§ 42-220 — EFFECT OF LICENSE

Water right licenses shall be binding upon the state as to the right of such licensee to use the amount of water mentioned therein and shall be prima facie evidence as to such right; and all rights to water confirmed under the provisions of this chapter, or by any decree of court, shall become appurtenant to, and shall pass with a conveyance of, the land for which the right of use is granted. The right to continue the beneficial use of such waters shall never be denied nor prevented for any cause other than the failure, on the part of the user or holder of such right, to pay the ordinary charges or assessments which may be made or levied to cover the expenses for the delivery or distribution of such water, or for other reasons set forth in this title: provided, that when water is used for irrigation, no such license or decree of the court allotting such water shall be issued confirming the right to the use of more than one (1) second foot of water for each fifty (50) acres of land so irrigated, unless it can be shown to the satisfaction of the department of water resources in granting such license, and to the court in making such decree, that a greater amount is necessary, and neither such licensee nor anyone claiming a right under such decree, shall at any time be entitled to the use of more water than can be beneficially applied on the lands for the benefit of which such right may have been confirmed, and the right to the use of such water confirmed by such license shall always be held subject to the local or community customs, rules and regulations which may be adopted from time to time by a majority of the users from a common source of supply, canal or lateral from which such water may be taken, when such rules or regulations have for their object the economical use of such water.

Legislative History

[42-220, added 1903, sec. 9, p. 223; 1905, ch. 166, sec. 1, p. 174; reen. R.C. & C.L., sec. 3262; C.S., sec. 5580: I.C.A., sec. 41-214; am. 2020, ch. 164, sec. 5, p. 483.]