The Utah Division of Water Rights, operating under the Office of the State Engineer, is the state agency charged with administering appropriative water rights in Utah. It issues and reviews permits and change applications, maintains water-right records and maps, oversees measurement and distribution of surface and groundwater, enforces compliance with state water law, and provides technical advice and planning support to protect beneficial use and long-term water supply reliability.
Administration and adjudication of water rights and permits; allocation and distribution of surface and groundwater; water-use measurement, reporting and enforcement; drought contingency planning and conservation; water transfers, banking and change-of-use processes; interstate compact compliance and technical support for water infrastructure and resource planning.
Primarily funded by state general fund appropriations and user fees (permit and application fees), with supplemental federal grants and project-specific funding.
Utah Department of Natural Resources; Office of the State Engineer; Utah Division of Water Resources; local water conservancy districts, irrigation companies and municipal water suppliers; federal partners such as the Bureau of Reclamation and USGS; oversight relationship with the Utah State Legislature.
State government agency (Division of Water Rights, Office of the State Engineer, Utah Department of Natural Resources)
