45-433. Local initiation for designation; procedures

A. The designation of a subsequent irrigation non-expansion area may be initiated by the director or by petition to the director signed by either:

1. Not less than twenty-five irrigation users of groundwater, or one-fourth of the irrigation users of groundwater within the boundaries of the groundwater basin or sub-basin specified in the petition.

2. Ten per cent of the registered voters residing within the boundaries of the groundwater basin or sub-basin specified in the petition as of the most recent report compiled by the county recorder in compliance with section 16-168, subsection G. The form of the petition shall be the same as for an initiative petition and the applicant for such petition shall comply with the provisions of section 19-111. If a groundwater basin or sub-basin is located in two or more counties, the number of registered voters required to sign the petition shall be ten per cent of the registered voters residing within the boundaries of the groundwater basin or sub-basin, as of the most recent report compiled by the county recorder in compliance with section 16-168, subsection G, within the county in which the plurality of the registered voters in the groundwater basin or sub-basin resides.

B. Upon receipt of a petition pursuant to subsection A, paragraph 2 of this section, the director shall transmit the petition to the county recorder of each county in which the groundwater basin or sub-basin is located for verification of signatures. In addition, the director shall transmit a map of the groundwater basin or sub-basin to the county recorder of each such county included. The map shall be on a scale adequate to show with substantial accuracy where the boundaries of the groundwater basin or sub-basin cross the boundaries of county voting precincts. The director shall also transmit to the county recorder all other factual data concerning the boundaries of the groundwater basin or sub-basin that may aid the county recorder in the determination of which registered voters of the county are residents of the groundwater basin or sub-basin.