Description: Critical Watershed Areas, a subset of Priority Watershed Areas, as designated by the California State Water Resouces Control Board. Updated by State Water Board on June 4, 2015, and downloaded as shapefiles from their website: https://www.waterboards.ca.gov/waterrights/water_issues/programs/drought/docs/russian_river/. On June 17, 2015, the State Water Board adopted an emergency regulation to help protect federal- and state-listed anadromous fish in four priority Russian River tributary watersheds (Dutch Bill Creek, Green Valley Creek, portions of Mark West Creek, and Mill Creek). The Office of Administrative Law approved the emergency regulation and the emergency regulation went into effect on July 6, 2015. The emergency regulation is in effect for 270 days. The emergency regulation requires: (1) enhanced water conservation in critical areas of the four watersheds; and (2) information on water use if requested by the State Water Board. Dutch Bill Creek; Green Valley Creek; Mill Creek; and portions of Mark West Creek. The California Department of Fish and Wildlife and National Marine Fisheries Service have identified critical habitat for state- and federally-listed Central California Coast coho salmon (CCC coho salmon) and Central California Coast steelhead (CCC steelhead) in these four tributary watersheds. The ongoing drought places CCC coho salmon and CCC steelhead in Russian River tributaries in a perilous situation, challenging the fishes ability to survive a fourth year of the worst drought in recorded California history. Swift action is necessary to protect their limited habitat and avoid extinction given the continuing dry conditions. The address lookup tool and maps are provided below to help landowners determine if their properties or water diversions are located in one of the four watersheds: Dutch Bill Creek, Green Valley Creek, Mill Creek, and portions of Mark West Creek. Critical Area: 1) All landowners are required to respond to any informational order(s) issued by the State Water Board, AND 2) all water users are subject to enhanced water conservation measures, unless their sole supply of water comes from a water provider whose supply is from a source outside of the four priority tributary watersheds. You can contact your water provider to determine whether the water they provide exempts you from the enhanced water conservation requirements of the emergency regulation. The State Water Board's Drinking Water Supply Service Area Lookup Tool can be used to determine who the water supplier is for a certain area. Priority Watershed Area: All landowners are required to respond to any informational order(s) issued by the State Water Board. Water users within the priority watershed area, but outside of the critical area ARE NOT INITIALLY required to implement enhanced water conservation measures, but may be subject to the requirements at a later date if the Deputy Director extends the requirements to other portions of the four watersheds after consultation with the California Department of Fish and Wildlife or the National Marine Fisheries Service. Water users are encouraged to conserve water.