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Unused water rights risk forfeiture under adjudication; forfeited water reverts to the public, official says
Summary
At the public meeting, Assistant State Engineer Chase McDonald warned that rights or portions of rights not put to beneficial use for seven years may be recommended to the court for forfeiture and explained what happens if a court declares a right forfeited.
Assistant State Engineer Chase McDonald explained that state law allows a court to declare a water right wholly or partially forfeited if it has not been put to beneficial use for a seven‑year period. He emphasized the division itself does not unilaterally cancel rights but will investigate and recommend forfeiture to the court: "The state engineer does not have the authority to forfeit a water right, but we'll go out and do our evaluation, and we will make a recommendation to a court, and the court can declare that…
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