Securing, defending and protecting water rights

Overview

Parsons Behle & Latimer has decades of experience representing mining companies in water rights issues. Our water attorneys assist mining clients with the evaluation, acquisition and utilization of groundwater and surface water rights in Nevada, Idaho and Utah. From guiding clients through the application process to performing due diligence on the ownership and status of existing water rights, our water attorneys have extensive experience helping mining clients obtain water rights in the arid West. Our team of water attorneys has extensive experience practicing before the Idaho, Nevada and Utah State Engineers and regularly prosecutes and defends administrative appeals of water right decisions. Additionally, our water attorneys have considerable experience with transactions involving water rights. We regularly draft, review and negotiate water purchase and sale agreements; water lease and option agreements; and other water use agreements. Our water attorneys regularly advise mining companies on the long-term management, protection and perfection of their water rights.

Team

Key Contacts

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Experience

Water Rights Litigation

Lead litigation counsel for gold mine impacted by litigation that would negatively impact its water rights.

Nevada Gold Mines, LLC

Represented Nevada Gold Mines, LLC as lead counsel against the Pershing County Water Conservation District who contended that priority water rights had been negatively impacted by the State Engineer’s alleged improper actions regarding water appropriations and conjunctive management of water rights in the Humboldt River Basin. After years of litigation, the District agreed to dismiss the case with prejudice.

Pershing County Water Conservation District v. Nevada State Engineer