Adjudication is a statutory process designed to determine the water rights for registered uses of water that began before adoption of Nevada water law on March 1, 1905, for streams and springs; March 22, 1913, for artesian wells; and March 25, 1939, for all other groundwater (NRS 534.100.1). Claims of vested water rights are filed with the Nevada Division of Water Resources. The determination of a vested water right and its pre-statutory priority date become final through the adjudication process. An adjudication is initiated by order of the State Engineer. All claimants to vested rights on a particular source must file proofs of appropriation and supporting maps in accordance with the State Engineer’s order. In the absence of an order, claimants to vested rights may wish to file their proofs and supporting maps in order to inform the State Engineer and any applicant for a permitted right on the same source that the claimed vested right exists.
Filing a Claim of Vested Right
Any claimant to a vested right may file a claim in the Nevada Division of Water Resources by completing and filing a Proof of Appropriation. The proof must be accompanied by the statutory filing fee of $60.00 for stock watering and $120.00 for all other uses. The Proof of Appropriation must be supported by a map prepared in prescribed form by a State Water Right Surveyor (a Registered Land Surveyor or Registered Professional Engineer duly licensed as a State Water Right Surveyor by the Nevada Division of Water Resources). The supporting map must show the point of diversion and place of use within the proper legal subdivisions. These map locations must coincide with the physical locations, so that all interested parties will have accurate information describing the proposed appropriation of water.