Nevada Revised Statutes

Nev. Rev. Stat. § 533.450 (2026)

Orders and decisions of State Engineer subject to judicial review; procedure; motions for stay; appeals; appearance by Attorney General

✓ current as of July 2026
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NRS 533.450  Orders and decisions of State Engineer subject to judicial review; procedure; motions for stay; appeals; appearance by Attorney General.

      1.  Except as otherwise provided in NRS 533.353, any person feeling aggrieved by any order or decision of the State Engineer, acting in person or through the assistants of the State Engineer or the water commissioner, affecting the person’s interests, when the order or decision relates to the administration of determined rights or is made pursuant to NRS 533.270 to 533.445, inclusive, or NRS 533.481, 534.193, 535.200 or 536.200, may have the same reviewed by a proceeding for that purpose, insofar as may be in the nature of an appeal, which must be initiated in the proper court of the county in which the matters affected or a portion thereof are situated, but on stream systems where a decree of court has been entered, the action must be initiated in the court that entered the decree. The order or decision of the State Engineer remains in full force and effect unless proceedings to review the same are commenced in the proper court within 30 days after the rendition of the order or decision in question and notice thereof is given to the State Engineer as provided in subsection 3.

      2.  The proceedings in every case must be heard by the court, and must be informal and summary, but full opportunity to be heard must be had before judgment is pronounced.

      3.  No such proceedings may be entertained unless notice thereof, containing a statement of the substance of the order or decision complained of, and of the manner in which the same injuriously affects the petitioner’s interests, has been served upon the State Engineer, personally or by registered or certified mail, at the Office of the State Engineer at the State Capital within 30 days following the rendition of the order or decision in question. A similar notice must also be served personally or by registered or certified mail upon the person who may have been affected by the order or decision.

      4.  Where evidence has been filed with, or testimony taken before, the State Engineer, a transcribed copy thereof, or of any specific part of the same, duly certified as a true and correct transcript in the manner provided by law, must be received in evidence with the same effect as if the reporter were present and testified to the facts so certified. A copy of the transcript must be furnished on demand, at actual cost, to any person affected by the order or decision, and to all other persons on payment of a reasonable amount therefor, to be fixed by the State Engineer.

      5.  An order or decision of the State Engineer must not be stayed unless the petitioner files a written motion for a stay with the court and serves the motion personally or by registered or certified mail upon the State Engineer, the applicant or other real party in interest and each party of record within 10 days after the petitioner files the petition for judicial review. Any party may oppose the motion and the petitioner may reply to any such opposition. In determining whether to grant or deny the motion for a stay, the court shall consider:

      (a) Whether any nonmoving party to the proceeding may incur any harm or hardship if the stay is granted;

      (b) Whether the petitioner may incur any irreparable harm if the stay is denied;

      (c) The likelihood of success of the petitioner on the merits; and

      (d) Any potential harm to the members of the public if the stay is granted.

      6.  Except as otherwise provided in this subsection, the petitioner must file a bond in an amount determined by the court, with sureties satisfactory to the court and conditioned in the manner specified by the court. The bond must be filed within 5 days after the court determines the amount of the bond pursuant to this subsection. If the petitioner fails to file the bond within that period, the stay is automatically denied. A bond must not be required for a public agency of this State or a political subdivision of this State.

      7.  Costs must be paid as in civil cases brought in the district court, except by the State Engineer or the State.

      8.  The practice in civil cases applies to the informal and summary character of such proceedings, as provided in this section.

      9.  Appeals may be taken to the appellate court of competent jurisdiction pursuant to the rules fixed by the Supreme Court pursuant to Section 4 of Article 6 of the Nevada Constitution from the judgment of the district court in the same manner as in other civil cases.

      10.  The decision of the State Engineer is prima facie correct, and the burden of proof is upon the party attacking the same.

      11.  Whenever it appears to the State Engineer that any litigation, whether now pending or hereafter brought, may adversely affect the rights of the public in water, the State Engineer shall request the Attorney General to appear and protect the interests of the State.

      [75:140:1913; A 1915, 378; 1951, 132]—(NRS A 1957, 532; 1969, 95; 1977, 426; 2007, 2019; 2009, 647; 2013, 495, 1788)

     

Notes of Decisions
Cited in 48 cases (8 in the last 5 years), 1972–2026 · leading case: In Re Nevada State Engr. Ruling No. 5823, 277 P.3d 449 (Nev. 2012).
In Re Nevada State Engr. Ruling No. 5823, 277 P.3d 449 (Nev. 2012). · cites it 44× “: NRS 533.450(1) affords judicial review "in the nature of an appeal" to "[a]ny person feeling aggrieved by any order or decision of the State [Water] Engineer .”
Churchill Cnty. v. State Eng'r, 277 P.3d 449 (Nev. 2012). · cites it 44× “; NRS 533.450(1) affords judicial review “in the nature of an appeal” to “[a]ny person feeling aggrieved by any order or decision of the State [Water] Engineer .”
Howell v. Ricci, 197 P.3d 1044 (Nev. 2008). · cites it 14× “5 Additionally, we stated that the final determination of the water rights occurred in 1944 “in accordance with then applicable notice and filing requirements” and that the Howells were thus procedurally barred from contesting PR’s permits pursuant to NRS 533.450’s requirement…”
Desert Valley Water Co. v. State, 766 P.2d 886 (Nev. 1988). · cites it 7× “A fair reading of NRS 533.450 does not support respondents’ assertion that such a burdensome notice requirement must be met simply to allow the exercise of jurisdiction.”
United States v. Orr Water Ditch Co., 600 F.3d 1152 (9th Cir. 2010). · cites it 2× “Nev.Rev.Stat. § 533.450(1) (emphasis added); see also Orr Ditch I, 914 F.”
Town of Eureka v. Off. of the State Eng'r, 826 P.2d 948 (Nev. 1992). · cites it 3× “In August, 1989, the Town filed a petition for judicial review pursuant to NRS 533.450, arguing that the State Engineer erred in forfeiting that portion of the Town’s water rights.”
Turnipseed v. Truckee-Carson Irrigation Dist., 13 P.3d 395 (Nev. 2000). · cites it 5× “Although the Engineer is generally not required to dispose of individual applications piecemeal, as the Engineer has done in this matter, and, although the district court may later consolidate related review actions, NRS 533.450 imposes no requirement that decisions trickling…”
Cappaert v. United States, 426 U.S. 128 (1976). “See Nev. Rev. Stat. § 533.450 (1973). In August 1971 the United States, invoking 28 U.”
Revert v. Ray, 603 P.2d 262 (Nev. 1979). · cites it 2× “” NRS 533.450(1) and (2). Moreover, while the legislature originally provided for such a de novo review, 1913 Nev.”
United States v. State Eng'r, 27 P.3d 51 (Nev. 2001). · cites it 2× “See NRS 533.450(9). The United States asserts that the State Engineer erred because he went beyond the plain meaning of the statute in construing the statute.”
Sullivan v. Lincoln Cnty. Water Dist., 542 P.3d 411 (Nev. 2024). · cites it 4× “Petitions for judicial review Water rights holders affected by Order 1309 petitioned the district court for judicial review under NRS 533.450, and the cases were consolidated.”
Off. of the State Eng'r v. Curtis Park Manor Water Users Ass'n, 692 P.2d 495 (Nev. 1985). · cites it 2× “In support of our holding, we relied on the agency-specific judicial review provision of NRS 533.450, the Nevada Administrative Procedure Act non-contested case judicial review provi *32 sion of NRS 233.”
— Nev. Rev. Stat. § 533.450(1) — 19 cases
In Re Nevada State Engr. Ruling No. 5823, 277 P.3d 449 (Nev. 2012). “: NRS 533.450(1) affords judicial review "in the nature of an appeal" to "[a]ny person feeling aggrieved by any order or decision of the State [Water] Engineer .”
Churchill Cnty. v. State Eng'r, 277 P.3d 449 (Nev. 2012). “; NRS 533.450(1) affords judicial review “in the nature of an appeal” to “[a]ny person feeling aggrieved by any order or decision of the State [Water] Engineer .”
Howell v. Ricci, 197 P.3d 1044 (Nev. 2008). “5 Additionally, we stated that the final determination of the water rights occurred in 1944 “in accordance with then applicable notice and filing requirements” and that the Howells were thus procedurally barred from contesting PR’s permits pursuant to NRS 533.450’s requirement…”
United States v. Orr Water Ditch Co., 600 F.3d 1152 (9th Cir. 2010). “Nev.Rev.Stat. § 533.450(1) (emphasis added); see also Orr Ditch I, 914 F.”
Turnipseed v. Truckee-Carson Irrigation Dist., 13 P.3d 395 (Nev. 2000). “Although the Engineer is generally not required to dispose of individual applications piecemeal, as the Engineer has done in this matter, and, although the district court may later consolidate related review actions, NRS 533.450 imposes no requirement that decisions trickling…”
— Nev. Rev. Stat. § 533.450(10) — 4 cases
In Re Nevada State Engr. Ruling No. 5823, 277 P.3d 449 (Nev. 2012). “: NRS 533.450(1) affords judicial review "in the nature of an appeal" to "[a]ny person feeling aggrieved by any order or decision of the State [Water] Engineer .”
Churchill Cnty. v. State Eng'r, 277 P.3d 449 (Nev. 2012). “; NRS 533.450(1) affords judicial review “in the nature of an appeal” to “[a]ny person feeling aggrieved by any order or decision of the State [Water] Engineer .”
— Nev. Rev. Stat. § 533.450(2) — 2 cases
Revert v. Ray, 603 P.2d 262 (Nev. 1979). “” NRS 533.450(1) and (2). Moreover, while the legislature originally provided for such a de novo review, 1913 Nev.”
Desert Valley Water Co. v. State, 766 P.2d 886 (Nev. 1988). “A fair reading of NRS 533.450 does not support respondents’ assertion that such a burdensome notice requirement must be met simply to allow the exercise of jurisdiction.”
— Nev. Rev. Stat. § 533.450(3) — 4 cases
Desert Valley Water Co. v. State, 766 P.2d 886 (Nev. 1988). “A fair reading of NRS 533.450 does not support respondents’ assertion that such a burdensome notice requirement must be met simply to allow the exercise of jurisdiction.”
State Eng'r v. Am. Nat'l Ins. Co., 498 P.2d 1329 (Nev. 1972).
United States v. Nevada, 123 F. Supp. 2d 1209 (D. Nev. 2000).
Gold Stand. Ventures (us) Inc. v. Thorson, P.E., 142 Nev. Adv. Op. No. 10 (Nev. 2026).
— Nev. Rev. Stat. § 533.450(5) — 2 cases
— Nev. Rev. Stat. § 533.450(7) — 1 case
Desert Valley Water Co. v. State, 766 P.2d 886 (Nev. 1988). “A fair reading of NRS 533.450 does not support respondents’ assertion that such a burdensome notice requirement must be met simply to allow the exercise of jurisdiction.”
— Nev. Rev. Stat. § 533.450(8) — 3 cases
Bacher v. Off. of the State Eng'r, 146 P.3d 793 (Nev. 2006).
In Re Nevada State Engr. Ruling No. 5823, 277 P.3d 449 (Nev. 2012). “: NRS 533.450(1) affords judicial review "in the nature of an appeal" to "[a]ny person feeling aggrieved by any order or decision of the State [Water] Engineer .”
Churchill Cnty. v. State Eng'r, 277 P.3d 449 (Nev. 2012). “; NRS 533.450(1) affords judicial review “in the nature of an appeal” to “[a]ny person feeling aggrieved by any order or decision of the State [Water] Engineer .”
— Nev. Rev. Stat. § 533.450(9) — 9 cases
United States v. State Eng'r, 27 P.3d 51 (Nev. 2001). “See NRS 533.450(9). The United States asserts that the State Engineer erred because he went beyond the plain meaning of the statute in construing the statute.”
State v. Morros, 766 P.2d 263 (Nev. 1988).
United States v. Alpine Land & Reservoir Co., 27 F. Supp. 2d 1230 (D. Nev. 1998).
Off. of the State Eng'r v. Morris, 819 P.2d 203 (Nev. 1991).
Town of Eureka v. Off. of the State Eng'r, 826 P.2d 948 (Nev. 1992). “In August, 1989, the Town filed a petition for judicial review pursuant to NRS 533.450, arguing that the State Engineer erred in forfeiting that portion of the Town’s water rights.”
— Nev. Rev. Stat. § 533.450(l) — 3 cases
Churchill Cnty. v. State Eng'r, 277 P.3d 449 (Nev. 2012). “; NRS 533.450(1) affords judicial review “in the nature of an appeal” to “[a]ny person feeling aggrieved by any order or decision of the State [Water] Engineer .”
In Re Nevada State Engr. Ruling No. 5823, 277 P.3d 449 (Nev. 2012). “: NRS 533.450(1) affords judicial review "in the nature of an appeal" to "[a]ny person feeling aggrieved by any order or decision of the State [Water] Engineer .”
Howell v. Ricci, 197 P.3d 1044 (Nev. 2008). “5 Additionally, we stated that the final determination of the water rights occurred in 1944 “in accordance with then applicable notice and filing requirements” and that the Howells were thus procedurally barred from contesting PR’s permits pursuant to NRS 533.450’s requirement…”
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