Since 1895, Nebraska has had an administrative system overseeing the orderly use of the State's surface water resources. All diversions of surface water for irrigation, hydropower, industrial use, municipal use, domestic use, storage and other uses require a State permit. Each permit has certain responsibilities, limitations and conditions associated with it.The Department has jurisdiction over all matters pertaining to surface water, rights for storage, irrigation, power, manufacturing, instream flows and other beneficial uses. This includes the distribution of available supply during times of water shortages and adjudication of established water rights. The activity of distributing the supply of surface water on a stream during shortages is called "water administration". As indicated above, any person who wishes to divert and use the waters of a natural stream or lake must first get a permit or water right from the Department.Water Rights are used to determine the right of property owners to utilize water that flows through a specific property. These rights are managed in Nebraska by the Department of Natural Resources and Natural Resource Districts.Each water right has a spatial jurisdiction that can be represented by a polygon. This feature takes those areas and represents them as polygons with the related water right information associated with the shape it is related to.
This data is intended for public use. Acknowledgement of Nebraska Department of Natural Resources is appreciated for products derived from this information.