Louisiana § RS 38:3073 - Definitions

§ RS 38:3073. Definitions

            Unless the context otherwise requires, the following terms shall have the following meanings for purposes of this Part:

             (1) "Beneficial purpose" or "beneficial use" means the use of groundwater for domestic, municipal, industrial, agricultural, recreational, or therapeutic purposes or any other advantageous use.

            (2) Repealed by Acts 2025, No. 458, §11, eff. Oct. 1, 2025.

            (3) "Commissioner" means a commissioner of the district who has been appointed in accordance with this Part.

            (4) "Department of Public Works" means the Department of Public Works of the city of Baton Rouge and parish of East Baton Rouge.

            (5) "District" means the groundwater conservation district formed in accordance with this part.

            (6) "Governing body" means the police jury, commission, council, or other governing body of the parish.

            (7) "Groundwater" is water suitable for any beneficial purpose percolating below the earth's surface.

            (8) "Just and equitable share" of the groundwater underlying a tract within an area subject to an order limiting pumping rates means that portion of the recoverable groundwater within an aquifer which is to be apportioned to such tract on the basis of demonstrable geologic and hydrologic data taking into consideration the volume of groundwater in storage, the maximum perennial recharge potential, and any groundwater use priorities established by the district.

            (9) "Mississippi River alluvial aquifer" occurs beneath the flood plain of the Mississippi River and includes the sand and gravel units of the Mississippi River alluvial valley deposits.

            (10) "Person" means any individual, partnership, corporation, association, governmental board, commission, district, political subdivision, or public or private organization of any character, including any agency, corporation, and quasi-public corporation of the federal, state, municipal, or local government.

            (11) "Premises" as used herein, means a tract or tracts of land, whether or not contiguous, operated by a single person and used principally for bona fide agricultural or horticultural purposes or the production of aquatic life for human consumption.

            (12) "User" means any person who produces groundwater in the district for any beneficial use, in excess of fifty thousand gallons for any day during any calendar year from a well or wells owned or operated by such person or from a well or wells owned or operated solely for the production of water used by such person.

            (13) "Well" or "water well" shall mean any well drilled or constructed for the principal purpose of producing groundwater.

            Added by Acts 1974, No. 678, §1. Amended by Acts 1976, No. 231, §1; Acts 1980, No. 738, §1; Acts 2014, No. 795, §1; Acts 2024, No. 494, §1; Acts 2025, No. 458, §§5, 11, eff. Oct. 1, 2025.