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<br />p.t:..: .\'it~_ <br />-" " ; <br /> <br />ADMINISTRA~ION <br /> <br />Responsibility for water administration and control in Colorado is divided <br /> <br />between tM State Engineer and the Judiciary. One district court Judge is <br /> <br />designated the water Judge for each of the seven water divisions of the state. <br /> <br />The divisions cover approximately the maJor drainage basins of the state. <br /> <br />Each division is further subdivided into districts. Eighty of these districts <br /> <br />exist in CCllorado. The State Engineer, through his division engineers, admin- <br /> <br />isters the 'distribution of the waters of the state. The water JUdp;es have <br />exclusive Jiurisdiction over "water matters" - the legal problems that arise, <br />such as det~rmination of amounts and priorities of new and conditional water <br /> <br />rights, ch$ges in points of diversion, plans for aU8Jllentation of a water <br />supply and biennial findings of diligence in perfection, or making final, <br /> <br />or conditional decrees. An appropriation is accOll1plished by the physical acto <br /> <br />of diverting and applying the water to a beneficial use, although the need <br /> <br />for diversion has been removed by statute. <br /> <br />From the' earliest reported case to the present day, the Colorado Supreme <br /> <br /> <br />Court has upheld an appropriator's right to make use of water without <br /> <br />geographical limitation. This right to appropriate water from one basin to <br /> <br />another bas~n to another basin is clear. <br /> <br />Early in the state's history, Colorado recognized that some planned <br /> <br />appropriatiqns would take substantial time to complete. The concept of a <br /> <br />conditional ,decree was based on this recognition. A claimant who establishes <br /> <br />a firm interit to appropriate certain waters and undertakes certain acts in <br /> <br />furtherance 'of his plan is, upon completion of his appropriation, entitled to . <br /> <br />relate back to his priority date to the time he launched his proJect. <br />In Color~o, the owner of a water right may sell it, separate and apart <br /> <br />from the land, or change the place of use or point of diversion, as long as <br /> <br />7 <br /> <br />I..c. <br /> <br />i <br />L <br /> <br />"" <br /> <br />-'. '"' <br /> <br />. ;, <br /> <br />~'. . ~." .~~ &~h.,L;._ <br /> <br /> <br /> <br />I <br />;1 <br />:1 <br />,::j <br /> <br />,,:i <br />0' <br />it <br /> <br />;~'-::j <br />'-'1 <br /> <br />i1 <br /> <br />',' ,iH <br />" ~ <br />~ _'~4M,<~ <br />