NRS539.020. Petition for organization of district.

      1.  A majority in number of the holders of title, or evidence of title, to lands susceptible of one mode of irrigation from a common source or combined sources, and by the same system or combined systems of works, may propose the organization of an irrigation district pursuant to this chapter if they hold title or evidence of title to at least one-half part of the total area of the land in the proposed district. In computing the total area in the proposed district, the public domain of the United States of America, excepting any portion thereof held by entrymen pursuant to any law of the United States, must be excluded.

      2.  Every signer of a petition for the organization of an irrigation district must be the holder of title or evidence of title to land within the proposed district. The holder of a bona fide contract to purchase land, having been in the actual possession thereof at least 1 year pursuant to the contract, and whose name appears upon the preceding equalized county assessment roll for the payment of taxes of the land, shall be deemed the holder of title thereto for all of the purposes of this chapter.

      3.  The equalized county assessment roll next preceding the presentation of a petition for the organization of an irrigation district is sufficient evidence of title for the purpose of this chapter, but other evidence may be received, including receipts or other evidence of rights of entrymen on land pursuant to any law of the United States. These entrymen are competent signers of the petition and the land on which they have made entries shall, for the purpose of the petition, be deemed to be owned by them. The entrymen share all the privileges and obligations of freeholders and owners of private land within the district pursuant to this chapter, including the right to vote and hold office, subject to the terms of the Act of Congress entitled “An Act to promote the reclamation of arid lands,” approved August 11, 1916, being c. 319, 39 Stat. 506, also designated as 43 U.S.C. §§ 621-630.

      [Part 1:64:1919; A 1921, 118; 1927, 302, 309; 1929, 77; NCL § 8008]—(NRS A 1989, 1172)