How water rights are honored during Utah's 2025 drought

Under Utah law, all water is considered public property. To protect this resource, the State Engineer — who also serves as the director of the Utah Division of Water Rights — manages and administers water rights, approves beneficial use and enforces rules according to Utah Water Law. This authority is especially important when water availability drops, and the need for fair and efficient allocation intensifies.

During a drought, the Utah Division of Water Rights implements thoughtful administrative practices to help ease the impact of water shortages, including:

• Monitoring and adjusting water allocations. Water commissioners (who are appointed by the State Engineer to oversee the day-to-day delivery of water in their respective distribution systems) ensure that limited water resources are apportioned fairly and in line with legal entitlements. They also enforce limits and adjust allocations to reflect limited supply.
• Implementing drought contingency plans. Many water users, including irrigation companies and public water suppliers, have plans that outline specific actions they will take to reduce water use during drought. Such actions include mandatory cutbacks or shifts in operational schedules.
• Adjusting water rights. Upon request, the State Engineer can process change applications under Utah Code §73-3-8, that allows water users to adapt their rights to suit shifting drought impacts.

The systems shown below are good representations of the various river systems throughout the state.

Bear River

Upper Sevier

Lower Sevier

Provo River

Duchesne River