Title 48

NRS 532.060 Classification; restrictions on other employment. 1. The State Engineer is in the unclassified service of the State. 2. Except as otherwise provided in NRS 284.143, the State Engineer shall devote his or her entire time and attention to the business of the Office of t…

NRS 532.070 Location of office. The State Engineer shall keep his or her office at the State Capital. [17:140:1913; A 1949, 102; 1943 NCL § 7904] + [Part 1:108:1919; A 1949, 450; 1943 NCL § 7390]—(NRS A 2003, 1452; 2011, 324)

NRS 532.080 Seal. 1. The State Engineer is empowered and directed to procure for the Office of the State Engineer a seal upon which shall appear his or her official title and such other suitable inscription as the State Engineer may deem proper. 2. The seal shall be affixed to al…

NRS 532.090 Appointment of technical, clerical and operational staff; persons appointed to conduct snow surveys exempted from state human resources system. 1. The State Engineer may, with the consent of the Director of the State Department of Conservation and Natural Resources, a…

NRS 532.100 Expenses. The State Engineer may purchase such material and incur such expenses for traveling and other purposes as may be necessary for the proper conduct and maintenance of the Office of the State Engineer, to be paid from the moneys which may be appropriated for su…

NRS 532.110 General duties. The State Engineer shall perform such duties as are or may be prescribed by law and the Director of the State Department of Conservation and Natural Resources. [Part 2:108:1919; A 1929, 143; 1949, 450; 1943 NCL § 7391]—(NRS A 1957, 653)

NRS 532.120 Rules and regulations; regulations governing contests. 1. The State Engineer may make such reasonable rules and regulations as may be necessary for the proper and orderly execution of the powers conferred by law. 2. The State Engineer may adopt regulations, not in con…

NRS 532.130 Power to administer oaths. The State Engineer and his or her authorized assistants may administer such oaths as may be necessary in the performance of their official duties. [16:140:1913; 1919 RL p. 3227; NCL § 7903]

NRS 532.140 Reports. The State Engineer shall prepare and deliver to the Director of the State Department of Conservation and Natural Resources at such times as may be required by the Director, a full report of the work of the Office of the State Engineer, including a detailed st…

NRS 532.150 Records: Public inspection; certified copies as evidence. 1. The records of the Office of the State Engineer are public records and shall remain on file in the Office of the State Engineer and be open to the inspection of the public at all times during business hours.…

NRS 532.160 Duties of Attorney General and district attorneys. The Attorney General and the district attorney of the county in which legal questions arise shall be the legal advisers of the State Engineer and shall perform any and all legal duties necessary in connection with the…

NRS 532.165 Duties: Studies and inventories; review of governmental proposals for flood control and water development projects; program to map water rights. The State Engineer shall: 1. Conduct necessary studies and inventories. 2. Review and evaluate proposals by federal, state …

NRS 532.167 Duties: Water budget and inventory. For each basin located in whole or in part in the State, the State Engineer shall prepare a water budget and calculate and maintain an inventory of water which includes, without limitation: 1. The total amount of groundwater appropr…

NRS 532.170 Agreements concerning use and development of water resources. 1. Subject to the provisions of subsection 2 and with the approval of the Director of the State Department of Conservation and Natural Resources, the State Engineer, for and on behalf of the State of Nevada…

NRS 532.175 Agreements concerning cooperative management of groundwater basins shared between states. The State Engineer, after a public hearing on the issue and with the approval of the Director of the State Department of Conservation and Natural Resources, for and on behalf of …

NRS 532.180 Cooperation with United States and California relative to waters of Lake Tahoe and adjacent areas. With the approval of the Director of the State Department of Conservation and Natural Resources, the State Engineer, for and on behalf of the State of Nevada, is authori…

NRS 532.200 Adjudication Emergency Account. 1. For the purpose of advancing and paying for stenographic work and transcripts required by law or order of court, or for the costs, witness fees or expenses incurred by or upon the authority of the Attorney General and the State Engin…

NRS 532.210 Water Distribution Revolving Account. 1. The fund created pursuant to the provisions of chapter 232, Statutes of Nevada 1931, and chapter 23, Statutes of Nevada 1943, is hereby continued as a revolving account within the State General Fund, for the purposes set forth …

NRS 532.220 Channel Clearance, Maintenance, Restoration, Surveying and Monumenting Program: Establishment; administration; purpose; grant qualification; immunity of state, local and tribal governments; refund of certain fees; certain permits not to be denied for lack of money. 1.…

NRS 532.230 Account for the Channel Clearance, Maintenance, Restoration, Surveying and Monumenting Program. 1. The Account for the Channel Clearance, Maintenance, Restoration, Surveying and Monumenting Program is hereby created in the State General Fund. 2. The money in the Accou…

NRS 533.005 Definitions. As used in this chapter, unless the context otherwise requires, the words and terms defined in NRS 533.007 to 533.023, inclusive, have the meanings ascribed to them in those sections. (Added to NRS by 2009, 595)

NRS 533.007 “Interbasin transfer of groundwater” defined. “Interbasin transfer of groundwater” means a transfer of groundwater for which the proposed point of diversion is in a different basin than the proposed place of beneficial use. (Added to NRS by 2009, 595)

NRS 533.010 “Person” defined. “Person” includes the United States, this State and any political subdivision of this State. [48:140:1913; 1919 RL p. 3235; NCL § 7933]—(NRS A 1985, 522; 2009, 596)

NRS 533.015 “State Engineer” defined. “State Engineer” means the State Engineer or any duly authorized assistant. [49:140:1913; 1919 RL p. 3235; NCL § 7934]—(NRS A 2009, 596)

NRS 533.020 “Stream system” defined. “Stream system” includes any stream, together with its tributaries and all streams or bodies of water to which the same may be tributary. [47:140:1913; 1919 RL p. 3235; NCL § 7932]—(NRS A 2009, 596)

NRS 533.023 “Wildlife purposes” defined. “Wildlife purposes” includes the watering of wildlife and the establishment and maintenance of wetlands, fisheries and other wildlife habitats. (Added to NRS by 1989, 1733; A 2009, 596)

NRS 533.024 Legislative declaration. The Legislature declares that: 1. It is the policy of this State: (a) To encourage and promote the use of effluent, where that use is not contrary to the public health, safety or welfare, and where that use does not interfere with federal obli…

NRS 533.0241 Duty of State Engineer to reserve certain amount of groundwater. 1. For each basin in which there is groundwater that has not been committed for use, including, without limitation, pursuant to a permit, certificate or by any other water user in the basin, as of June …

NRS 533.0243 Temporary conversion of agricultural water for certain purposes: Legislative declaration; requirements; duration. 1. The Legislature hereby finds and declares that it is the policy of this State to allow the temporary conversion of agricultural water rights for wildl…

NRS 533.0245 State Engineer prohibited from carrying out duties in conflict with certain decrees, orders, compacts or agreements. The State Engineer shall not carry out his or her duties pursuant to this chapter in a manner that conflicts with any applicable provision of a decree…

NRS 533.0247 State Engineer, assistants and agents authorized to enter land to investigate and carry out duties. The State Engineer or any assistant or authorized agent of the State Engineer may enter the land of any owner or proprietor where any water is being diverted or used p…

NRS 533.025 Water belongs to public. The water of all sources of water supply within the boundaries of the State whether above or beneath the surface of the ground, belongs to the public. [1:140:1913; 1919 RL p. 3225; NCL § 7890]

NRS 533.027 Applicability of chapter to certain emergency situations to extinguish fires and de minimus collection of precipitation. 1. The provisions of this chapter do not apply to: (a) The use of water in emergency situations to extinguish fires by a public agency or a volunte…

NRS 533.028 Applicability of chapter to retention or detention of developed stormwater flow for certain purposes in county whose population is less than 700,000. 1. In a county whose population is less than 700,000, the provisions of this chapter do not apply to the retention or …

NRS 533.030 Appropriation for beneficial use; use for recreational purpose, developed shortage supply or intentionally created surplus declared beneficial; limitations and exceptions. 1. Subject to existing rights, and except as otherwise provided in this section and NRS 533.0241…

NRS 533.035 Beneficial use: Basis, measure and limit of right to use. Beneficial use shall be the basis, the measure and the limit of the right to the use of water. [3:140:1913; 1919 RL p. 3225; NCL § 7892]

NRS 533.037 Determination of priority of water right acquired for use in federal reclamation project; no additional water rights granted. 1. The priority of a water right acquired by a person for use in a federal reclamation project is determined according to the date on which th…

NRS 533.040 Water used for beneficial purposes to remain appurtenant to place of use; exceptions. 1. Except as otherwise provided in this section, any water used in this State for beneficial purposes shall be deemed to remain appurtenant to the place of use. 2. If at any time it …

NRS 533.045 Right to divert ceases when necessity for use does not exist. When the necessity for the use of water does not exist, the right to divert it ceases, and no person shall be permitted to divert or use the waters of this State except at such times as the water is require…

NRS 533.050 Beneficial use of water declared a public use; eminent domain. The beneficial use of water is hereby declared a public use, and any person may exercise the right of eminent domain to condemn all lands and other property or rights required for the construction, use and…

NRS 533.055 Storage of water for beneficial purpose; claiming and diversion of water turned into natural channel or watercourse. Water may be stored for a beneficial purpose. Water turned into any natural channel or watercourse by any person entitled to the use thereof, whether s…

NRS 533.060 Right to use limited to amount necessary; loss or abandonment of rights; no acquisition of prescriptive right; reservation of rights by State. 1. Rights to the use of water must be limited and restricted to as much as may be necessary, when reasonably and economically…

NRS 533.065 Standards of measurement. 1. A cubic foot of water per second of time shall be the legal standard for the measurement of water in this state. 2. The unit of volume shall be an acre-foot defined as 43,560 cubic feet. 3. Where necessary to transpose miner’s inches to cu…

NRS 533.070 Quantity of water appropriated limited to amount reasonably required for beneficial use; duties of State Engineer in connection with water diverted or stored for purpose of irrigation. 1. The quantity of water from either a surface or underground source which may here…

NRS 533.075 Rotation in use of water. To bring about a more economical use of the available water supply, it shall be lawful for water users owning lands to which water is appurtenant to rotate in the use of the supply to which they may be collectively entitled; or a single water…