WATER RIGHTS 101:OVERVIEW OF UTAH WATER LAW

Legislative Water Task ForceJune 15, 2004

OBJECTIVESORIGIN OF UTAH WATER LAWBASIC CONCEPTSPROCESS AS IT EXISTS TODAYCASE STUDIES

Origin of the Doctrine of Prior Appropriation

Prior Appropriation DoctrineMain FeaturesDivert water to beneficial use.Priority date.First in time, first in right.Loss of right.

Basic DefinitionsAll water in the state is property of the public (73-1-1).Beneficial use shall be the basis, the measure, and the limit of all rights to the use of water in the state (73-1-3).

Major Elements of a Water RightPriority date.Quantity of water.Flow rate.Volume.Source of supply.Point(s) of diversion.Uses.Irrigation, domestic, stock water, mining, municipal, etc.Period of use.Place of use.

Establishing a Water RightDiligence Claim.Surface water uses prior to 1903.Underground Water Claim.Ground-water uses prior to 1935.Court Decreed.Applications filed with State Engineer.

Mutual Irrigation CompaniesWater Right held by CompanyIndividuals own shares of stockWater Distributed Hours, Acres or QuantityShareholders have certain rights / obligations73-3-3.5, Change Application by shareholder

Filing a Water Right ApplicationFile application in proper form.Advertise for 2 consecutive weeks in local newspaper.20 day protest period.Protested?Hearing.Approval or rejection.If approved, proof due date given, proof of beneficial use, certificate.Judicial Review.

Approval Criteria (73-3-8)Unappropriated water in source.Will not impair existing rights.Physically and economically feasible.Not monopolistic / speculation.In the public interest / welfare.Wont effect the natural stream environment or public recreation.

WaterAppropriation Policy

Change ApplicationsSec. 73-3-3 UCAOwner may change:Point of diversion.Place of use.Nature of use.Period of use.Pertinent facts:Cant impair existing rights Cant enlarge the underlying water right

Example # 1Distribution of Water By Priority45 Distribution Systems41 River System 4 Ground-Water BasinsWater (River) CommissionerTimes of shortage cut by priority dateCost paid by water usersAnnual report prepared and submitted

2yrchart

500001

600002

7200050000

6500060000

6000072000

4500065000

2200060000

3000045000

4000022000

4500030000

5500040000

6500045000

6500055000

8000065000

6000065000

4500080000

4000060000

3500045000

5000040000

5500035000

Recharge

Pumpage

Distribution Year

AF/year

2-year Pumping Lag

2ydata

YearRechargePumpage

150000

260000

37200050000

46500060000

56000072000

64500065000

72200060000

83000045000

94000022000

104500030000

115500040000

126500045000

136500055000

148000065000

156000065000

164500080000

174000060000

183500045000

195000040000

205500035000

Distchart

3.9372573725737257

3.9372583725837258

3.6372593725937259

3.6372603726037260

3.6372613726137261

3.8372623726237262

4372633726337263

4.2372643726437264

4.2372653726537265

4372663726637266

3.9372673726737267

3.9372683726837268

4372693726937269

4372703727037270

4.1372713727137271

4.1372723727237272

4.2372733727337273

4372743727437274

4.1372753727537275

4.1372763727637276

3.6372773727737277

3.6372783727837278

3.7372793727937279

3.6372803728037280

3.7372813728137281

3.6372823728237282

3.8372833728337283

3.7372843728437284

3.8372853728537285

3.9372863728637286

3.6372873728737287

3.2372883728837288

3.3372893728937289

3.4372903729037290

3.3372913729137291

3.3372923729237292

3.2372933729337293

3.2372943729437294

3.5372953729537295

3.2372963729637296

3.2372973729737297

3.3372983729837298

3.6372993729937299

3.9373003730037300

3.9373013730137301

4373023730237302

4373033730337303

4.2373043730437304

4.7373053730537305

4.8373063730637306

4.7373073730737307

5373083730837308

5.3373093730937309

5.6373103731037310

5.8373113731137311

5.7373123731237312

5.3373133731337313

5.2373143731437314

5.7373153731537315

7.6373163731637316

12373173731737317

22373183731837318

12373193731937319

9373203732037320

9.3373213732137321

9.9373223732237322

10373233732337323

14373243732437324

19373253732537325

23373263732637326

23373273732737327

24373283732837328

28373293732937329

21373303733037330

16373313733137331

14373323733237332

13373333733337333

11373343733437334

9.9373353733537335

9.7373363733637336

8.7373373733737337

8.5373383733837338

8.3373393733937339

7.5373403734037340

7.1373413734137341

7.1373423734237342

7.1373433734337343

7.1373443734437344

10373453734537345

17373463734637346

172585160

172585160

182585160

152585160

132585160

122585160

102585160

9.72585160

9.72585160

112585160

122585160

112585160

102585160

9.42585160

9.42585160

102585160

142585160

212585160

202585160

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322585160

482585160

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162585160

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102585160

9.92585160

9.62585160

9.42585160

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9.12585160

9.12585160

8.92585160

8.82585160

8.72585160

8.62585160

8.42585160

8.32585160

8.22585160

8.22585160

8.12585160

7.92585160

7.82585160

7.62585160

7.62585160

7.52585160

7.52585160

7.4375613756137561

7.1375623756237562

6.9375633756337563

6.7375643756437564

6.7375653756537565

6.7375663756637566

6.7375673756737567

7.3375683756837568

6.6375693756937569

6.5375703757037570

6.4375713757137571

6.3375723757237572

6.2375733757337573

6.2375743757437574

6.1375753757537575

6.4375763757637576

6.4375773757737577

6.3375783757837578

6.3375793757937579

6.2375803758037580

6.2375813758137581

6.1375823758237582

6.1375833758337583

6.2375843758437584

6.9375853758537585

6.3375863758637586

6.3375873758737587

6.3375883758837588

6.3375893758937589

6.3375903759037590

6.3375913759137591

6.2375923759237592

6.6375933759337593

6.2375943759437594

5.9375953759537595

6.7375963759637596

6375973759737597

6375983759837598

6375993759937599

6376003760037600

6376013760137601

6376023760237602

5.9376033760337603

5.8376043760437604

5.6376053760537605

5.5376063760637606

5.6376073760737607

5.4376083760837608

5.4376093760937609

5.3376103761037610

5.2376113761137611

5.2376123761237612

5.2376133761337613

5.4376143761437614

6.2376153761537615

6.5376163761637616

6.5376173761737617

6376183761837618

6376193761937619

5.8376203762037620

5.8376213762137621

Streamflow

1st priority-1873

2rd priority-1922

3th priority-1949

Day

CFS

Water Distribution by Priority Date

DistData

DayStreamflow1st priority-18732rd priority-19223th priority-1949

1-Jan3.9

2-Jan3.9

3-Jan3.6

4-Jan3.6

5-Jan3.6

6-Jan3.8

7-Jan4

8-Jan4.2

9-Jan4.2

10-Jan4

11-Jan3.9

12-Jan3.9

13-Jan4

14-Jan4

15-Jan4.1

16-Jan4.1

17-Jan4.2

18-Jan4

19-Jan4.1

20-Jan4.1

21-Jan3.6

22-Jan3.6

23-Jan3.7

24-Jan3.6

25-Jan3.7

26-Jan3.6

27-Jan3.8

28-Jan3.7

29-Jan3.8

30-Jan3.9

31-Jan3.6

1-Feb3.2

2-Feb3.3

3-Feb3.4

4-Feb3.3

5-Feb3.3

6-Feb3.2

7-Feb3.2

8-Feb3.5

9-Feb3.2

10-Feb3.2

11-Feb3.3

12-Feb3.6

13-Feb3.9

14-Feb3.9

15-Feb4

16-Feb4

17-Feb4.2

18-Feb4.7

19-Feb4.8

20-Feb4.7

21-Feb5

22-Feb5.3

23-Feb5.6

24-Feb5.8

25-Feb5.7

26-Feb5.3

27-Feb5.2

28-Feb5.7

1-Mar7.6

2-Mar12

3-Mar22

4-Mar12

5-Mar9

6-Mar9.3

7-Mar9.9

8-Mar10

9-Mar14

10-Mar19

11-Mar23

12-Mar23

13-Mar24

14-Mar28

15-Mar21

16-Mar16

17-Mar14

18-Mar13

19-Mar11

20-Mar9.9

21-Mar9.7

22-Mar8.7

23-Mar8.5

24-Mar8.3

25-Mar7.5

26-Mar7.1

27-Mar7.1

28-Mar7.1

29-Mar7.1

30-Mar10

31-Mar17

1-Apr172585160

2-Apr172585160

3-Apr182585160

4-Apr152585160

5-Apr132585160

6-Apr122585160

7-Apr102585160

8-Apr9.72585160

9-Apr9.72585160

10-Apr112585160

11-Apr122585160

12-Apr112585160

13-Apr102585160

14-Apr9.42585160

15-Apr9.42585160

16-Apr102585160

17-Apr142585160

18-Apr212585160

19-Apr202585160

20-Apr232585160

21-Apr222585160

22-Apr232585160

23-Apr322585160

24-Apr482585160

25-Apr492585160

26-Apr442585160

27-Apr412585160

28-Apr432585160

29-Apr452585160

30-Apr402585160

1-May332585160

2-May282585160

3-May282585160

4-May332585160

5-May392585160

6-May402585160

7-May382585160

8-May532585160

9-May712585160

10-May752585160

11-May692585160

12-May542585160

13-May482585160

14-May422585160

15-May442585160

16-May522585160

17-May462585160

18-May472585160

19-May512585160

20-May542585160

21-May712585160

22-May952585160

23-May1132585160

24-May1352585160

25-May1472585160

26-May1632585160

27-May1832585160

28-May1972585160

29-May2112585160

30-May2122585160

31-May2052585160

1-Jun1962585160

2-Jun1492585160

3-Jun1322585160

4-Jun1272585160

5-Jun1252585160

6-Jun1372585160

7-Jun1412585160

8-Jun1512585160

9-Jun1492585160

10-Jun1352585160

11-Jun1402585160

12-Jun1442585160

13-Jun1332585160

14-Jun1202585160

15-Jun1162585160

16-Jun1202585160

17-Jun1342585160

18-Jun1462585160

19-Jun1442585160

20-Jun1302585160

21-Jun1252585160

22-Jun1212585160

23-Jun1142585160

24-Jun1072585160

25-Jun1002585160

26-Jun932585160

27-Jun912585160

28-Jun892585160

29-Jun862585160

30-Jun812585160

1-Jul772585160

2-Jul762585160

3-Jul742585160

4-Jul712585160

5-Jul692585160

6-Jul682585160

7-Jul672585160

8-Jul652585160

9-Jul742585160

10-Jul642585160

11-Jul562585160

12-Jul522585160

13-Jul492585160

14-Jul462585160

15-Jul442585160

16-Jul422585160

17-Jul402585160

18-Jul382585160

19-Jul372585160

20-Jul352585160

21-Jul352585160

22-Jul342585160

23-Jul332585160

24-Jul322585160

25-Jul342585160

26-Jul312585160

27-Jul302585160

28-Jul292585160

29-Jul282585160

30-Jul272585160

31-Jul292585160

1-Aug282585160

2-Aug272585160

3-Aug262585160

4-Aug252585160

5-Aug242585160

6-Aug232585160

7-Aug232585160

8-Aug222585160

9-Aug222585160

10-Aug212585160

11-Aug212585160

12-Aug212585160

13-Aug202585160

14-Aug192585160

15-Aug202585160

16-Aug212585160

17-Aug252585160

18-Aug422585160

19-Aug372585160

20-Aug302585160

21-Aug252585160

22-Aug242585160

23-Aug222585160

24-Aug212585160

25-Aug202585160

26-Aug192585160

27-Aug192585160

28-Aug182585160

29-Aug182585160

30-Aug182585160

31-Aug172585160

1-Sep162585160

2-Sep162585160

3-Sep162585160

4-Sep142585160

5-Sep142585160

6-Sep142585160

7-Sep142585160

8-Sep142585160

9-Sep142585160

10-Sep122585160

11-Sep122585160

12-Sep122585160

13-Sep122585160

14-Sep112585160

15-Sep112585160

16-Sep112585160

17-Sep112585160

18-Sep112585160

19-Sep112585160

20-Sep112585160

21-Sep102585160

22-Sep102585160

23-Sep102585160

24-Sep112585160

25-Sep102585160

26-Sep102585160

27-Sep112585160

28-Sep102585160

29-Sep112585160

30-Sep142585160

1-Oct212585160

2-Oct212585160

3-Oct162585160

4-Oct132585160

5-Oct122585160

6-Oct122585160

7-Oct112585160

8-Oct112585160

9-Oct112585160

10-Oct102585160

11-Oct9.92585160

12-Oct9.62585160

13-Oct9.42585160

14-Oct9.42585160

15-Oct9.12585160

16-Oct9.12585160

17-Oct8.92585160

18-Oct8.82585160

19-Oct8.72585160

20-Oct8.62585160

21-Oct8.42585160

22-Oct8.32585160

23-Oct8.22585160

24-Oct8.22585160

25-Oct8.12585160

26-Oct7.92585160

27-Oct7.82585160

28-Oct7.62585160

29-Oct7.62585160

30-Oct7.52585160

31-Oct7.52585160

1-Nov7.4

2-Nov7.1

3-Nov6.9

4-Nov6.7

5-Nov6.7

6-Nov6.7

7-Nov6.7

8-Nov7.3

9-Nov6.6

10-Nov6.5

11-Nov6.4

12-Nov6.3

13-Nov6.2

14-Nov6.2

15-Nov6.1

16-Nov6.4

17-Nov6.4

18-Nov6.3

19-Nov6.3

20-Nov6.2

21-Nov6.2

22-Nov6.1

23-Nov6.1

24-Nov6.2

25-Nov6.9

26-Nov6.3

27-Nov6.3

28-Nov6.3

29-Nov6.3

30-Nov6.3

1-Dec6.3

2-Dec6.2

3-Dec6.6

4-Dec6.2

5-Dec5.9

6-Dec6.7

7-Dec6

8-Dec6

9-Dec6

10-Dec6

11-Dec6

12-Dec6

13-Dec5.9

14-Dec5.8

15-Dec5.6

16-Dec5.5

17-Dec5.6

18-Dec5.4

19-Dec5.4

20-Dec5.3

21-Dec5.2

22-Dec5.2

23-Dec5.2

24-Dec5.4

25-Dec6.2

26-Dec6.5

27-Dec6.5

28-Dec6

29-Dec6

30-Dec5.8

31-Dec5.8

Sheet3

Example # 2Beneficial Use

Evaluation of a Water RightMajor ElementsFlow: 2.50 CFSSource: Spring CreekUse: Irrigation of 100 acresPeriod of Use: April 1 Oct 31What is the beneficial use?What are the diversion and depletion limitations?

Irrigation Diversion Requirementfor Alfalfa at Logan, UtahCrop Consumptive Use (Alfalfa) = 31.35Effective Precipitation = 7.73Net Irrigation Requirement = 23.62Irrigation Practices / Efficiency Flood50% Irrigation Diversion Requirement = 47.24Use 48 or 4.0 AF/A

Irrigation Return FlowDiversion = 4.0 Ac Ft/AcET = 2.0 Ac Ft/Ac Return Flow = 2.0 Ac Ft/Ac

Changing an Irrigation Water Right to Industrial UsesWater right is for 100 acre of irrigation100 ac x 4.0 ac ft /ac = 400 ac ftHistorical Depletion = 200 ac ftIndustrial use is 100% consumptiveTherefore, diversion & depletion limited to 200 ac ft.

Federal Reserved Water RightsIndian Reservations, National Forest, National Parks and other lands 1908 Winters decision1963 Arizona v. CaliforniaQuantification primary purposes of the reservationPriority Date date of reservation

The State Engineer has - general administrative supervision of the waters of the state, and of the measurement, appropriation, apportionment and distribution thereof. (Section 73-2-1)State Engineer meetswith a water userSTATE ENGINEER

Thank YouQuestions?