There shall be the same right of appeal from the action of the state engineer in approving or rejecting any such application as is provided in this article, Section 72-7-1 NMSA 1978, and nothing in this article shall be construed to impair prior vested rights or the rights of prior appropriators of public waters of this state, or the rights of those who have filed or may file applications to appropriate public waters in compliance with existing laws of the state of New Mexico.
NMS § 72-5-31