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What is Prior Appropriation?
Sea Grant Law Center
Prior appropriation is a common system for allocating water rights in the western United States. It is based on the principle of “first in time, first in right” - whoever found the water first gets to use it first. Read through this Sea Grant Law Center article for a deeper explanation of prior appropriation and how it governs water use in the West.
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Water Marketing: A Possible Solution to Save the Lake While Protecting Water Rights
Utah Department of Natural Resources - Division of Water Resources
Water marketing represents an emerging effort to rethink and redesign Utah’s longstanding water law system into one that can flex and adapt to users’ water needs. Explore the Division of Water Resources’ site to learn more about water marketing and its potential to improve Utah’s water management practices and potentially bring water to Great Salt Lake.
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Prominent Water Legislation: 2022-2024
Utah Department of Natural Resources - Division of Water Resources
As the prominence of Great Salt Lake’s condition has grown, Utah’s legislative activity on water conservation, infrastructure, and innovative management practices has surged. Staying up to date on current water legislation is crucial to understanding how the State’s efforts will help save Great Salt Lake. Explore this summary of prominent water legislation passed since 2022 to learn about the legislature’s most recent water bills.
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Understanding Utah Water Rights – From the State Engineer's Perspective
Utah Department of Agriculture and Food
While many western states employ the prior appropriation system to allocate water rights to its users, legislators in Utah have recently made some specific changes to the ways Utah’s users can adapt their water rights. Listen to Teresa Wilhelmsen, the Utah State Engineer, describe these changes and how they improve Utah’s potential for better water management.
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How do Irrigation Companies Affect Utah’s Water System?
Utah State University
While a water right holder has the right to receive their share of water for a specific purpose, the actual delivery of that water to its intended destination is only possible through the help of irrigation and canal companies. Read this article to learn about how irrigation companies deliver water to users and how that process affects Great Salt Lake.