Kansas Statutes 82a-707. Principles governing appropriations; priorities
(a) Surface or groundwaters of the state may be appropriated as herein provided. Such appropriation shall not constitute ownership of such water, and appropriation rights shall remain subject to the principle of beneficial use.
(b) The date of priority of every water right of every kind, and not the purpose of use, determines the right to divert and use water at any time when the supply is not sufficient to satisfy all water rights. Where lawful uses of water have the same date of priority, such uses shall have priority in the following order of preference: Domestic, municipal, irrigation, industrial, recreational and water power uses. The holder of a water right for an inferior beneficial use of water shall not be deprived of the use of the water either temporarily or permanently as long as such holder is making proper use of it under the terms and conditions of such holder’s water right and the laws of this state, other than through condemnation.
Terms Used In Kansas Statutes 82a-707
- 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
- State: when applied to the different parts of the United States, includes the District of Columbia and the territories. See Kansas Statutes 77-201
- Water right: means any vested right or appropriation right under which a person may lawfully divert and use water. See Kansas Statutes 82a-701
(c) As between persons with appropriation rights, the first in time is the first in right. The priority of the appropriation right to use water for any beneficial purpose except domestic purposes shall date from the time of the filing of the application therefor in the office of the chief engineer. The priority of the appropriation right to use water for domestic purposes shall date from the time of the filing of the application therefor in the office of the chief engineer or from the time the user makes actual use of water for domestic purposes, whichever is earlier.
(d) Any water right returned to the state under the provisions of Kan. Stat. Ann. § 2-1915, and amendments thereto, shall be placed in the custodial care of the state. While in the custodial care of the state, the priority of the water right shall remain in effect and water available under the terms and conditions of the water right shall not be considered available for further appropriation. Any surface water right held in the custodial care of the state shall neither directly benefit nor impair any other surface water right within the stream reach designated for recovery. Any water right donated to the state shall be placed in the custodial care of the state or retired at the discretion of the chief engineer.
(e) Appropriation rights in excess of the reasonable needs of the appropriators shall not be allowed.