HB 348 Utah House · 2026 General Session

Dedicated Water Amendments

HB 348 amends Utah's water rights laws to clarify and streamline the handling of "dedicated water" applications, which are water rights set aside for specific future uses like instream flow protection. It prohibits separating dedicated water applications from the underlying water right they're tied to, updates fee structures for these applications, and specifies requirements for reporting and approval processes. The bill directly affects water rights applicants and the state engineer's office when processing these specialized applications. These changes aim to reduce administrative confusion while ensuring dedicated water uses are properly documented and managed under existing law.

Issues: ✓ Environment

Bill status signed all 5 stages cleared

Introduction

Jan 2026

Committee Review

Feb 2026

House Passage

Mar 2026

Senate Passage

Mar 2026

Signed into Law

Mar 2026

Introduced Jan 23, 2026 Signed Mar 23, 2026

Maddy AI version diff · 2 comparisons

What changed between versions

Substitute #1 → Enrolled · 6 edits · Mar 23, 2026

MODERATE

This bill adds a new section to Utah law creating a formal 'dedicated water application' process. It allows water rights holders to set aside water for specific public uses like instream flows or reservoirs without changing their underlying water rights. The bill also adds a new fee category for these applications and clarifies that dedicated water cannot be separated from the original water right.

Scope change

The bill expands the scope of water management by introducing a new administrative category for 'dedicated water applications' that sits alongside existing water right types, specifically targeting public and conservation uses.

DEFINITION

Added a new definition for 'dedicated water application' as a request to add instream flow, sovereign land use, or reservoir delivery to an existing water right without altering the original right.

REQUIREMENT

Requires the State Engineer to process dedicated water applications with priority and prohibits separating them from the underlying water right.

Establishes a specific rule that the State Engineer can deny a dedicated water application if it would remove land from agricultural use in more than two out of every five years.

ENFORCEMENT

Mandates that approved dedicated water applications automatically lapse if the underlying water right lapses, is withdrawn, or if the applicant fails to provide required annual notices and information.

FISCAL

Added 'dedicated water applications' to the list of services for which the State Engineer can charge fees.

TECHNICAL

Added a cosponsor name to the bill header and updated the effective date in the footer.

Floor votes · Senate Mar 6, 2026 · House Feb 17, 2026

How they voted

26–0

Passed · 3 other

Total votes 29

Mar 6, 2026

D Democratic6

6 Yea

100% Yea

N Forward1

1 Yea

100% Yea

R Republican22

19 Yea 3

86% Yea

Vote distribution

All Yea All Nay Mixed No data

Full legislative history

Actions timeline

Total actions

Key actions

Committee

Mar 23, 2026

Signed into law

Governor Signed

executive

Mar 7, 2026

Lower · Passed

House/ signed by Speaker/ sent for enrolling

lower

Mar 6, 2026

Lower · Passed

Senate/ signed by President/ returned to House

lower

Feb 25, 2026

Upper · Passed

Senate/ committee report favorable [Senate Natural Resources, Agriculture, and Environment Committee]

upper

Feb 24, 2026

Upper · Passed

Senate Comm - Favorable Recommendation [Senate Natural Resources, Agriculture, and Environment Committee]

upper

Feb 19, 2026

Committee

Senate/ to standing committee [Senate Natural Resources, Agriculture, and Environment Committee]

upper

Feb 18, 2026

Introduced

Senate/ 1st reading (Introduced)

upper

Feb 17, 2026

Upper · Passed

House/ passed 3rd reading

upper

Feb 6, 2026

Lower · Passed

House/ comm rpt/ substituted [House Natural Resources, Agriculture, and Environment Committee]

lower

Feb 6, 2026

Lower · Passed

House Comm - Favorable Recommendation [House Natural Resources, Agriculture, and Environment Committee]

lower

Feb 4, 2026

Committee

House/ to standing committee [House Natural Resources, Agriculture, and Environment Committee]

lower

Jan 23, 2026

Introduced

House/ 1st reading (Introduced)

lower

1 primary · 1 co-sponsor