Idaho Code § 42-351

This is the official text of Idaho Code § 42-351, part of Idaho’s Code — part of the compiled statutory law of Idaho, published by the state as "Code." Browse the sections below, each linked to its official government source.

Not legal advice. This page reproduces the official text of a government statute for reference only. Laws change, and how a statute applies depends on your specific facts. For advice about your situation, consult a licensed attorney in your state.

42-351 ILLEGAL DIVERSION OR USE OF WATER — ENFORCEMENT PROCEDURE — INJUNCTIVE RELIEF.

Official statutory text

42-351. Illegal diversion or use of water — Enforcement procedure — Injunctive relief. (1) It is unlawful for any person to divert or use water:

(a) From a natural watercourse or from a ground water source without having obtained a valid water right to do so;

(b) Not in conformance with a valid water right; or

(c) In substantial violation of any provision of this title, or any rule, permit, condition of approval, or order issued or promulgated pursuant to this title that is related to the diversion or use of water.

(2) Upon investigation of available information, the director of the department of water resources shall have the discretion to:

(a) Issue a written notice of violation to the person in accordance with the provisions of section 42-1701B, Idaho Code, for the illegal diversion or use of water; or

(b) Proceed with enforcement actions pursuant to section 42-1701C, Idaho Code, in cases of diversions for domestic purposes or uses as defined in section 42-111, Idaho Code; and

(3) Notwithstanding the provisions of subsection (2) of this section, the director may also file an action seeking injunctive relief directing the person to cease and desist the activity or activities alleged to be in violation of applicable law or any existing water right.

History:

[42-351, added 1986, ch. 313, sec. 8, p. 774; am. 1988, ch. 83, sec. 3, p. 145; am. 1994, ch. 450, sec. 5, p. 1438; am. 1998, ch. 173, sec. 4, p. 602; am. 2003, ch. 165, sec. 1, p. 467; am. 2025, ch. 129, sec. 3, p. 665.]

Status: in_force · Read it on the official government site

Need a lawyer in Idaho?

Find a Idaho lawyer
About this page: Statute text is reproduced from official government publishers via the Open US Law dataset (Vaquill AI, snapshot v2026.08, CC BY 4.0). Primary legislative text like this is public domain under the government-edicts doctrine (Georgia v. Public.Resource.Org, 2020). We link every section back to its official source so you can verify it independently.