9351

• UCREFRP Catalog Number: 9351
• Author: Hobbs, G.
• Title: Water For Recreation, Water Quality, and Wetlands".
• USFW Year: 1990.
• USFW - Doc Type: \
• Copyright Material: NO

In itself, the above list demonstrates the-need for a
State program under a carefully thought-out law, as opposed to
authorization of private instream flow appropriations. How the
courts could adequately deal with allocation of instream
quantities of water for recreational purposes without some means
of capture, possession and control being effectuated, and how
Colorado could (1) make maximum utilization of its water
resources and (2) protect its compact and equitable apportionment
share of water, while at the same time allowing appropriation of
private instream flow water rights, is unclear and so fraught
with public policy considerations, as to make this consideration
quintessentially a legislative question.
Hopefully, a wide variety of Coloradans will lend their
support to enactment of a Statewide recreational waters program
as an alternative, on the one hand, to ignoring the public
interest in having an adequate supply of water for recreational
needs and, on the other hand, abandoning the prior appropriation
doctrine as Colorado's water allocation mechanism.
VI. WATER FOR WETLANDS.
It is evident from reading the CWCB, State Parks, and
Wildlife Commission statutes that these State agencies have
adequate authority between and among themselves to carry out a
water for wetlands program through a combination of
appropriations to preserve the environment to a reasonable degree
and purchase, lease, or change of water rights for this purpose.
Moreover, there is an extensive federal regulatory program under
section 404 of the Clean Water Act which protects wetlands from
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