Irrigation Amendments

HB 45 amends Utah law to clarify responsibilities for owners and operators of irrigation ditches and canals. It requires them to maintain facilities with "reasonable and ordinary care" to prevent property damage or injury, while explicitly stating this does not create strict liability. The bill allows individuals who pay third parties for damage caused by a ditch/canal owner’s negligence to recover those costs. It also adds specific immunity protections for owners when trails along water facilities are properly maintained under local plans. The changes apply to irrigation infrastructure, directly affecting agricultural water systems and property owners in Utah.