Whenever, in the pursuance of his or her duties, the State Engineer finds it necessary to employ guards to prevent unlawful diversions of water in any ditch or ditch system, the salaries of such guards shall be charged against the owner or owners of the ditch or ditch system and become a valid lien against the lands having water rights thereunder. The costs shall be assessed against these lands and collected in the same manner as provided in NRS 533.445 for the distribution of waters from reservoirs on the stream system.