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Dataset Description
Division of Water Resources Active Calls. The Call is a term used by the state engineer to effectively communicate the administrative status of the natural stream. The Call communicates the priority required during a specified period of time for a water right located within a specific stream or stream segment to divert under the Prior Appropriation Doctrine. The basic purpose of the Call is to “call out” water rights that are not in priority in order to make water available to the senior water right that is diverting less than its decreed amount of water that it could beneficially use.
Columns in this Dataset
Column Name Description Type
Admin Scenario The type of administration being described: Call, Futile Call, Nonconsumptive Call, or Authorized Diversion Text
Bounding Structure Latitude Latitude (decimal degrees) of bounding structure Decimal (8,6)
Bounding Structure Longitude Longitude (decimal degrees) of bounding structure Decimal (9,6)
Bounding Structure Name Structure Name of upper terminus of Call; if blank, the call extends to the headwaters of the basin Text
Bounding WDID WDID of upper terminus of Call; if blank, the call extends to the headwaters of the basin Text
Call Priority WDID The structure whose water right priority is the most junior diverter within the Call reach Text
Date Time Released Date and time that Administrative Call was released DateTime
Date Time Set Date and time that Administrative Call was set DateTime
Div DWR Water Division Integer
Location Structure Latitude Latitude (decimal degrees) of calling structure Decimal (8,6)
Location Structure Longitude Longitude (decimal degrees) of calling structure Decimal (9,6)
Location Structure Name Call location structure name Text
Location WDID The most downstream diversion structure that is controlling and diverting the entire available natural stream flow Text
Modified Last date time that this record was modified in the DWR database DateTime
Priority Admin No

A calculated number developed by DWR to rank water rights in order of seniority. The priority of the water right is based on the appropriation date and whether the water right is subject to the Subordination Doctrine. The appropriation date is the date decreed by the court that the water was first put to the decreed beneficial use. The Subordination Doctrine established by the court says water rights that are adjudicated after other water rights in their stream system must be subordinate to those rights previously decreed, regardless of their appropriation date. To determine whether or not a water right is subject to the Subordination Doctrine, DWR determines the "previous adjudication date" associated with the water right. Water rights that have no previous adjudication date or have an appropriation date that is later than the previous adjudication date can simply use their appropriation date as their administrative priority. Water rights with an appropriation date the same as or earlier than the previous adjudication date must be subordinated to those previously decreed rights. Using the appropriation date and previous adjudication date, the Priority Admin No (PAN) is calculated as follows:

  • If a water right has no previous adjudication date or the appropriation date of the water right is later than the previous adjudication date: the left side of the PAN is the number of days between 12/31/1849 and the appropriation date; and, the right side of the PAN is zeros (.00000).
  • If the appropriation date of a water right is the same as or earlier than the previous adjudication date: the left side of the PAN is the number of days between 12/31/1849 and the previous adjudication date; and, the right side is the number of days between 12/31/1849 and the appropriation date.
    		• Decimal (11,5)
    Priority Date Either the appropriation date or the previous adjudication date, whichever is later. The Priority Date is the left side of the Priority Admin No converted to a date. DateTime
    Priority No An early District Court’s method to indicate a water right’s seniority in a water drainage. The Priority No is now largely meaningless. Text
    Priority Order No Used to distinguish the priority of multiple water rights with identical dates Integer
    Priority Structure Name Call priority structure name Text
    Release Comments Comments related to the release of the call Text
    Set Comments Comments related to setting the Administrative Call Text
    Water Source Name of water source Text