Decrees Issued For Water Rights

After more than a decade of court filings and hearings and millions of dollars in expense, the first water rights are going out from the long-running Snake River Basin adjudication.

Fifth District Judge Daniel Hurlbutt said Monday he is issuing 7,800 partial decrees in the adjudication. The decrees will go out through the end of the year. Most of the first decreed water rights are for domestic and stock water rights.

“This marks a milestone in the Snake River Basin Adjudication,” Hurlbutt said. “We are beginning the process of completing the court’s work in the test basins in the Big Lost River, Hagerman, Rupert and Murphy areas.” Hurlbutt said the state Department of Water Resources shares credit for getting cases completed, along with Director Karl Dreher and new Adjudication Bureau Chief Dave Tuthill.

Dreher said he has met with water users across the state, particularly in the Big Lost River area, Hagerman, Arco and Murphy.

“I know it is important for people to get these decrees so there is more predictability in farming, ranching, manufacturing and the like. We intend to continue assisting the court in getting decrees completed as quickly as possible,” Dreher said.

At last count, the Snake River Basin Adjudication had about 175,000 water rights on file.

The entire state is involved, except the Idaho Panhandle and a section of southeastern Idaho near Bear Lake County.