UtahUtah law allows mapped claims for livestock watering and ponds
Utah law lets people file mapped claims for documented past livestock watering and sets pond rules within approved claim areas; it took effect May 6, 2026.
What it does
A person may file a claim for documented, consistent past livestock watering on their private land or permitted grazing land. The claim covers an approved drainage area and cannot increase historical use.
Within an approved claim area, a water right holder may build a small pond without a change application. A large pond needs an approved application and must meet dam-safety rules.
Water right holders must keep livestock watering and pond evaporation within the claim's depletion limit. They may not move water between sub-basins if doing so would harm another water right.
Argument forWith an approved claim, ranchers could use small ponds without a separate change application and may identify fewer individual water sources.
Argument againstPeople seeking a claim may face added mapping, approval, and proof requirements, which could make it harder to document past livestock watering.
More detail
A person may file a livestock-watering claim for an approved sub-basin, or small drainage area. The claim covers livestock watering from existing surface water in a state-engineer-approved sub-drainage area. The person must file an eligible water-right claim or change application, map a sub-drainage area small enough not to harm existing water rights, and get the state engineer's approval of its boundary. The claim must rely on documented livestock watering that began before and continued consistently since the state water law governing that use took effect, on the person's private land or public land where the person has a grazing permit. The state engineer may not approve the claim without written consent from the beneficial user. The claimed use cannot exceed historical use or increase the water right holder's beneficial use. A claim generally covers surface-water sources within the approved area without requiring the holder to list each diversion point; this does not apply to wells or large ponds. The qualifying livestock watering must have begun before and continued consistently since the state water law governing that use took effect.
Within an approved claim area, a water right holder may build a small pond without a change application; a large pond needs an approved change application and must meet dam-safety rules. These pond rules apply within or outside a sub-basin livestock-watering claim area, as described. A small pond holds two acre-feet of water or less. Outside an approved claim area, a person needs an approved change application to build any pond, regardless of size.
A water right holder must limit water depletion to the claim's limit and may not move water between sub-basins if doing so would harm another person's water right. These limits apply to water right holders using a sub-basin livestock-watering claim. The depletion limit covers water lost through livestock watering and pond evaporation.
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Where it stands
- Introduced
- Passed House
- Passed Senate
- To Governor
- Became Law
Looking ahead
No hearings or votes scheduled.
History
- 2026
- Mar 25Governor Spencer Cox SignedBecame Law
- Mar 12House/ to GovernorTo Governor
- Mar 12House/ received enrolled bill from PrintingMinor
- Mar 11House/ enrolled bill to Printing
- Mar 11Enrolled Bill Returned to House or SenateMinor
- Mar 6Draft of Enrolled Bill Prepared
- Mar 6Bill Received from House for EnrollingMinor
- Mar 5House/ signed by Speaker/ sent for enrollingMajor
- Vote recorded Senate/ passed 2nd & 3rd readings/ suspension. Result: pass.Upper
- Mar 5House/ received from SenateMinor
- Mar 5Senate/ to House
- Mar 5Senate/ signed by President/ returned to HouseMajor
- Mar 5Senate/ passed 2nd & 3rd readings/ suspensionPassed Senate
- Mar 5Senate/ placed on 2nd Reading Calendar
- Mar 5Senate/ Rules to 2nd Reading Calendar
- Mar 5Senate/ 3nd Reading Calendar to Rules [Senate Rules Committee]
- Feb 19Senate/ placed on 3rd Reading Calendar table
- Vote recorded Senate/ passed 2nd reading. Result: pass.Upper
- Feb 19Senate/ 3rd readingMinor
- Feb 19Senate/ passed 2nd readingMinor
- Feb 19Senate/ uncircled
- Feb 18Senate/ circled
- Feb 18Senate/ 2nd & 3rd readings/ suspensionMinor
- Feb 17Senate/ placed on 2nd Reading Calendar
- Feb 17Senate/ committee report favorable [Senate Natural Resources, Agriculture, and Environment Committee]Minor
- Feb 12Senate Comm - Favorable Recommendation [Senate Natural Resources, Agriculture, and Environment Committee]Minor
- Feb 5Senate/ to standing committee [Senate Natural Resources, Agriculture, and Environment Committee]Minor
- Feb 4Senate/ 1st reading (Introduced)Minor
- Feb 3Senate/ received from HouseMinor
- Vote recorded House/ passed 3rd reading. Result: pass.Lower
- Feb 3House/ to Senate
- Feb 3House/ passed 3rd readingPassed House
- Feb 3House/ 3rd readingMinor
- Jan 26House/ 2nd readingMinor
- Jan 26House/ comm rpt/ amended [House Natural Resources, Agriculture, and Environment Committee]Major
- Jan 23House Comm - Favorable Recommendation [House Natural Resources, Agriculture, and Environment Committee]Minor
- Jan 23House Comm - Amendment Recommendation [House Natural Resources, Agriculture, and Environment Committee]Minor
- Jan 21House/ to standing committee [House Natural Resources, Agriculture, and Environment Committee]Minor
- Jan 20House/ 1st reading (Introduced)Minor
- Jan 14House/ received fiscal note from Fiscal AnalystMinor
- Jan 14House/ received bill from Legislative ResearchMinor
- Jan 6LFA/ fiscal note publicly available for HB0063
- Jan 5LFA/ fiscal note sent to sponsor for HB0063
- 2025
- Dec 22LFA/ bill sent to agencies for fiscal input for HB0063
- Dec 22LFA/ bill assigned to staff for fiscal analysis for HB0063
- Dec 22Numbered Bill Publicly Distributed
- Dec 22Bill Numbered but not DistributedIntroduced
AgricultureEnvironment & Energy