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David is selling his Eastern Washington orchard to Linda. The property has a senior water right permit dated 1943 that allows diversion of water from Ahtanum Creek for irrigation. During due diligence, Linda's attorney discovers that the water right certificate has never been formally transferred to David's name from the prior owner, even though David has owned the property for 12 years. What is the most significant risk this creates for Linda as the buyer?

Correct Answer

B) The water right may not be legally recognized as part of the property conveyance, creating uncertainty about Linda's ability to use the water after purchase.

If the water right certificate has never been formally transferred to David's name, there is a break in the chain of title for the water right. This creates significant legal uncertainty: Linda may not be able to prove she has a valid, properly conveyed water right after closing, which could expose her to challenges from third parties or the Department of Ecology. Brokers should ensure that water right transfers are properly documented and that the Department of Ecology's records reflect the correct current holder of the right. This is a material title issue that should be resolved before closing.

Answer Options
A
Linda will be required to pay a transfer tax to the Department of Ecology equal to 1% of the water right's appraised value.
B
The water right may not be legally recognized as part of the property conveyance, creating uncertainty about Linda's ability to use the water after purchase.
C
The water right will automatically revert to the state because it has not been used under a properly titled permit for more than five years.
D
Linda will lose the senior priority date of 1943 and the right will be re-dated to the year of her purchase.

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Related Topics & Key Terms

Key Terms:

water_rightstitle_chaintransferdue_diligencepriority_date

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