HB0348S01 (Substitute)
Dedicated Water Amendments
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
This bill addresses the approval of dedicated water applications.
This bill:
AI-generated summary. We recommend consulting the bill text for important decisions.
Utah water law allows people to hold existing water rights and, under certain conditions, redirect that water for environmental purposes like keeping water flowing in streams, supporting wildlife on state lands, or delivering water to Colorado River reservoirs. This bill creates a formal new category called a "dedicated water application," which lets a water right holder add an environmental use to their existing water right — either for a fixed period or indefinitely — without giving up the original right, and allows that use to alternate seasonally with the original purpose in the same year. The state engineer must prioritize processing these applications but can deny one if it would take farmland out of irrigation for more than two full seasons in any five-year period on the same field, and can require annual reporting from approved applicants. The bill also prohibits separating a dedicated water application from the underlying water right it is based on, and specifies that the application automatically expires if that underlying right lapses, is forfeited, or changes hands.
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. We recommend consulting the bill text for important decisions.
Utah water law allows people to hold existing water rights and, under certain conditions, redirect that water for environmental purposes like keeping water flowing in streams, supporting wildlife on state lands, or delivering water to Colorado River reservoirs. This bill creates a formal new category called a "dedicated water application," which lets a water right holder add an environmental use to their existing water right — either for a fixed period or indefinitely — without giving up the original right, and allows that use to alternate seasonally with the original purpose in the same year. The state engineer must prioritize processing these applications but can deny one if it would take farmland out of irrigation for more than two full seasons in any five-year period on the same field, and can require annual reporting from approved applicants. The bill also prohibits separating a dedicated water application from the underlying water right it is based on, and specifies that the application automatically expires if that underlying right lapses, is forfeited, or changes hands.
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 Mar 26, 2026, 9:40 PM