When used in this act, unless the context indicates otherwise, the following words shall have the following meanings:

(a) “Person” shall mean and include a natural person, a partnership, an organization, a corporation, a municipality and any agency of the state or federal government.

Terms Used In Kansas Statutes 82a-701

  • Appropriation: The provision of funds, through an annual appropriations act or a permanent law, for federal agencies to make payments out of the Treasury for specified purposes. The formal federal spending process consists of two sequential steps: authorization
  • Appropriation right: is a right, acquired under the provisions of article 7 of chapter 82a of the Kansas Statutes Annotated, and amendments thereto, to divert from a definite water supply a specific quantity of water at a specific rate of diversion, provided such water is available in excess of the requirements of all vested rights that relate to such supply and all appropriation rights of earlier date that relate to such supply, and to apply such water to a specific beneficial use or uses in preference to all appropriations right of later date. See Kansas Statutes 82a-701
  • Chief engineer: means the chief engineer of the division of water resources of the Kansas department of agriculture. See Kansas Statutes 82a-701
  • Common law: The legal system that originated in England and is now in use in the United States. It is based on judicial decisions rather than legislative action.
  • Corporation: A legal entity owned by the holders of shares of stock that have been issued, and that can own, receive, and transfer property, and carry on business in its own name.
  • Division: means the division of water resources of the Kansas department of agriculture. See Kansas Statutes 82a-762
  • Lease: A contract transferring the use of property or occupancy of land, space, structures, or equipment in consideration of a payment (e.g., rent). Source: OCC
  • Mortgage: The written agreement pledging property to a creditor as collateral for a loan.
  • Partnership: A voluntary contract between two or more persons to pool some or all of their assets into a business, with the agreement that there will be a proportional sharing of profits and losses.
  • Person: shall mean and include a natural person, a partnership, an organization, a corporation, a municipality and any agency of the state or federal government. See Kansas Statutes 82a-701
  • State: when applied to the different parts of the United States, includes the District of Columbia and the territories. See Kansas Statutes 77-201
  • Vested right: means the right of a person under a common law or statutory claim to continue the use of water having actually been applied to any beneficial use, including domestic use, on or before June 28, 1945, to the extent of the maximum quantity and rate of diversion for the beneficial use made thereof, and shall include the right to take and use water for beneficial purposes where a person is engaged in the construction of works for the actual application of water to a beneficial use on June 28, 1945, provided such works shall be completed and water is actually applied for such use within a reasonable time thereafter by such person, such person's heirs, successors or assigns. See Kansas Statutes 82a-701
  • Water right: means any vested right or appropriation right under which a person may lawfully divert and use water. See Kansas Statutes 82a-701

(b) “Chief engineer” means the chief engineer of the division of water resources of the Kansas department of agriculture.

(c) “Domestic uses” means the use of water by any person or by a family unit or household for household purposes, or for the watering of livestock, poultry, farm and domestic animals used in operating a farm, and for the irrigation of lands not exceeding a total of two acres in area for the growing of gardens, orchards and lawns.

(d) “Vested right” means the right of a person under a common law or statutory claim to continue the use of water having actually been applied to any beneficial use, including domestic use, on or before June 28, 1945, to the extent of the maximum quantity and rate of diversion for the beneficial use made thereof, and shall include the right to take and use water for beneficial purposes where a person is engaged in the construction of works for the actual application of water to a beneficial use on June 28, 1945, provided such works shall be completed and water is actually applied for such use within a reasonable time thereafter by such person, such person’s heirs, successors or assigns. Such a right does not include, however, those common law claims under which a person has not applied water to any beneficial use within the periods of time set out in this subsection.

(e) “Appropriator” means and includes a person who has an appropriation right that has been perfected in conformity with article 7 of chapter 82a of the Kansas Statutes Annotated, and amendments thereto.

(f) “Appropriation right” is a right, acquired under the provisions of article 7 of chapter 82a of the Kansas Statutes Annotated, and amendments thereto, to divert from a definite water supply a specific quantity of water at a specific rate of diversion, provided such water is available in excess of the requirements of all vested rights that relate to such supply and all appropriation rights of earlier date that relate to such supply, and to apply such water to a specific beneficial use or uses in preference to all appropriations right of later date.

(g) “Water right” means any vested right or appropriation right under which a person may lawfully divert and use water. It is a real property right appurtenant to and severable from the land on or in connection with which the water is used and such water right passes as an appurtenance with a conveyance of the land by deed, lease, mortgage, will, or other disposal, or by inheritance.