 and May 1, 2015, the State Water Board issued curtailment notices to all post-1914 appropriative water rights in the Sacramento and San Joaquin River watersheds, inclusive of the Delta, due to insufficient projected water supplies. On June 12, 2015, the State Water Board issued a curtailment notice to all pre-1914 San Joaquin watershed diverters with a priority date of 1903 or later. Based on updated water supply projections provided by the Department of Water Resources, the State Water Board is now notifying pre-1914 claims of right within the Upper San Joaquin River watershed that, due to ongoing drought conditions,
there is insufficient water in the system to service their claims of right.