Butte County, CA Landscaping Rules: Water Restrictions (2026)
Water restrictions in Butte County, CA, also called the watering schedule, outdoor irrigation rules, or drought ordinance, set which days and hours you can run sprinklers or irrigation.
Key Facts
- Local WELO
- None - state MWELO applies by default
- State MWELO Citation
- 23 CCR Div. 2 Ch. 2.7 (sections 490-495)
- New Landscape Trigger
- 500 sq ft (with permit)
- Rehab Trigger
- Over 2,500 sq ft (with permit)
- GP Policy
- W-P2.11 (native, drought-tolerant)
- Watering Schedule Authority
- Retail water supplier
Summary
Butte County has not adopted a stand-alone Water Efficient Landscape Ordinance, so California's Model Water Efficient Landscape Ordinance (MWELO, 23 CCR Div. 2 Ch. 2.7) applies by default; General Plan Policy W-P2.11 also requires landscaping projects to use drought-tolerant native plants. Day-to-day outdoor watering schedules are set by the retail water purveyor (Cal Water, Del Oro, Paradise Irrigation District, etc.), not by the County.
W-P2.11 Landscaping projects shall use native plants that will continue to be viable in the area under long-term drought conditions. ... COS-P8.2 New landscaping shall promote the use of xeriscape and native tree and plant species, including those valued for traditional Native American cultural uses. COS-P8.4 Introduction or spread of invasive plant species during construction of development projects shall be avoided by minimizing surface disturbance; seeding and mulching disturbed areas with certified weed-free native mixes; and using native, noninvasive species in erosion control plantings.
Full Breakdown
Under California Government Code section 65595, every local agency was required to either adopt a local water-efficient landscape ordinance at least as effective as the state Model Water Efficient Landscape Ordinance (MWELO) or be governed by the MWELO by default. Butte County's unincorporated area does not have a stand-alone WELO chapter in the County Code, so MWELO (23 CCR sections 490-495) applies on its own terms: it covers new construction landscapes of 500 sq ft or more and rehabilitated landscapes over 2,500 sq ft when a permit, plan check, or design review is required, and it imposes Maximum Applied Water Allowance limits, turf-area caps, soil-management requirements, and high-efficiency irrigation design.
, Paradise Irrigation District, Thermalito Irrigation District, South Feather Water & Power, and various mutual water companies, each operating under its own approved rate schedule and drought contingency plan.
Violations & Fines
MWELO compliance is checked at landscape plan-check by the local agency; non-compliant landscape documentation packages result in permit denial under 23 CCR section 492.3. General Plan policies are implemented through CEQA review and Zoning Ordinance findings on development projects, not direct citation against individual homeowners. Water-waste enforcement (running water onto pavement, broken sprinklers, watering during a declared drought) is handled by the water purveyor under its tariff rules, not by County code enforcement.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does Butte County tell me what days I can water?
Do I have to comply with MWELO for my own backyard?
Is there a turf-grass cap in the unincorporated county?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Butte County
How Butte County compares: Cities with the Strictest Water Restrictions·California rules heatmap·Compare Butte County to another location·View the California landscaping rules overview
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