(1) A district shall permit public use of those portions of a water project located on lands owned by the district and on land over which the district has a lease or an easement permitting use thereof for public recreational purposes. All recreational users of such portions of a water project shall abide by the applicable rules and regulations adopted and promulgated by the board.

(2) The district shall provide public access for recreational use at designated access points at any water project. Recreational users, whether public or private, shall abide by all applicable rules and regulations for use of the water project adopted and promulgated by the district or the political subdivision in which the water project is located. Public recreational users may only access the water project through such designated access points. Nothing in this subsection shall require public access when the portion of the project cost paid by the natural resources district with public funds does not exceed twenty percent of the total cost of the project.

(3) For purposes of this section, water project means a project with cooperators or others, as authorized in section 2-3235, that results in construction of a reservoir or other body of water having a permanent pool suitable for recreational purposes greater than one hundred fifty surface acres, the construction of which commenced after July 14, 2006. Water project shall not mean soil conservation projects, wetlands projects, projects described in section 2-3226.11, or other district projects with cooperators or others that do not have a recreational purpose.

(4) For projects funded under section 2-3226.11 that result in a reservoir or other body of water having a permanent pool suitable for recreational purposes greater than twenty surface acres, the district shall provide public access for recreational use at designated access points and shall include access to the land area a minimum distance of one hundred feet from the permanent pool. Recreational users, whether public or private, shall abide by all applicable rules, regulations, ordinances, or resolutions for use of the project adopted by the district or the political subdivision in which the project is located. Public recreational users may only access the project through such designated access points.