Water rights
Is a recorded water right tied to the property? The Utah Division of Water Rights keeps a public database you can search.
Ben Dickamore
KNOW THE WATER
Green pasturestarts with water.
In Utah, the water that comes with a property can matter as much as the acreage. Know what you’re buying—or selling—before anyone signs.
Utah horse property. It’s what we do.
Irrigation water can be a recorded water right, shares in an irrigation company, secondary water from a district, or nothing at all—and household water may come from a city system or a private well. Ben helps you sort out what a property actually has and what it means for pasture, hay, and horses.
- Ask which water conveys and how it’s documented.
- Confirm delivery: turn schedules, ditches, and pressure.
- Bring in title and water professionals when it’s complicated.
A PLAN YOU CAN FOLLOW
From the first question
to the next right step.
Start where you are. Work through the decisions together.
- 01
Identify the sources.
Household, irrigation, and stock water may each come from a different place.
- 02
Find the paperwork.
Water right numbers, share certificates, and assessments from the irrigation company or district.
- 03
Check delivery on the ground.
Headgates, ditches, sprinklers, turn schedules, and whether the pasture is actually irrigated.
- 04
Make the contract match.
Spell out exactly which rights and shares convey, then confirm ownership records are updated after closing.
LOOK A LITTLE CLOSER
Questions worth asking.
Bring these to the seller, the irrigation company, and your title company.
Irrigation shares
Are shares in a canal or irrigation company included? Shares often transfer by certificate, separately from the deed.
Secondary water
Does a district deliver pressurized secondary water, and what are the assessments and rules?
Wells
For a private well, ask about the underlying water right, permitted uses, and recent water-quality testing.
What’s the difference between a water right and irrigation shares?
A water right is a state-recognized right to use a specific amount of water, recorded with the Utah Division of Water Rights. Irrigation shares are ownership in a company that holds water rights and delivers water to shareholders. A property may have one, both, or neither.
Can I water pasture with culinary water?
Culinary water is usually metered and priced for household use, and some systems restrict outdoor watering. Pasture and hay typically depend on irrigation or secondary water. Check the provider’s rules for each property.
Who verifies water rights in a sale?
Your title company and the irrigation company—and for complex situations, a water rights attorney or engineer. Ben helps you ask the right questions and get the water written into the contract.
Helpful links
Utah Division of Water RightsWater law is detailed and fact-specific. For a particular property, confirm with the Division of Water Rights, the irrigation company, and qualified title or legal professionals.
Links checked October 12, 2026.KNOW THE WATER
Your next step.
A conversation with Ben.
Share the property address or area and what you know about its water.
Talk with Ben DickamoreStart with what’s on your mind.