Bay Area nudist resort accused of stealing 280,000 gallons of water

But Lupin Lodge owners say they have a historic right to the water, which they said they have used since a drought in the 1970s and maintain to support fire suppression efforts.

District officials said the lodge has not such historic rights.

"The water source for Hendry's Creek is a spring-fed waterfall. The water is tapering off and what water there is, is going on the ground instead of used for people and fire suppression," Lodge owner Lori Kay Stout said.

After several actions, notices and talks between the two sides,  district officials went to the resort and removed thousands of feet of irrigation line they said had been installed to divert creek water.

Water from the creek feeds the Los Gatos Creek, recharges groundwater, travels to the Guadalupe River Watershed, which provides drinking water to the Silicon Valley, and then connects to San Francisco Bay.

Established in 1935, the lodge, which can house as many as 65 residents, began to feel the effects of the drought this summer, Stout said.

Lodge owners have been trucking in water to support the property's wells and asked visitors to bring three gallons of water with them during their stay.

"We haven't had this happen since the 1970s drought," she said.

Relying on wells and a massive pool for water, the lodge streamlined its restaurant menu, let lawns go brown and advised guests to take short, quick showers, Stout said.