Don’t you hate being thirsty? I know that I do. To me, there is nothing better than a chilled glass of water when my throat is parched.
Water isn’t just important to our bodies, it is important to our land as well.
Water Rights and Water Source
If you are going to buy a piece of agricultural property, you must know where the water to irrigate or drink is going to come from. If you plan to live on the property, you must drink water. Where is that going to come from? If you want to grow anything, besides cactus, you must have a reliable water source. Signs line Interstate-5 in the Central Valley that say “Crops grow where water flows.”
Potable and Non-Potable Water
Water is usually classified as potable or suited for drinking and non-potable or undrinkable. If you plan to live on a piece of agricultural property, you must have a reliable source of potable water. If the property does not have potable water, you may be forced to truck it to the property.
Non-potable water may be ill suited for drinking for a number of reasons: While non-potable water can’t be used for drinking, it is still useful. It can be used in certain types of irrigation, crop protection, for livestock, or fire protection.
Sources of Water
Wells
Wells are man-made holes that tap into underground aquifers. Generally, water is pumped from below the ground to a storage tank for drinking and/or irrigation.
Not all wells are created equal. Each well will have a different flow rate usually measured in Gallons Per Minute or GPM. The GPM number will indicate how fast a well refills the water as it is removed. A well rated at 5 gpm will replenish 5 gallons of water in one minute.
Springs
Springs are simply where water naturally flows out of the surface of the earth. Springs are naturally occurring but can be harnessed to provide water.
All springs are not equal. Some are warm, like Vichy Springs in Ukiah. Some have sulphur in them. Many have different flow rates.
Having a spring or springs on a property can add significant value. Again knowing as much as possible about the spring is important and what the water it provides can be used for.
Rivers, Streams, & Creeks
Rivers, streams, and creeks (or cricks) can be another valuable source of water on a property. Many if not all of these tributaries are likely to be managed or have the oversight of some government agency.
Some properties have riparian water rights. The BLM website says this about riparian water rights:
Riparian water rights, therefore, occur as a result of landownership. A landowner who owns land that physically touches a river, stream, pond, or lake has an equal right to the use of water from that source. This water right, however, is only a usufructuary right and not a property right in the water. The water may be used as it passes through the property of the land owner, but it cannot be unreasonably detained or diverted, and it must be returned to the stream from which it was obtained.
Water in rivers, streams, and creeks can be used for irrigation, livestock, and pleasure depending on the rights associated with the property. It is important to know what rights a property has when buying it.
When buying an agricultural piece of property, it is important to know where the water for agricultural land is going to come from. Having adequate and quality water to maintain your investment is crucial to any agricultural land acquisition.
