HB 2441 Summary

• Allows landowners to permanently retire irrigated acres damaged by floodwaters and substitute the same number of acres in the same farm unit if restoration is not economically feasible.

• Permits landowners to retire a portion of contiguous irrigated acres and substitute the same number of acres if a limiting condition (such as irregular shape or poor soil quality) substantially impedes efficient irrigation practices.

• Substitution of acres does not affect existing or vested water rights except for place of use, and water diverted after substitution cannot exceed vested rights existing at the time of substitution.

• Requires substitute acres to be within the same farm unit under common ownership, and if retired acres are in an irrigation district, substitute acres must be in the same irrigation district.

• Requires the director to post notices of substitution on the department's website; establishes definitions for "farm unit," "floodwaters," and "limiting condition."