The California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation has been held responsible by another arm of state government for waste water spills at Mule Creek State Prison. The Central Valley Regional Water Quality Board has fined the CDCR 50,000 dollars for eight spills into streams including Mule Creek. The board cited “operation, maintenance and overflow problems” at the prison as the reason for the spills. Notices of violation were issued to the peison in September and October, followed by a cease and desist order in December. Officials also came up with a schedule for prison officials to fix the problem. The issue may be heard at the water board meeting May 3 or 4.