WATER – Amends existing law to revise provisions regarding distributing laterals, ditches, or other conduits.

This Idaho bill (S 1041) updates rules for managing shared irrigation infrastructure like ditches and conduits. It clarifies who appoints a manager when multiple water users share a conduit: the watermaster (or an irrigation district's board if they own the main system) must appoint one upon request. It also changes how manager compensation is handled - district boards now calculate payments based on acres irrigated, then distribute them to users before the irrigation season ends. The law takes effect July 1, 2025, directly affecting farmers and landowners who share irrigation water systems.