WSP10758

• File Number: 7630.225
• Description: Wild and Scenic-Elk River
• State: CO
• Date: 3/29/1974
• Title: Elk W and S Study-Hinman Park Res-Miscellaneous Court Documents-March 1974-September 1979
• Water Supply Pro - Doc Type: Report/Study

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It is ufidisputed that no evidence ~~asl offered or : I

d to, the referee. The record is devoidl of any chal~:
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the de~rees and there was nothing to cpntradict i
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t's previous conditional de~~ees and t~epriority I
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each claim. Nor were the findings of :due diligenc:e,

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co test d. Although the statute and the 'order;of
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sp ~ify that the referee take evidence and report
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thel9nl function performed by the referee on the
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t 'review the transcript of the hearings before the water
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j ~g~ whj ich had ~ulminated in the entry of the I~~ater judge ~ s
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f'ridin s. This review procedure is not provided. for by law.
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N neth less, the referee substituted his judgment for the :
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C and in his report recomrr.ended that (l):the Saddle I
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In'ta'n Pump Station conditional decree and finding of dul'
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d 11!ge*e in the ensuing two years be set asid~; (2) the !'
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P ioritty date on Hinman Park Reservoir be changed to August,
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.3 'l: :19(\7. These recommendations were entered {dthout noti6e
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a c!I; lad pted by the district court. We reverse, and remand. i
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: ':1 Appellant presents four issues for o:ur considera;-

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t ~n' :We believe one issue is disposiiive of~~e appeal: ~

t ~'~ iI' whether a referee may make findingS--:on the identiica1 '
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e i4en e used by the water judge--to contradic,t 'and overtu'rn

t ~;cotrtls decision \~ithout having reccived Jny additionJl:
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, e ~d~nfe. In answering this question in the ~egative, we !hold

~F' rhere a district court has made finding~, the power IOf
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appo~ntment
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the, same ':
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claim was
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