Senate Bill No. 227

Senate Bill No. 227-Senator McGinness

CHAPTER

132

AN ACT relating to geothermal resources; revising the provisions governing the applicability of the appropriation procedures for water to certain losses of water; and providing other matters properly relating thereto.

[Approved June 6, 1997]

THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF NEVADA, REPRESENTED IN SENATE AND ASSEMBLY, DO ENACT AS FOLLOWS:

~^
Section 1. NRS 534A.040 is hereby amended to read as follows:
534A.040 [Any] A consumptive use of water brought to the surface outside of a geothermal well is subject to the appropriation procedures of chapters 533 and 534 of NRS, except for:
1. [Any water] Water that is removed from an aquifer or geothermal reservoir to develop and obtain geothermal resources if the water is returned to or reinjected [in] into the same aquifer or reservoir; or
2. The reasonable loss of water [during] :
(a) During a test of a geothermal well ; or [because of]
(b) From the temporary failure of all or part of a system [for reinjection.] that removes water from an aquifer or geothermal reservoir, transfers the heat from that water and reinjects that water into the same aquifer or reservoir.
________