Water Rights

The right to divert the public waters of the state of Idaho and put them to a beneficial use, in accordance with one's priority date.

Introduction

A Water Users Information Guide - a primer regarding Idaho water rights. Contents:

What is a Water Right? - What do "beneficial use" and "priority date" mean?

How is a water right established? - Historical and modern methods for rights to surface and ground water.

Can a water right be changed? - Make a change in the use of your water right.

How do I get a water right? - Do you need one? How to get a water right.

What is a claim? Other kinds of water “rights” - Two different types of filings are often called "claims."

Related Resources

Applications, Forms & Fees
Need to send us some paperwork?  Forms in a PDF format for printing.

Certified Water Right Examiners
Certified water right examiners may complete water right beneficial use field examinations.

How The Water Right Process Works
Filing, reviewing, legal notice and protesting of claims as well as filing an exception to a statutory claim and moratoriums.

Rules
Official Idaho rules for the administration of water rights.

Map of Standard Irrigation Seasons
Standard irrigation seasons recognized by IDWR for water right administration purposes.

Water Supply Bank  Water users who will not be using all or a portion of their water rights in a given year can place their rights in the Idaho Water Resource Board's Water Supply Bank to make water available to other water users.  Visit the Idaho Water Supply Bank page for information about the bank or visit the Water Supply Bank Lease Search to research water rights leased to the Board's water supply bank. 

Eastern Snake Plain Aquifer (ESPA) Transfer Policies.  Read the interim policies and procedures applicable for applications to transfer ground water in the Eastern Snake River Plain.

Eastern Snake Plain Aquifer (ESPA) Ground Water Rights Transfer Spreadsheet  A ZIP file to download to your computer to analyze hydrologic impacts of ground water right transfers within the ESPA.  The ZIP file includes a Microsoft Excel spreadsheet and associated program files. A user's manual in Microsoft Word is also available.  

February 24, 2003, the Department issued a Preliminary Order adopting a Ground Water Management Plan for the Bear River Ground Water Management Area (GWMA)  Page 7 of the plan, paragraph 4(a) refers to methods to calculate the average annual depletion expected from a proposed diversion and use of water for a project.  A mitigation plan must accompany new applications, and a proposed mitigation plan, using the simplified method, shall include the estimated amount of depletion.  The following documents provide methods for estimating depletion in the Bear River Basin.  Other methods acceptable to IDWR may also be used.  (1) the procedures adopted by the Bear River Commission Procedures, dated November 1993, for water depletion calculations if the use is for irrigation; (2) the Department's "Dairy Spreadsheet" Dairy Water Use Estimate  (A Microsoft Excel spreadsheet to download to your computer to estimate the water use for dairies); and (3) a procedure using the methods set out in "Procedures for Estimating Depletion in the Lower Bear River Basin in Idaho", by Dr. Robert Hill.  

Research

Search through Snake River Basin Adjudication (SRBA) claims and other water rights. Use the text-based search for non-SRBA rights.

Text-based Search

Parcel/Address-based Search

Map-based Search

Status Check for Applications
Check your water right application's status using your application ID or transfer number.

Search New Listings

Included:

Applications ready for publication or formerly published.

Not Included:

Approved, denied, and withdrawn applications.

Listings prior to January 1, 2001.

Applications undergoing review by IDWR or being held without action (due to moratorium or administrative action). You may view Moratorium Orders here. 

Start Searching!

New Applications
Search for applications for permit, applications for amendment, and statutory claims posted in the past 30 days;

New Transfers
Search for transfer applications posted in the past 30 days; or

Advanced Search
Find information about specific new water right listings.

New Water Right Filings Tributary to Federal Wild & Scenic Rivers Find information and data related to the Wild & Scenic Rivers area.  

We welcome feedback about the New Listings Search. Contact our development team by email.