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PREFACE Today, in Colorado, water rights are becoming more valuable than ever before. As population pressure continues to increase, so will the demand on Colorado's limited water resources. It is, therefore, very important that the water rights owned or used by state agencies be properly protected and managed. Unfortunately, most people are unfamiliar with the laws governing water rights. As a result many of the water rights owned or used by state agen- cies are poorly managed, underutilized and not properly pro- tected. The following materials are intended as a general overview to fa- miliarize the reader with basic water law principles and issues. It is hoped that, by becoming familiar with the materials pre- sented in this and other water law seminars, you, as attorneys for public agencies, will be able to recognize water rights prob- lems and help your client agencies properly manage their water rights. The above paragraphs were written by Bill Paddock in 1980, as the preface to the original Primer on Colorado Water Law. His words remain true 5 1/2 years later, and so the need for such a primer continues. In certain areas, such as nontributary ground water and interstate water exports, the law has been in flux. In re- vising the primer, I have concentrated primarily on updating those areas in which statutory changes have occurred and signifi- cant cases been decided since 1980. AG Alpha No. LW AG YED AG File No. CNR8601076/1JB