I attended the Flow Measurement Devices and Methods course in Cottonwood yesterday, for diverters to become a “qualified individual” per AB 589. What a great class! All my appreciation and applause to Larry Forero, Allan Fulton, and Khaled Bali of the UC Division of Agriculture and Natural Resources, who taught the course. They laid out the requirements and the details of several ways to comply with SB 88, including weirs, flumes, water level loggers (pressure 
transducers with data collectors), in-line meters, in-line differential pressure, how to determine and track reservoir volume, and how to report changes in volume.
There were specific examples of how to size a weir to install the correct device, how to convert measured flow rates to the volumes that must be reported to the Water Board, and how to select an inline meter if your diversion is piped. There were detailed examples of how to comply with the Water Board’s reporting requirements, and discussion of the most relevant parts of SB 88.
I hope that Larry and Allan will make their Powerpoint presentation available online for public use. It is well done and really helps understand how to comply with SB 88, both in the field and online at the Water Board.
Update: Allan Fulton contacted me and let me know that this course IS accepted by the Water Board! So sign up, take the 3-4 hour course, and you will be certified to install your own measurement device(s).
I heard a week ago that it isn’t a 100 percent lock that completion of the course will be accepted by the Water Board. However, the course is more than adequate in my estimation, and I don’t think the Water Board has any alternatives to comply with AB 589. It is going to be accepted!
AB 589 says, in part:
“…any diverter who has completed an instructional course regarding the devices or measurement method included in the course administered by the University of California Cooperative Extension, including passage of a proficiency test before the completion of the course, shall be considered a qualified individual when installing and maintaining devices or implementing methods of measurement that were taught in the course for the diverter’s diversion.”
Thanks to the Shasta Livestock Auction Yard for providing the location – my guess is that there were 140 people attending, a good crowd for this narrow subject. The Cattlemen’s Association got the word out and provided refreshments. It was hundreds of hours of work among 8 people or so to pull this off. Job well done, everyone!
