Commencement notices for water use.
IDWR mailing commencement notices to water users in the Kootenai River Basin; water rights claims must be filed for the adjudication
The Idaho Department of Water Resources (IDWR) has mailed approximately 5,500 commencement notices to property owners in the far northeast corner of the state, soliciting water right claims for the Kootenai River Basin Adjudication.
Public notices with detailed information were mailed on Aug. 14 to all property owners within IDWR’s administrative Basin 98, which encompasses the Kootenai River Basin and tributaries, and the Moyie River Basin and tributaries in Northern Idaho. (See map on page 3)
On March 6, 2026, Fifth Judicial District Judge Eric Wildman, the presiding judge for all water rights adjudication matters in Idaho, issued an order commencing a general adjudication of water rights within the Kootenai River Basin water system in Idaho. The purpose of the adjudication is to compile an inventory of all the water rights in the Kootenai River Basin water system. Water users will have until June 4, 2027, to file their claims.
IDWR will host claims-taking and information workshops at the Valley Event Center, Boundary County Fairgrounds, on September 22-24, from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m., to assist water users with filing their claims and answer questions.
Once the water right claims have been filed, IDWR officials will review the claims and make recommendations to the court. Judge Wildman will review the recommendations and issue a final decree, confirming the elements all water rights in the entire Kootenai River Basin, including all surface water and ground water sources.
A Notice of Claim is required for all water uses. However, owners of small domestic and/or stock water rights may choose to file a claim now or wait until later in the process. Filing a claim for small domestic and/or stock water use may be deferred, but IDWR officials recommend filing a claim for those water uses to save time and money. A one-time $25 claim filing fee applies to domestic and stock water rights.
A claim is NOT required to be filed by individual property owners or water users who do not own the water right. Water users who receive all of their water from a city, an irrigation district, water utility district, or a company are not required to file a claim for that water. A water delivery organization that holds legal title to water rights typically files claims for the water used by all its customers or patrons.
How much does it cost to file a claim? Claim fees for uses other than small domestic or stock water vary according to the purpose and extent of use.
A Notice of Claim must be filed on forms provided by IDWR or online at www.idwr.idaho.gov. When filing at an IDWR regional office, please bring a description of the property with Township, Range, Section and Quarter-Quarters, or the county parcel number.
A water right claimant also may get assistance by making an appointment with a representative at the IDWR regional offices at the following locations:
IDWR, Northern Region, 7600 Mineral Dr., Suite 100, Coeur d’Alene, ID 83815; Phone: 208-762-2800;
IDWR, State Office, 322 E Front St, Boise, ID 83720-0098; Phone: 208-287-4800.
