IDWR hosting water rights workshops next week

BONNERS FERRY — The Idaho Department of Water Resources will host claims-taking and information workshops at the exhibit hall next week at the Boundary County Fairgrounds.

The workshops, set for 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. on Sept. 22-24, will assist water users with filing their claims and answer questions.

The workshop was originally scheduled to be held at the Valley Event Center at the fairgrounds but has been moved to the exhibit hall.

Last month, IDWR mailed approximately 5,500 commencement notices to property owners in the far northeast corner of Idaho, soliciting water right claims for the Kootenai River Basin Adjudication.

Once water right claims have been filed, IDWR officials will review the claims and make recommendations to the court. A district court judge will review those recommendations and issue a final decree confirming the elements of all water rights in the Kootenai River Basin, including surface water and groundwater sources.

A notice of claim is required for all water uses and may be filed using forms provided by IDWR or online at idwr.idaho.gov. Water users should bring a description of the property that includes township, range, section and quarter-quarter information or a county parcel number.

Owners of small domestic and/or stock water rights may choose to file a claim now or wait until later in the process. However, IDWR recommends filing a claim now to save time and money. A one-time $25 claim filing fee applies to domestic and stock water rights.

Water users who receive all of their water from a city, irrigation district, water utility district or company are not required to file a claim. A water delivery organization that holds legal title to water rights typically files claims for water used by its customers or patrons.

For more information, contact the IDWR Northern Region office at 208-762-2800.