Basin closure
A state determination that no new water rights will be issued in a basin because existing rights already claim the available supply.
A closed basin cannot be entered by filing. The only way to obtain water is to acquire an existing right and, usually, to change its use and point of diversion through a state approval process that can take years.
Closure is therefore the sharpest possible screening criterion for a project. It converts water from a permitting question into an acquisition question, and the difference in cost and timeline between those two is enormous.
Where this shows up in the data
Who this matters to
See also
More in Water law
Stop reading definitions. Look at the data.
2.1M+ water rights, 26 layers and 17 states. Free to start.
Create a free account