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statute in effect at that time. No party to the case claimed an appropriation of water, and the <br />Court discussed the constitutional right to appropriate water only to distinguish water rights <br />appropriation from the access question that was at issue. Emmert, 597 P. 2d at 1028. <br />Recreational use of water is further supported by its economic potential. This Court may <br />take judicial notice that recreation and related tourism are one of the biggest and fastest growing <br />industries in this State. As such, entities in the recreation-based economy should be entitled to <br />exercise the constitutional right to appropriate in the same manner, and subject to the same <br />standards, as any other beneficial use. If economic return was to become the measure of a water <br />right, there are a number of traditional water uses that could never begin to approach the value of <br />recreation. <br />IX. RICD RIGHTS SERVE THE STATE POLICY OF MAXIMUM UTILIZATION. <br />The "maximum utilization" doctrine that the State cites as authority to limit RICDs in <br />fact works against its position. (State at 22-24). In the Empire Lodge decision, this Court <br />explained "maximum utilization" means "maximizing the use of Colorado's limited water supply <br />for as many decreed uses as possible consistent with meeting the state's interstate delivery <br />obligations..." Empire Lodge, 39 P.3d 1139, 1150 (Colo. 2001). The "maximum utilization" <br />doctrine has never operated as a cap on new water rights claims. Such claims, like all other <br />water rights in Colorado, are limited by the doctrines of waste and speculation. In this regard, <br />RICDs fit exactly with and, in fact, promote the "maximum utilization" principle as explained by <br />the Supreme Court. They are an additional, clean use of water on top of, and that work in <br />tandem with, existing and future downstream diversions, generating revenue without polluting or <br />consuming a single drop. "Maximum utilization" is served because the water passing through <br />Tm1650 18