Bill > S1304

This bill clarifies and expands the rights and responsibilities related to irrigation conduits and their rights-of-way, which are essentially easements or strips of land used for water delivery or drainage. It defines "irrigation conduit" to include various forms of water conveyance systems, such as ditches, canals, pipelines, and drains. The bill specifies that owners or operators of these conduits have the right to access, maintain, and repair them, including removing debris and constructing necessary structures within the right-of-way, without needing permission from the landowner whose property the conduit crosses. It also clarifies that these rights-of-way are not subject to adverse possession, meaning they cannot be claimed by others through long-term use, and prohibits obstructions that interfere with their operation. Furthermore, the bill outlines procedures for relocating or piping existing conduits, requiring permission from the conduit owner and specifying responsibilities for costs and maintenance, while also allowing conduit owners to place open channels in buried pipes within their existing rights-of-way under certain conditions. Finally, it makes technical corrections to code references and declares an emergency for immediate effect.

Agriculture and Natural Resources, Justice

Resources and Environment Committee (Senate)

https://legislature.idaho.gov/sessioninfo/2026/legislation/S1304/