Article 2. Hearing On Petition of California Water Code >> Division 14. >> Part 2. >> Chapter 3. >> Article 2.

If the department determines that all requirements of Chapter 1 of this part were complied with, the department shall forthwith hear the petition and all evidence offered in its support and in support of the written objections, and the written application of any holder of title to land included in the proposed district to have that land excluded therefrom, and the written application of any holder of title to other land already irrigated or susceptible of irrigation from the source and by the same works referred to in the petition, to have that land included in the district.

At the conclusion of the final hearing on the petition the department shall make an order containing all of the following:
  (a) Reaffirmance when it is consistent with its conclusions of the genuineness and sufficiency of the petition and the regularity and sufficiency of the notice of the hearing.
  (b) Determination of the practicability, feasibility, and utility of the proposed project.
  (c) Establishment of the boundaries of or a description of the land in the proposed district.
  (d) Specification of the proposed source or sources of a water supply.
  (e) Specification of the proposed place, if any, for storage of water for irrigation purposes.
  (f) Estimation of cost of the proposed project.

The order on final hearing shall also divide the proposed district into five, seven, nine, or eleven divisions so as to segregate into separate divisions lands possessing the same general character of water rights or interests in the water of a common source. The divisions shall be numbered first, second, third, fourth, fifth, sixth, seventh, eighth, ninth, tenth, or eleventh, according to the number of the division.

The order shall be entered in full upon the records of the department.

A copy of the order certified by the department together with a map showing the exterior boundaries of the district and indicating the land, if any, excluded therefrom shall forthwith be filed for record in the office of the county recorder of each affected county.

A finding of the department in favor of the genuineness and sufficiency of the petition and the regularity and sufficiency of the notice shall be conclusive against all persons except the State upon suit by the Attorney General commenced within 90 days after the date of first filing in the office of any county recorder of a certified copy of the order as required by this article.