Owner classification issue in Utah(?)

[amabdallah]

1. There is an issue in classifying at least these two water rights as Reclamation Owner. See 2. in the comment

https://westdaat.westernstateswater.org/details/right/UTwr_WR412238

https://westdaat.westernstateswater.org/details/right/UTwr_WR43525

Related code https://github.com/WSWCWaterDataExchange/MappingStatesDataToWaDE2.0/tree/master/5_CustomFunctions/OwnerClassification

https://westdaat.westernstateswater.org/?state=N4IgtghgDiBcoC8D2SwBkCmA3DAbOAHAHQDMAnAEwCsADBQGwAsFFA7DQIwWMA0IuEAC4BLQQFcAJhjiMapCiQ5U%2BuJADsA5qMnTYAWg40yRVtxr0AvnwDuAJzigk1tRlsBhAQGdPwgGbCAYyFhdU84AG0QACExWwwIMQACACUMAIFIEXVEgAoAVQBlKOSAShAAXT5hTwA5XAlhADFhXEFXAEEAkRw4XwhcTwwLCyA

[amabdallah]

Reclamation engineers suggested expanding their term search to include these two terms:

1. USDOI Bureau of Reclamation (similar to how USDOI is used in the Fish and wildlife terms)............"usdoi fish & wildlife",
2. BOR or USBOR

[rwjam]

Updated the UTwr data, saw no change.

Inspected the sites themselves. Seems it is possible that those sites are shared between multiple water rights / multiple owners, where one of the water rights is a USBR owner.

Not sure how the "Owner Classification Type" filter is working on WestDAAT. This might require further investigation.

site link: https://westdaat.westernstateswater.org/details/site/UTwr_SPOU34373152 USBR Link: https://westdaat.westernstateswater.org/details/right/UTwr_WR452049

[amabdallah]

Thanks for the update and review. Wow! This makes sense regarding the owner classification issue. This water right is a nightmare of complication. One POU may have multiple water rights. For now, all good. Let's review the water right later.

https://maps.waterrights.utah.gov/EsriMap/map.asp?layersToAdd=PodSearch&q=45-2049#45-2047

[amabdallah]

One possible issue is that this water right has both surface and groundwater, which raises a red flag for me. It could be totally fine but its worth looking into

[rwjam]

Question: How can a Polygon be owned by multiple water rights? Example image of all polygons related to the 41-2238 water right WestDAAT Link, but each of these areas is also associated with other water rights (see WRNUMS column).

[amabdallah]

Let's add this description to the ReadME on the GitHub mapping page of this data. Let's add the FAQ URL to the method description.

Jim said

I just found this on our FAQ page, It provides something more official and perhaps better-worded than what I sent.

What are supplemental numbers and use groups? Water right uses (location and type of use) are organized into groups in Division of Water Rights records. Each group is given a unique number by which it is referenced by the water right(s) which share the use. Groups exist to allow the Division to organize records and quantify amounts related to a use. If more than one water right is used to provide water for a use, the water rights which have been grouped together are called supplemental water rights. The idea being that each of the water rights contributes to the beneficial use. Ultimately, quantifying a water right involves determining its sole supply contributed to each use. The group quantifies the extent of the use for the group, while the sole supply defines the contribution of each of the supplemental rights towards the group use. A change or segregration which involves a group necessarily requires that the sole supply of each right in the group be quantified. Shared uses (supplemental water rights) may come to light in different ways. Sometimes they are mentioned in applications to appropriate. They may be identified during the approval process, or as the uses of the water are quantified and documented in the proof process. The most common time for supplemental uses to be identified is during the adjudication process as all the water rights and uses in an area are being reviewed and quantified. The important point is that understanding the relationship between uses and the water rights that supply water for the use is critical to determine the water being used and evaluate water rights as new uses are contemplated.

[rwjam]

Let's add this description to the ReadME on the GitHub mapping page of this data. Let's add the FAQ URL to the method description.

Jim said

I just found this on our FAQ page, It provides something more official and perhaps better-worded than what I sent.

What are supplemental numbers and use groups? Water right uses (location and type of use) are organized into groups in Division of Water Rights records. Each group is given a unique number by which it is referenced by the water right(s) which share the use. Groups exist to allow the Division to organize records and quantify amounts related to a use. If more than one water right is used to provide water for a use, the water rights which have been grouped together are called supplemental water rights. The idea being that each of the water rights contributes to the beneficial use. Ultimately, quantifying a water right involves determining its sole supply contributed to each use. The group quantifies the extent of the use for the group, while the sole supply defines the contribution of each of the supplemental rights towards the group use. A change or segregration which involves a group necessarily requires that the sole supply of each right in the group be quantified. Shared uses (supplemental water rights) may come to light in different ways. Sometimes they are mentioned in applications to appropriate. They may be identified during the approval process, or as the uses of the water are quantified and documented in the proof process. The most common time for supplemental uses to be identified is during the adjudication process as all the water rights and uses in an area are being reviewed and quantified. The important point is that understanding the relationship between uses and the water rights that supply water for the use is critical to determine the water being used and evaluate water rights as new uses are contemplated.

updated method description .