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Water Withdrawal, Conservation & Drought

The water resources of the state provide for many purposes including domestic, municipal, agricultural, commercial, industrial, power, environmental and recreational needs.

To ensure that these resources continue to be available now and into the future, DEC regulates water withdrawals and interbasin diversions, collects and evaluates water withdrawal data, registers water well contractors, monitors and reports on regional drought conditions and provides technical guidance on water conservation and efficiencies.

New Water Resources Law

Water Drop

In 2011 Governor Cuomo signed legislation to further protect New York's waters, including the Great Lakes, by requiring a DEC permit for water withdrawal systems having the capacity to withdraw 100,000 gallons per day [gpd] or more of surface water or groundwater.

The law also requires statewide registration of existing agricultural withdrawals that are greater than 100,000 gpd (30 day average) and major basin water diversions of greater than 1,000,000 gpd. The law became effective on February 15, 2012 and final implementing regulations became effective on April 1, 2013. To see the law, click the link titled "New Water Resources Law" in the right hand margin of this page.

The law covers the following areas:

  • Non-Agricultural Water Withdrawal Reporting and Permitting
  • Agricultural Water Withdrawal Reporting, Registration and Permitting
  • Water Well Contractor Program
  • Drought Information
  • Water Conservation including a Water Conservation Manual and Certification Information For NYS Water Saving Plumbing Fixtures Law
  • Interbasin Diversions and Registration

For more information, see the following links:


More about Water Withdrawal, Conservation & Drought:

  • Water Withdrawals for Non-Agricultural Facilities - The law requires any water withdrawal system with a capacity of 100,000 gallons per day or more to obtain a permit and send annual reports to the Department.
  • Water Withdrawals for Agricultural Facilities - Guidance on agricultural withdrawal, registration, permitting, & reporting. Who must obtain permits, who must report water withdrawals, how to report and how to compute water withdrawals and losses.
  • Water Well Contractor Program - The NYS Water Well Driller Registration Law, as amended by the NYS Legislature in July 1999, requires any business conducting "water well drilling activities" to register annually with NYSDEC before doing business anywhere within the State of New York. Filing of preliminary notices and completion reports are also necessary. Licensing exams are required.
  • Drought - Current drought conditions, definition, stages and watershed-based drought management regions.
  • Water Conservation - Information regarding water use and savings in New York State.
  • Interbasin Diversions & Registration - An interbasin diversion is a transfer of water between basins through any mechanism such as a pipe or canal and including a change in ground water flow caused by pumping. In New York, interbasin diversions in excess of an average of 1,000,000 gallons per day must be registered with the Department.
  • Major Drainage Basins - Large Image - This map of major drainage basins allows users to zoom into an area of interest in order to determine in which basin their site is located.