Chase McDonald, assistant state engineer overseeing the adjudication program at the Utah Division of Water Rights, told a public meeting that the office published a list of 28 “unclaimed” water rights for the Eastland Subdivision and that affected parties have 90 days to file objections with the district court.

McDonald said the list was published two weeks before the meeting and that the office will reissue a final summons — published once a week for five consecutive weeks — to try to reach anyone it missed. "The important thing to know about that is once that list of unclean rights is decreed, all diligence based rights, are barred from being claimed in the future," McDonald said during the presentation.

The division described the adjudication as a three‑phase, court‑driven process under state law (Title 73, Chapter 4, Utah Code). For the Eastland Subdivision the office reported 134 water rights on its records and that it had notified 359 landowners. Of those water rights, 28 appear on the list of unclaimed rights because no claim was filed during the initial 90‑day claim period.

The office emphasized what parties must do to preserve rights: file a written objection with the Seventh Judicial District Court and attach a claim, and also file the claim with the Division of Water Rights. McDonald said staff and a representative from the Utah Attorney General’s Office are available to help clarify what documentation the court needs.

McDonald explained next steps in the adjudication timeline: after the five‑week final summons and the resolution of any objections, the division will evaluate filed claims and prepare the state engineer’s proposed determination. That proposed determination is then submitted to the court and triggers another 90‑day objection period before the court may issue a decree. The division told the meeting it hopes to publish a proposed determination in February 2026, depending on the number and complexity of objections.

The division also clarified the difference between perfected and unperfected rights. McDonald said the adjudication addresses “perfected” rights — those that have been decreed or otherwise perfected through an application and proof of beneficial use. He advised owners with questions about whether a right is perfected to contact staff after the meeting so the office can look up individual records.

A member of the audience asked whether the timing of the adjudication was linked to potash development or to broader water issues such as Lake Powell. McDonald said the adjudication is part of ongoing statewide work and was not triggered by a single project or recent water supply news. "It's not in response to Lake Powell," he said, adding the program has operated since statehood to quantify historic and existing uses.

The division demonstrated how to access the full list online at waterrights.utah.gov (Adjudication → Southeastern Colorado River → Eastland Subdivision) and said paper copies are available from its Price and Salt Lake City offices for a nominal fee. Contact names provided were Cash Stallings, regional engineer for the area, and "Skyler," identified as a team lead on the adjudication staff.

The meeting concluded with staff offering to remain after the public portion to look up individual records and walk landowners through the objection and filing steps.

Ending: The office urged anyone who believes they hold a water right listed as unclaimed to file a written objection with the Seventh Judicial District Court and to file the claim with the Division of Water Rights promptly; the division said staff will assist with locating records and explained that failing to timely object may bar diligence‑based claims once a court decree is entered.