Lake and Streambed Alteration Program (1600)

The Department of Fish and Game is responsible for conserving, protecting, and managing California's fish, wildlife, and native plant resources. To meet this responsibility, the law requires any person, state or local governmental agency, or public utility to notify the Department before beginning an activity that will substantially modify a river, stream, or lake. If the Department determines that the activity could substantially adversely affect an existing fish and wildlife resource, a Lake or Streambed Alteration Agreement is required. In order to more effectively manage the State's fish and wildlife resources and to better serve the public, the Department of Fish and Game (Department) has changed its regional boundaries.

The Department's Regional Map provides the new regional boundaries and the contact information for the Regional Manager for each region. In order to fulfill our role as the trustee for the State's fish and wildlife resources, the Department must be active in the extremely complex arena of managing the State's limited water resources. Our new regions have been adjusted to allow for greater management flexibility, including the ability to manage the entire San Francisco/Bay Delta area as a single unit.

The Department revised its’ Lake or Streambed Alteration Notification FG2023 form, and now has available forms to request an Amendment and Extension of an existing agreement, and for notifying the Department of emergency alteration work. The Lake or Streambed Alteration Notification, Amendment, Extension and Emergency forms are effective July 28, 2006.  Beginning September 1, 2006, notifications, amendments, and extensions must be submitted on the revised forms.

This change is being made to accelerate the agreement process for projects by ensuring the Department receives complete information in LSAA notifications for evaluating and developing draft agreements. 

All questions regarding lake and streambed alterations should be directed to the Department regional office below that serves your county.

• Program Questions and Answers
• Notification Package
• Fish and Game Code Sections 1600-1616
• Fish and Game Offices
• Related Links

  Questions and Comments