An acre foot of water will cover one full acre 1 foot deep or 43,560 cubic feet or 325,861 gallons. One second foot or 450 gallons per minute will produce 1 acre foot in 12 hours.

It is stock in a mutual irrigation company. Many irrigation companies exist in Utah which own water rights used by their share holders. The amount of water the company allows each share holder to divert is usually determined by the company stock shares owned or rented. Shares in an irrigation company are not water rights. The company collectively own the water rights, the benefits from which are distributed to the share holders.

How much water in a share?

A "share" refers to stock in an irrigation company. Evidence of title is a stock certificate for a specified number of shares. The amount of water delivered per share varies from company to company and the actual amount delivered will vary from year to year depending on the rainfall. For instance the Welby Jacobs Irrigation Company delivers an average of 1.0 acre foot per share and Utah Lake Distributing Company delivers and average of 5.11 acre feet per share.

According to the Division of Water Rights how much water is required:

     for one family?             0.45 acre feet

     for a summer cabin?    0.25 acre feet

     for 1 animal?                  0.028 acre feet

     for one acre?                   3 to 6 acre feet

The Utah Division of Water Rights has assigned a water "duty" or amount of water required to satisfy the irrigation water requirements for one acre of land that is based on the climate and growing season. For example in Salt Lake County the water duty is 5 acre feet per acre, in Utah County it is 4 acre feet per acre, in Summit County it is 3 acre feet per acre and in Washington County it is 6 acre feet per acre.

When is my water right considered abandoned?

A water right that has not been put to beneficial use for 5 or more years is considered abandoned and at risk of being lost. You can apply for "non-use" at the Division of Water Rights and preserve your water right for a specified time.

What factors affect the value of a water right?

Quantity: A water right is typically priced on the basis of acre feet specified in the right.

Consumption: The amount of water consumed varies according to its type of use.

Quality: The price of a water right increases as the quality of the water increases.

Dependability: The quantity and quality needs to be consistent through the season and years.

Transferability: The ease and distance that a water right can be transferred is important.

Priority: The later the priority the more likely it will be restricted during a dry cycle.  Priority is the date water right was first put to use according to the records of the Division of Water Rights.

(Most of this information can be verified in the publications published by the Utah Division of Water Rights. http://nrwrt1.nr.state.ut.us

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