Contract Classes
Class B Contracts
Class B contracts consist of temporary use permits, original Class B contracts and Section 131 contracts for municipal purposes. Class B contracts were allotted to municipalities from 1938 to 1993.
Section 131 Contracts
Section 131 contracts are essentially a continuously renewable one-year contract. If a municipality pays its annual assessments, Northern Water will continue to deliver the water. If a municipality fails to pay, the contract is terminated and the municipality has no further obligation.
Northern Water allows a municipality to approve its Section 131 contract by whatever means the municipality believes is necessary to ensure the contract is legally binding on the municipality, either by a municipal ordinance or a resolution.
Temporary Use Permits
All Temporary Use permits accumulated by a municipality each year must be converted to Section 131 contracts by March 1 of the following year. Please see the Policy Regarding Conversion of Temporary Use Permits to Section 131 Contract.
Class C Contracts
Under a Class C contract an allottee agrees that any water Northern Water allots shall be for domestic, irrigation, multipurpose or industrial use within or through facilities or upon lands owned, operated or served by the Class C allottee, and located within Northern Water boundaries.
Class B & Class C Limits
Northern Water sets limits on how much water Class B and Class C allottees may acquire. Please see the Interim Guidelines on Limitations on Ownership of C-BT Allotment Contracts for Domestic or Municipal Purposes.
Fixed Quota Program
In 1993 the Northern Water Board adopted a policy allowing allottees the option of a guaranteed 70 percent quota each year through the Fixed Quota Program. An allottee must apply and receive board approval to participate. Once approved, a participating allottee must remain in the program for 10 years and may renew a fixed quota. However, if not renewed after 10 years a fixed quota expires and the allotment contract reverts to a variable quota.
Additional Resources
Class D Contracts
Class D allotment contracts attach a water allotment to a specific tract of land for agricultural purposes. The C-BT units and the tract of land to which the C-BT units are attached must be under the same ownership, and the water must be used for agricultural purposes.
Class D ownership requirements:
- Land must be owned by the applicant
- Land must have a history of irrigation and contain no dry-up clauses; see Interim Policy Regarding Use of C-BT Project Water on Lands Affected by Dry-Up Requirements
- Land must have a need for supplemental water
- Land must have a base water supply; see Base Water Supply Policy
- Land must be located within Northern Water boundaries
- Total water supply cannot exceed 3 acre-feet of water per irrigated acre
- C-BT water must be delivered for beneficial use
Field Exam Information
Before the Northern Water Board considers an application to transfer water, staff may conduct a field exam to ensure the total water supply does not exceed 3 acre-feet of water per irrigated acre.
A field exam is required if:
- The land does not already have C-BT Project water attached
- The land has C-BT Project water attached but the transfer would add additional C-BT Project units
- The land is being subdivided into several tracts
- A portion of the land has been sold
Information needed to conduct a field exam:
- Recorded Warranty Deed
- Total acreage of land tract
- Total irrigated acres
- Existence of base water supplies
- Number of irrigation wells and decreed rates (i.e. gallons per minute or cubic feet per second)
Notice of Claim of Lien
For more Notice of Claim of Lien information please see the Rule Regarding Notice of Claim of Lien and Change or Removal of Allotment Contracts Issued by Northern Water. To file a lien, please contact Sherri Rasmussen or call 800-369-7246.