Water Right Claim Examination Rules – 2026
The technical rules the Department of Natural Resources and Conservation applies when it examines a water right claim for the Water Court — flow rate, volume, period of use, place of use and point of diversion — organised by class of claim: irrigation, domestic, stockwater and the rest. This is where an abstract's issue remarks come from.
Browse all 47 rules of the 2026 edition below. Each rule includes the full text, a plain-English summary, committee notes, amendment history, and cross-references to related rules. Use the search box to find rules by keyword or number.
Preamble
Rule 1
Scope of Rules
Rule 2
Definitions
Rule 3
Centralized Record System
Rule 4
Standard Measurements of Water
Rule 5
Summary Report
Rule 6
Purpose
Rule 7
Owner Name and Address
Rule 8
Point of Diversion (Pod)
Rule 9
Means of Diversion
Rule 10
Reservoirs
Rule 11
Source
Rule 12
Place of Use (Pou)
Rule 13
Priority Date
Rule 14
Flow Rate
Rule 15
Volume
Rule 16
Period of Use
Rule 17
Reference to Irrigation Chapter
Rule 18
Place of Use (Pou)
Rule 19
Flow Rate and Volume
Rule 20
Period of Use
Rule 21
Reference to Irrigation Chapter
Rule 22
Point of Diversion (Pod)
Rule 23
Place of Use (Pou)
Rule 24
Flow Rate and Volume
Rule 25
Period of Use
Rule 26
Reference to Irrigation Chapter
Rule 27
Purpose
Rule 28
Place of Use (Pou)
Rule 29
Flow Rate and Volume
Rule 30
Period of Use
Rule 31
Point of Diversion (Pod) and Means Of
Rule 32
Public Meetings
Rule 33
Clarification
Rule 34
Amendments to Claims
Rule 35
Implied Claims
Rule 36
Claims Filed After April 30, 1982
Rule 37
Termination of a Claim
Rule 38
Ownership Updates
Rule 39
Change in Appropriation Right
Rule 40
Supplemental Rights
Rule 41
Multiple Use of a Right
Rule 42
Irrigation Districts
Rule 43
Documenting the Department's
Rule 44
Claimant Contact
Rule 45
Returned Mail
Rule 46
Post-decree Revisions