Excellent article about how there is more water promised than physically exists- the phenomenon of "paper water."
One clarification- water rights claims are 5-7 times the available water supply, not the water contracts promising 5-7 times the available water supply.
Re: “Water's for Fighting”
Pre-1914, appropriated and reported riparian rights were included in C-WIN's review of Trinity, Sacramento and San Joaquin water right claims.
You can view the full report at http://www.c-win.org/content/c-win-media-advisory-c-win-quantifies-central-valley-paper-water.html