46-2A-16. Validation of vested water right claim--Notice. Any claim for vested rights as defined in § 46-1-9 or 46-6-1 that has been accepted for filing by the chief engineer or Board of Water Management, prior to July 1, 1986, is eligible for validation. The chief engineer shall prepare a list based on the point of diversion of these vested rights on a county-by-county basis. By July 31, 1988, the chief engineer shall cause to be published once a week for two consecutive weeks in a newspaper of general circulation in each county a notice of these vested rights in the county in which the notice is published. The notice shall include the following:

(1) The name and address of these vested right holders;

(2) The legal description of the diversion points and, if the water is used for irrigation purposes, the legal description of the land on which the water has been used;

(3) The source of water;

(4) A statement that any person who wishes to oppose validation of any such vested right shall, within ninety days of the date of the last publication, file a petition of intent to oppose the validation with the department and with the vested right holder; and

(5) A statement that any interested person may obtain a copy of the chief engineer's vested right list for other counties from the department.

A copy of each notice published in a county shall be mailed by the chief engineer by first class mail to all known water right or water permit holders in that county. No hearing may be scheduled unless a petition of intent to oppose is filed.

Source: SL 1986, ch 363, § 1.