Abstract

Water rights is a very complex issue and a critical component of the Bureau of Land Management’s (BLM) water program. This complexity is due to the fact that water rights are managed to a great extent under state law. Therefore, it is critical to have a good understanding of the water right laws of each individual state and how they apply to BLM. This website reviews the water laws of eleven western states (Alaska, Arizona, California, Colorado, Idaho, Montana, Nevada, New Mexico, Oregon, Utah, and Wyoming). Special attention is paid to the states’ water rights systems, the application processes, groundwater regulations, the general adjudication processes, and the states’ instream flow programs. Comment is also made on how the states handle federal reserved water rights and other BLM specific information. This website is designed to serve as an overview of the western states' water laws as well as a resource to water rights specialists and other interested parties.