On Jan. 9, 2026, the Central Nevada Water Authority board held a meeting to discuss claims of vested water rights. Jeff Fontaine, staff representative for Central Nevada Regional Water Authority, presented new state law requirements for formally claiming vested water rights. According to Fontaine, vested water rights are “rights for water that were put to beneficial use or were used prior to the enactment of water laws in the state of Nevada.” In Nevada, laws were enacted in 1905 for springs and streams, in 1913 for artesian wells, and in 1939 for all groundwater. A change in state law now requires these vested water rights to be formally claimed, rather than relying solely on historic or assumed use. If a claim is not filed, the right can be challenged, lose priority, or potentially be lost altogether.