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Deep Groundwater Different Types of Groundwater Coloradans rely heavily on pumping of fished. Groundwater pumping at a rate in deep groundwater fur a variety of munici- excess of annual recharge creates what is pal, agricultural, industrial, and other uses. called a mining condition. Unless the rate Deep groundwater refers to aquifers geolog- of pumping is regulated, mining will ulti- ically confined such that they have no mately lower groundwater levels to a measurable connection to surface waters. depth where water can no longer be with- Because it is not connected to the sur- drawn. economically. face stream, use of this water is not regu- In Colorado, deep groundwater is lated by the prior appropriation system. In divided by statute into three categories: (1) fact, deep groundwater requires different designated (2) nontributary, and (3) not management than surface streams and nontributary Denver Basin groundwater. tributary groundwater. Geothermal groundwater is another classi- Tributary groundwater is recharged fication of groundwater; it can be tributary from precipitation and seasonal runoff. or nontributary and is regulated by the Veep groundwater is not readily replen- Geothermal Resources Act. Colorado Ground 1Nater Commission The Colorado Ground Water Commission is the regulatory and permitting agency authorized to manage and control groundwater use in designated groundwater basins. It may hold rulemaking and court hearings, subject to judi- cial review. Their web site address is w~~~v.water.state.aa.us/cgwc The Commission has 12 members, nine appointed by the governor, and three others consisting of the directors of the Department of Natural Resources, Colorado Water Conservation Board, and the Division of Water Resources. For a detailed description of the well permit application process,. different types of wells, and other subjects related to groundwater inanagemenf, see the Guide to Colorado Well Perrnifs, tit'ater Kights, aid Water Admmistr~atior~, published b~~ the Colorado Division of Water Resources. ,~ ,,}. r ~~:~ ,,s~.. _,~~- Tributary Groundwater- Water below the Earth's surface that is hydro- logically connected to a river. Deep groundwater is not con- nected to a river. Ground Water Management Districts Local districts formed to consult with the Ground Water Commission on groundwater use in designated basins. There are 13 districts in Colorado. Designated Groundwater Designated groundwater is water that under natural conditions would not be used to recharge or supplement continu- ously flowing surface streams. In 1965, the Legislature authorized the Colorado Ground Water Commission to create designated groundwater basins. These are areas where groundwater has historically been the predominant water supply, primarily along the Front Range and eastern Colorado. There are currently 8 designated basins located on Colorado's eastern plains: Kiowa Bijou, Southern High Plains, Upper Black Squirrel Creek, Lost Creek, Camp Creek, Upper Big Sandy, Upper Crow Creek, and the Northern High Plains. Nontributary Groundwater Nontributary groundwater is water outside of a designated groundwater basin whose pumping will not affect surface water levels within 100 years. It is avail- able to the overlying landowner by a statute of the Colorado General Assembly, sections 37-90-107(7) ~ 37-90-137(4) of the 1965 Ground Water Management Act. Water can be withdrawn from a nontribu- tary aquifer at a rate of 1 percent a year, assuming a 100-year life of the aquifer. Geothermal Resources All subsurface geothermal fluids are considered part of the state's groundwa- ter resources and are subject to the Colorado Geothermal Resources Act. Use of this resource requires a permit from the State Engineer. ~^ '~. C^ L^ R A D^ F^ U N D A T I ^ N F^ R W A T E R E D U C A T I ^ N Colorar.,h Desig~n~rte~J Grour~~lwcter Qcisins