AG Opinion

• Year: 2009
• Instream Flow Rules - Doc Type: Post Rulemaking Documents

~ !.a
Statement of Basis and Purpose
In 197 ~. the General _~ssembl~~ enacted Senate Bill 97_ creative the Colorado
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Instream Flo«- and natural Lake Le~-el Program (`'ISF Pro~ram~~). to be administered b~-
the Colorado ~~'ater Conser~-ation Board ~"Board~~). The statutory- authorit~° for these
Rules is found at sections ~7-60-108 and ~7-92-1020). C.R.S. (2008). The purpose of
these Rules. initially- adopted in 199 ~. is to codify- and establish procedures for the Board
to implemznt the ISF Program.
The Board has amended the Rules se~-eral times since 199 ~ to reflect changes in
thz statutes rzlated to the ISF Program. '~otabl~-. in 1999. the Board repealed the existing
Rule ~ in its entirety-. and. among other things. adopted a ne«- Rule ~ to establish a public
notice and comment process for instream floe- «-ater right appropriations. In ?00 ~. the
Board amended Rule 6 to implemznt the pro~-isions of Senate Bill 0?-1 ~6 b~- identif~-ing
factors that the Board «-ill consider «-hen determining «-hether to acquire «-atzr. «-ater
rights_ or interests in «-atzr_ and b~- establishing proczdtires for notice, public input. and.
it nzcessar~-. hearings. In ~'00~. the Board amended Ruiz 6 to implement House Bill 0 ~-
1 1=-_ codified at szction ~7-8-10~. C.R.S. (~OO~_ to allo«- for emergency- loans of
«at~r for instream flo«-s. The Board also amended Rule 6 to enable the Board to finalize
an acquisition «-ithin a t«-o-nleetinQ time frame. if neeessar~-. In ~00~. the Board
anlznded Rule 6 to implement House Bill 0~-10;9. estahlisling llo«- the Board and its
staff «-ill respond to offzrs of «-ater for tenlporar~- illstrzaln flo«- use and expedite u;e of
loanz~~ «-ater for instrzam flo«- purposes.
In ~'t-~:~9. the Board amended Rule 6 to adopt criteria specified in House Biil 08-
l~S!~! tcoditied at sections ;-9~-1t~~`(~)_ ~7-9-'-l~?~ and ~ 7-9~-~0~. C.R.S.) for e~=aluatinQ
proposed leases or leans of «-ater. and to incorporate H.B. 1 ~ 80 ~ s requirements for: (1-)
spzcitic conditions that must be met as paI-t of the C~~ CBs appro~-al of a proposed loan
or lzase of «ater_ (~' _- pro~-isions that must be included in all agreements for loans or
leases of «-ater under section ~ 7-92-102f ~: and (~ - actions that the Board must take in
connection «-ith loans or leases of «-ater. Rule 6 does not incorporate those pro~-isions of
H.B. l~'8U that direct the «-ater courts or the Di~-ision of `~"ater Resources to take certain
actions in regard to «-ater acquisitions b~- the Board for instream flo«- use.
Speciticall~-. the '009 Rules 6a., 6c.. 6e. 6j.. 6k.. 61., and 6m. clarify- the Board's
e~-aluation process. Board funding for «-ater leases and purchases, and public input for
proposed acquisitions of «-ater. «-ater rights or interests in «-ater for instream flo«- use.
Rule 6f. identities additional factors for loans and leases of «-ater, and Rules 6g. and 6h.
describe recording requirements and «-ater reuse provisions to be included in contracts or
agreements for «-ater acquisitions. Rule 6i. incorporates H.B 1280's requirements
regarding «-ater court applications filed b~- the Board to obtain a decreed right to use
acquired «-ater for instream flo«= purposes. Regarding the historical consumpti~°e use
quantification referred to in Rule 6i.(1), the Board «-ill not object to a water rights o«-ner
requesting a term and condition from the water court that the historical consumptive use
determination shall not apply- to the ~;pater right at the expiration of the lease or loan.
In ?009, the Board also amended Rules 8e.-h. (De l~°Tinimis Rule) to recognize
priority- administration of the C`'t-CB's instream flo«- «-ater rights and clarif~• that the