How SB 113 changes current law

Compared against the Nevada Revised Statutes as published AI-generated reading aid — verify against the official bill.

The bill revises provisions related to the groundwater management plans, particularly for critical management areas, and establishes new requirements for the State Engineer and petition processes.

• NRS 534.110

  The State Engineer may designate certain basins as critical management areas; and (2) is required to designate a basin as a critical management area upon receipt of a petition signed by a majority of the holders of certificates or permits to appropriate water in the basin. → the State Engineer shall, in the order designating the critical management area, affirm or modify the perennial yield of the designated basin.

  The bill mandates the State Engineer to affirm or modify the perennial yield when designating a critical management area.

• NRS 534.037

  a petition for the approval of a groundwater management plan may be submitted to the State Engineer by a majority of the holders of permits or certificates to appropriate water in the basin. → a petition for the approval of a groundwater management plan for the basin may be submitted to the State Engineer. The petition must be signed by the holders of permits or certificates to appropriate water in the basin that are on file in the Office of the State Engineer who represent a majority of the total groundwater permitted or certificated for use in the basin;

  The process for submitting a groundwater management plan petition is revised to require signatures representing a majority of total groundwater permitted or certificated.

• NRS 534.037

  who does not sign the petition may not be required to comply with an approved groundwater management plan. → The holder of such a permit or certificate may notify the State Engineer in writing that he or she intends to comply with the approved groundwater management plan at any time after the groundwater management plan has been approved.

  Users who do not sign the petition can later opt to comply with the management plan.

• NRS 534.037

  the State Engineer shall restrict withdrawals of groundwater to conform to priority rights under certain circumstances, including if a basin has been designated as a critical management area for at least 10 consecutive years. → Section 1.5 requires the State Engineer to review an approved groundwater management plan that has been in effect for 10 consecutive years to determine whether there has been significant progress towards stabilizing the water level of the basin and, if not, with certain exceptions, to restrict withdrawals of groundwater to conform to priority rights until the water level is stabilized.

  The bill requires periodic reviews of groundwater management plans and may impose restrictions on withdrawals if progress toward stabilization has not been made.

• NRS 534.110

  create an exception for the restriction of withdrawals to allow a domestic well to continue to withdraw 0.5 acre-feet of water per year if the owner of the domestic well installs or has installed certain systems.

  Domestic wells are allowed a baseline withdrawal regardless of restrictions imposed due to critical management area designations.

• NRS 534.037

  If a groundwater management plan approved pursuant to this section has been in effect for 10 consecutive years, the State Engineer shall review the results of the groundwater management plan to determine whether there has been significant progress towards stabilizing the water level of the basin, as determined by the State Engineer. If the State Engineer determines there has not otherwise provided in subsection 9 of NRS 534.110, order: → the State Engineer must review any groundwater management plan that was approved before October 1, 2023, to determine whether there has been significant progress towards stabilizing the water level of the basin.

  The bill establishes a timeline for reviewing older groundwater management plans to ensure ongoing effectiveness.