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District Court, Water Division 4, Colorado <br />Case No. 02CW38; Application of Upper Gunnison River Water Conservancy District <br />Closing Brief of the Colorado River Water Conservation District <br />Page 2 of 11 <br />The River District is statutorily delegated the duty to promote the conservation, use and <br />development of the water resources of the Colorado River basin (including the Gunnison River) and <br />is provided broad powers to safeguard for Colorado, all waters to which the state is equitably entitled <br />under the Colorado River compact. C.R.S. §37-46-101. The River District also is charged with the <br />duty of promoting the growth and development of the entire district and the welfare of all of its <br />inhabitants. Id. The River District's unique statewide and regional perspectives in this case should <br />provide insightful guidance to the Court. The River District approached this case with its dual roles <br />firinly in mind: (1) the River District wished to ensure that, if granted, the application would not <br />materially impair the ability of Colorado to develop its Colorado River Compact entitlement; and (2) <br />the River District wished to protect and support the ability of its constituent, the Upper Gunnison <br />District, to develop water resources necessary to benefit the local economy. <br />The River District's concerns regarding compact impairment have been satisfied by the terms <br />of the September 4, 2003, stipulation between the River District and the Applicant. That stipulation <br />requires the Applicant to substantially reduce the potential situations during which the RICD might <br />otherwise be entitled to place a call on water rights in the Gunnison Basin. Importantly, the "call <br />limitation" provisions of the stipulation mean that the RICD will not place a call during dry periods <br />in the basin. <br />The River District's desire to promote beneficial uses for the welfare of the River District's <br />inhabitants is fully satisfied by the evidence produced at trial, which unequivocally demonstrates that <br />the claimed RICD will reasonably xmeet the intended purposes of the appropriation. The evidence