1. Except as otherwise provided in subsection 4, NRS 533.345 and subsection 2 of NRS 533.370, when an application is filed in compliance with this chapter, the State Engineer shall, within 30 days, publish or cause to be published once a week for 4 consecutive weeks in a newspaper of general circulation in the county where the point of diversion is located, a notice of the application which sets forth:

(a) That the application has been filed.

(b) The date of the filing.

(c) The name and address of the applicant.

(d) The name of the source from which the appropriation is to be made.

(e) The location of the place of diversion, described by legal subdivision or metes and bounds and by a physical description of that place of diversion.

(f) The purpose for which the water is to be appropriated.

The publisher shall add thereto the date of the first publication and the date of the last publication.

2. Except as otherwise provided in subsection 4, proof of publication must be filed within 30 days after the final day of publication. The State Engineer shall pay for the publication from the application fee. If the application is cancelled for any reason before publication, the State Engineer shall return to the applicant that portion of the application fee collected for publication.

3. If the application is for a proposed well:

(a) For municipal, quasi-municipal or industrial use; and

(b) Whose reasonably expected rate of diversion is one-half cubic foot per second or more,

the applicant shall mail a copy of the notice of application to each owner of real property containing a domestic well that is within 2,500 feet of the proposed well, to the owner’s address as shown in the latest records of the county assessor. If there are not more than six such wells, notices must be sent to each owner by certified mail, return receipt requested. If there are more than six such wells, at least six notices must be sent to owners by certified mail, return receipt requested. The return receipts from these notices must be filed with the State Engineer before the State Engineer may consider the application.

4. The provisions of this section do not apply to an environmental permit or a temporary permit issued pursuant to NRS 533.436 or 533.504.

[61:140:1913; A 1925, 121; 1951, 132] — (NRS A 1975, 1397; 1981, 358; 1985, 489; 1989, 319; 1991, 758; 1993, 2641; 1995, 1530; 2001, 551; 2003, 2979; 2005, 2561; 2011, 756, 1564; 2013, 498, 3679; 2017, 3498)