Nevada Revised Statutes

Nev. Rev. Stat. § 533.060 (2026)

Right to use limited to amount necessary; loss or abandonment of rights; no acquisition of prescriptive right; reservation of rights by State

✓ current as of July 2026
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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 used for irrigation and other beneficial purposes, irrespective of the carrying capacity of the ditch. The balance of the water not so appropriated must be allowed to flow in the natural stream from which the ditch draws its supply of water, and must not be considered as having been appropriated thereby.

      2.  Rights to the use of surface water shall not be deemed to be lost or otherwise forfeited for the failure to use the water therefrom for a beneficial purpose.

      3.  A surface water right that is appurtenant to land formerly used primarily for agricultural purposes is not subject to a determination of abandonment if the surface water right:

      (a) Is appurtenant to land that has been converted to urban use; or

      (b) Has been dedicated to or acquired by a water purveyor, public utility or public body for municipal use.

      4.  In a determination of whether a right to use surface water has been abandoned, a presumption that the right to use the surface water has not been abandoned is created upon the submission of records, photographs, receipts, contracts, affidavits or any other proof of the occurrence of any of the following events or actions within a 10-year period immediately preceding any claim that the right to use the water has been abandoned:

      (a) The delivery of water;

      (b) The payment of any costs of maintenance and other operational costs incurred in delivering the water;

      (c) The payment of any costs for capital improvements, including works of diversion and irrigation; or

      (d) The actual performance of maintenance related to the delivery of the water.

      5.  A prescriptive right to the use of the water or any of the public water appropriated or unappropriated may not be acquired by adverse possession. Any such right to appropriate any of the water must be initiated by applying to the State Engineer for a permit to appropriate the water as provided in this chapter.

      6.  The State of Nevada reserves for its own present and future use all rights to the use and diversion of water acquired pursuant to chapter 462, Statutes of Nevada 1963, or otherwise existing within the watersheds of Marlette Lake, Franktown Creek and Hobart Creek and not lawfully appropriated on April 26, 1963, by any person other than the Marlette Lake Company. Such a right must not be appropriated by any person without the express consent of the Legislature.

      [8:140:1913; A 1917, 353; 1949, 102; 1943 NCL § 7897]—(NRS A 1979, 1161; 1999, 2631)

     

Notes of Decisions
Cited in 11 cases, 1961–2020 · leading case: United States v. Alpine Land & Reservoir Co., 27 F. Supp. 2d 1230 (D. Nev. 1998).
United States v. Alpine Land & Reservoir Co., 27 F. Supp. 2d 1230 (D. Nev. 1998). · cites it 7× “If the right vested before March 22, 1913, or if the appropriation of the right was initiated in accordance with the law in effect prior to that date, then it is not subject to possible forfeiture under NRS § 533.060. The Tribe protested 40 out of the 56 parcels on the grounds…”
Franktown Creek Irrigation Co. v. Marlette Lake Co., 364 P.2d 1069 (Nev. 1961). · cites it 2× “102; NRS 533.060 (3)) it had acquired by prescription, i.”
United States v. Orr Water Ditch Co., 256 F.3d 935 (9th Cir. 2001). · cites it 4× “concluded that individual water rights were exempted from the Nevada forfeiture statute only if the rights were vested, or the appropriations had been initiated, prior to 1913: If the right vested before March 22, 1913, or if the appropriation of the right was initiated in…”
Mineral Co. Vs. Lyon Co. (nrap 5), 2020 NV 58 (Nev. 2020). · cites it 6× “See NRS 533.060 (regarding surface water rights); NRS 534.”
Eureka Co. Vs. State Eng'r c/w 63258, 2015 NV 84 (Nev. 2015). · cites it 4× “NRS 533.060(4)(a)-(d). Requiring that existing rights holders use water other than from the source that they currently have rights in might mean the existing rights holder would need to obtain a new permit to appropriate that new water.”
Eureka Co. v. State Eng'r C/W 63258 (Nev. 2015). · cites it 2× “NRS 533.060(4)(a)-(d). Requiring that existing right holders use water other than from the source that they currently have rights in might mean the existing right holder would need to obtain a new permit to appropriate that new water.”
Eureka Co. v. State Eng'r C/W 63258 (Nev. 2015). · cites it 2× “NRS 533.060(4)(a)-(d). Requiring that existing right holders use water other than from the source that they currently have rights in might mean the existing right holder would need to obtain a new permit to appropriate that new water.”
Pyramid Lake Paiute v. Nevada State Eng'r (9th Cir. 2007). · cites it 2× “Nev. Rev. Stat. § 533.060 (1987). PYRAMID LAKE PAIUTE v.”
Eureka Cnty. v. State Eng'r, 2015 NV 84 (Nev. 2015). · cites it 2× “NRS 533.060(4)(a)-(d). Requiring that existing rights holders use water other than from the source that they currently have rights in might mean the existing rights holder would need to obtain a new permit to appropriate that new water.”
Eureka Co. Vs. State Eng'r c/w 63258, 2015 NV 84 (Nev. 2015). · cites it 2× “NRS 533.060(4)(a)-(d). Requiring that existing rights holders use water other than from the source that they currently have rights in might mean the existing rights holder would need to obtain a new permit to appropriate that new water.”
Eureka Co. Vs. State Eng'r c/w 63258, 2015 NV 84 (Nev. 2015). · cites it 2× “NRS 533.060(4)(a)-(d). Requiring that existing rights holders use water other than from the source that they currently have rights in might mean the existing rights holder would need to obtain a new permit to appropriate that new water.”
— Nev. Rev. Stat. § 533.060(1) — 1 case
Mineral Co. Vs. Lyon Co. (nrap 5), 2020 NV 58 (Nev. 2020). “See NRS 533.060 (regarding surface water rights); NRS 534.”
— Nev. Rev. Stat. § 533.060(2) — 2 cases
United States v. Alpine Land & Reservoir Co., 27 F. Supp. 2d 1230 (D. Nev. 1998). “If the right vested before March 22, 1913, or if the appropriation of the right was initiated in accordance with the law in effect prior to that date, then it is not subject to possible forfeiture under NRS § 533.060. The Tribe protested 40 out of the 56 parcels on the grounds…”
Franktown Creek Irrigation Co. v. Marlette Lake Co., 364 P.2d 1069 (Nev. 1961). “102; NRS 533.060 (3)) it had acquired by prescription, i.”
— Nev. Rev. Stat. § 533.060(4)(a) — 6 cases
Eureka Co. Vs. State Eng'r c/w 63258, 2015 NV 84 (Nev. 2015). “NRS 533.060(4)(a)-(d). Requiring that existing rights holders use water other than from the source that they currently have rights in might mean the existing rights holder would need to obtain a new permit to appropriate that new water.”
Eureka Co. v. State Eng'r C/W 63258 (Nev. 2015). “NRS 533.060(4)(a)-(d). Requiring that existing right holders use water other than from the source that they currently have rights in might mean the existing right holder would need to obtain a new permit to appropriate that new water.”
Eureka Co. v. State Eng'r C/W 63258 (Nev. 2015). “NRS 533.060(4)(a)-(d). Requiring that existing right holders use water other than from the source that they currently have rights in might mean the existing right holder would need to obtain a new permit to appropriate that new water.”
Eureka Cnty. v. State Eng'r, 2015 NV 84 (Nev. 2015). “NRS 533.060(4)(a)-(d). Requiring that existing rights holders use water other than from the source that they currently have rights in might mean the existing rights holder would need to obtain a new permit to appropriate that new water.”
Eureka Co. Vs. State Eng'r c/w 63258, 2015 NV 84 (Nev. 2015). “NRS 533.060(4)(a)-(d). Requiring that existing rights holders use water other than from the source that they currently have rights in might mean the existing rights holder would need to obtain a new permit to appropriate that new water.”
— Nev. Rev. Stat. § 533.060(5) — 6 cases
Eureka Co. Vs. State Eng'r c/w 63258, 2015 NV 84 (Nev. 2015). “NRS 533.060(4)(a)-(d). Requiring that existing rights holders use water other than from the source that they currently have rights in might mean the existing rights holder would need to obtain a new permit to appropriate that new water.”
Eureka Co. v. State Eng'r C/W 63258 (Nev. 2015). “NRS 533.060(4)(a)-(d). Requiring that existing right holders use water other than from the source that they currently have rights in might mean the existing right holder would need to obtain a new permit to appropriate that new water.”
Eureka Co. v. State Eng'r C/W 63258 (Nev. 2015). “NRS 533.060(4)(a)-(d). Requiring that existing right holders use water other than from the source that they currently have rights in might mean the existing right holder would need to obtain a new permit to appropriate that new water.”
Eureka Cnty. v. State Eng'r, 2015 NV 84 (Nev. 2015). “NRS 533.060(4)(a)-(d). Requiring that existing rights holders use water other than from the source that they currently have rights in might mean the existing rights holder would need to obtain a new permit to appropriate that new water.”
Eureka Co. Vs. State Eng'r c/w 63258, 2015 NV 84 (Nev. 2015). “NRS 533.060(4)(a)-(d). Requiring that existing rights holders use water other than from the source that they currently have rights in might mean the existing rights holder would need to obtain a new permit to appropriate that new water.”
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