Cal. Water Code § 104 : California Water Code — General State Powers Over Water — General State Policy — Paramount interest in use of water Date: 15 Sep 2016 TEXT PDF Current through the 2016 Legislative Session It is hereby declared that the people of the State have a paramount interest in the use of all the water of the State and that the State shall determine what water of the State, surface and underground, can be converted to public use or controlled for public protection. Ca. Water Code § 104