16 U.S.C. § 460uu-49 - U.S. Code - Unannotated Title 16. Conservation § 460uu-49. Water rights

(a)Reservation to United States of minimum amount of water required

Congress expressly reserves to the United States the minimum amount of water required to carry out the purposes for which the national monument, the conservation area, and the wilderness areas are designated under this subchapter. The priority date of such reserved rights shall be December 31, 1987.

(b)Effect on existing valid or vested water rights

Nothing in this section shall affect any existing valid or vested water right, or applications for water rights which are pending as of December 31, 1987, and which are subsequently granted: Provided, That nothing in this subsection shall be construed to require the National Park Service to allow the drilling of ground water wells within the boundaries of the national monument.

(c)Construction of section as precedent with regard to future designations

Nothing in this section shall be construed as establishing a precedent with regard to any future designations, nor shall it affect the interpretation of any other Act or any designation made pursuant thereto.