1. In each area designated as a groundwater basin by the State Engineer pursuant to the provisions of NRS 534.030, the board of county commissioners may recommend to the State Engineer that the State Engineer establish a groundwater board. The State Engineer shall determine whether or not a groundwater board is to be established and may direct its establishment by order.

2. If a groundwater board is established, the governing bodies of all the cities and towns within the designated area, the board of county commissioners of each county in which the area is located, and the governing body of any water district in which the area is included, or partly included, shall each submit a list of names of residents of the area to the Governor, who shall appoint seven members of the board. At least one member must be appointed from each list.

3. After the initial terms, the term of office of each member of the board is 4 years. The board shall elect one member as chair and one member as secretary to serve as such at the pleasure of the board.

4. The board shall maintain its headquarters at the county seat of the county in which the designated area is located, or if the area lies in more than one county, in the county seat of one of the counties in which the area is located. The board shall hold meetings at such times and places as it may determine. Special meetings may be called at any time by the secretary at the request of any four members, or by the chair, upon notice specifying the matters to be acted upon at the meeting. No matters other than those specified in the notice may be acted upon at that meeting unless all members are present and consent thereto.

5. A majority of the board constitutes a quorum, and the board shall act only by a majority of those present.

6. For each day’s attendance at each meeting of the groundwater board, or for each day when services are actually performed for the groundwater board, the members are entitled to receive per diem and travel allowances provided by law. Claims for those expenses must be paid as provided in subsection 7 of NRS 534.040.

7. The State Engineer shall not approve any application or issue any permit to drill a well, appropriate groundwater, change the place or manner of use or the point of diversion of water within the designated area, adopt any related regulations or enter any related orders until the State Engineer has conferred with the board and obtained its written advice and recommendations.

8. It is the intention of the Legislature that the State Engineer and the board be in agreement whenever possible, but, for the purpose of fixing responsibility to the Governor, if there is any disagreement between the State Engineer and the board, the views of the State Engineer prevail. A written report of any such disagreement must be made immediately to the Governor by the State Engineer and the board.

9. Any groundwater board may request from the State Engineer or any other state, county, city or district agency such technical information, data and advice as it may require to perform its functions, and the State Engineer and such other agencies shall, within the resources available to them, furnish such assistance as may be requested.

10. The Governor may dissolve the groundwater board by order if the Governor determines that the future activities of the board are likely to be insubstantial.

(Added to NRS by 1961, 488; A 1967, 1252; 1973, 182; 1977, 1235; 1981, 67, 917; 2019, 837)