45-465.04. Use of groundwater to water plants in containers as non-irrigation use; right to use groundwater withdrawn pursuant to irrigation grandfathered right to water plants in containers; definition
A. The use of groundwater to water plants in containers on or above the surface of the ground is a non-irrigation use in an active management area.
B. Notwithstanding subsection A of this section, in an initial active management area, a person who holds a certificate of irrigation grandfathered right may withdraw groundwater pursuant to the right and use the groundwater to water plants in containers on or above the surface of the certificated acres if the plants are grown for sale or human consumption or for use as feed for livestock, range livestock or poultry, as those terms are defined in section 3-1201.
C. A person who holds a certificate of irrigation grandfathered right shall separately measure with a measuring device approved by the director pursuant to section 45-604 any groundwater used for watering plants in containers on or above the surface of the certificated acres and any groundwater used for an irrigation use on the certificated acres.
D. Except as provided in section 45-563.02, if a person uses groundwater to water plants in containers pursuant to subsection B of this section, the total amount of water used by the person for that purpose and for any irrigation uses on the certificated acres may not exceed the amount allowed by the irrigation water duty for the farm.
E. The director may not register credits to the flexibility account established pursuant to section 45-467 for a farm in any year in which the person who holds the certificate of irrigation grandfathered right for the farm uses groundwater to water plants in containers on or above the surface of the certificated acres pursuant to subsection B of this section.
F. On request by the owner of a certificate of irrigation grandfathered right, the director shall separate the certificate into two certificates, with one certificate for those certificated acres on which plants in containers are watered with groundwater pursuant to subsection B of this section and one certificate for those certificated acres on which groundwater is used for an irrigation use. If the director separates a certificate of irrigation grandfathered right into two certificates pursuant to this subsection, the certificated acres associated with each certificate shall be considered a separate farm for purposes of subsection E of this section. The director may not separate a certificate of irrigation grandfathered right into two certificates pursuant to this subsection if it would result in the issuance of a certificate of irrigation grandfathered right with less than two certificated acres.
G. For the purposes of this section, " certificated acres" means the acres described on the certificate of irrigation grandfathered right.