Data sources & methodology
Water market data is scattered and often secondhand. Our rule keeps it honest: if a figure has no public primary source, it does not appear on this site.
The sourcing rule
Every rate quoted anywhere on WaterLeases lives in one internal library with its source attached, and pages can only quote from that library. Figures come from three kinds of primary sources: posted program rates from state agencies, published market indices, and transactions reported publicly by named outlets or in official notices. Each figure carries its as-of date, and we would rather show an honest qualitative sentence than an invented number.
Current primary sources
- Colorado Front Range irrigation and municipal leases: The Colorado Sun (Apr 2026)
- Colorado-Big Thompson (CBT) units: The Colorado Sun / Water Education Colorado (Early 2026)
- Idaho Water Supply Bank (irrigation rentals): Idaho Department of Water Resources (2025 board rate)
- California spot water (Nasdaq Veles NQH2O index): Nasdaq / Veles Water (Jun 2026)
- Rio Grande municipal water rights (public offer): TCEQ Rio Grande Watermaster (Dec 2025)
- Permian Basin fresh frac water (landowner sales): American Oil & Gas Reporter / B3 Insight (2025)
What a WaterLeases valuation is
An independent research product, not an appraisal: we verify the right in state records, place it against the sourced comparables above, and map which demand sources in the basin could legally and physically reach it. The output is a range and a recommended path. Where a formal appraisal is the right tool, we say so and refer out.
Independence and disclosures
WaterLeases is a Theory Road LLC brand. We are not owned by, or invested in, any brokerage or marketplace we cover. Outbound links to platforms are tracked so we can see what actually helps owners, and some may become referral relationships that pay us, disclosed on the pages where they appear, at no cost to you, and with no effect on the data. Questions about a figure? Email the desk and a person will answer.
Frequently asked questions
Where does WaterLeases get its rate data?
From public primary sources only: state agencies (Idaho Department of Water Resources, TCEQ and its watermasters, Colorado Division of Water Resources, Washington Department of Ecology), the Nasdaq Veles California Water Index, and transactions reported by named publications. Every figure on the site links to its source.
How often are the rates updated?
As the public data moves: posted program rates when boards revise them, the NQH2O index periodically, and reported transaction figures when credible new reporting appears. Each row carries its as-of date so you always know the vintage.
Does WaterLeases accept payment for rankings or coverage?
No. Editorial placement cannot be bought. Referral relationships with brokerages or platforms, where they exist, are disclosed on the pages that link to them and never alter what the data pages say.
Are WaterLeases valuations formal appraisals?
No. Our valuation is an independent research read: your right checked against state records and bracketed against sourced comparables and basin demand. For bank-grade appraisals (financing, estates, litigation) we refer owners to specialized firms.
Find out what your water is worth before anyone else tells you.
Tell us what you hold. We bracket its value against sourced comparables and real demand in your basin, then point you at the strongest path: lease, bank, or sell. Confidential, and yours to act on however you like.
- A defensible range, anchored to sourced comparables
- The demand map for your basin: who would pay and why
- Reply within one business day, confidential throughout