This bill addresses the approval of dedicated water applications.
This bill:
AI-generated summary, not yet reviewed by Better Utah staff. Please consult the bill text.
Utah water law currently allows water right holders to redirect water for environmental purposes, such as maintaining stream flows, supporting wildlife on state lands, or delivering water to Colorado River reservoirs, through change applications. This bill would create a new, formal category called a "dedicated water application," letting a water right holder add an environmental use to their existing water right—either for a fixed period or indefinitely—without giving up the underlying right, and would allow that added use to alternate seasonally with the water's original purpose within the same year. The state engineer would be required to prioritize processing these applications, could deny one if it would remove farmland from irrigation for more than two full seasons within any five-year period on the same field, and could require annual reporting from approved applicants to confirm continued use and ownership of the underlying right. The bill would also prohibit separating a dedicated water application from the water right it is based on, and would cause the application to automatically expire if that underlying right lapses, is withdrawn, or is declared forfeited or abandoned.
Current version: HB0348S01 (Substitute)
Introduction
Jan 23
House Rules
House Committee
Feb 5
House Floor Vote
Feb 17
Senate Rules
Mar 4
Senate Committee
Feb 24
Senate 2nd Reading
Mar 6
Senate 3rd Reading
Mar 6
Governor Signed
Mar 23
IntroductionJan 23
House Rules
House CommitteeFeb 5
House Floor VoteFeb 17
Senate RulesMar 4
Senate CommitteeFeb 24
Senate 2nd ReadingMar 6
Senate 3rd ReadingMar 6
Governor SignedMar 23
This bill addresses the approval of dedicated water applications.
This bill:
AI-generated summary, not yet reviewed by Better Utah staff. Please consult the bill text.
Utah water law currently allows water right holders to redirect water for environmental purposes, such as maintaining stream flows, supporting wildlife on state lands, or delivering water to Colorado River reservoirs, through change applications. This bill would create a new, formal category called a "dedicated water application," letting a water right holder add an environmental use to their existing water right—either for a fixed period or indefinitely—without giving up the underlying right, and would allow that added use to alternate seasonally with the water's original purpose within the same year. The state engineer would be required to prioritize processing these applications, could deny one if it would remove farmland from irrigation for more than two full seasons within any five-year period on the same field, and could require annual reporting from approved applicants to confirm continued use and ownership of the underlying right. The bill would also prohibit separating a dedicated water application from the water right it is based on, and would cause the application to automatically expire if that underlying right lapses, is withdrawn, or is declared forfeited or abandoned.
Motion: Favorable Recommendation
Motion: Favorable Recommendation
Governor Signed
Lieutenant Governor's office for filing
House/ to Governor
Executive Branch - Governor
House/ received enrolled bill from Printing
Clerk of the House
House/ enrolled bill to Printing
Clerk of the House
Enrolled Bill Returned to House or Senate
Clerk of the House
Last updated Aug 29, 2026, 5:26 PM