Colorado Water April 2005

• Year: 2005
• Title: Colorado Water
• Author: Water Center of Colorado State University
• Description: April 2005
• Publications - Doc Type: Newsletter

Joe Sax Discusses Transitions in Society and Accompanying Reallocation of Water
oe Sax, Professor Emeritus at the University of Califor-
nia-Berkeley Boalt Law School, presented a seminar to 60
students, faculty and water professionals on the evening of
March 3, 2005, at Colorado State University. The seminar was
sponsored by the Mac Foundation.
Professor Sax began his talk by defining how the ownership
of water rights is subject to public oversight (the `rules' that
govern allocation and administration of water rights). He ob-
served that this situation exists with a number of water - related
aspects of our society — for example, the rights to navigation,
public fishery, and environmental protection. He also ob-
served that water is always `going somewhere' — it is on the
move. Thus, the same molecule of water may be shared by a
number of people with water rights, as is the case in Colorado
where return flows have water rights filed on them further
downstream.
Prof. Sax described transitions impacting the West, such as
rapid urban growth, changing social values, and quantifica-
tion of Indian water rights. He asked the question: "How
do we manage transitions in the use of water amid social
transitions, when the supply of water is basically fixed ?"
He noted that a number of transitions have occurred in
our society in the past where the transition's impact of
property value was not compensated. For example, during
the industrial revolution, there was a huge displacement of
traditional activities that were not compensated. He sug-
gested, however, that it will not be possible to transition
water allocation (reallocation) to match the new needs of
society without some contribution by the public, as well as
adaptation by existing water users to new pressures on our
water supply. One opportunity is to begin a transition to
less water- intensive, more economically productive crops.
He offered several other options as well, such as cities
providing irrigation improvements that can free up water
for lease by agriculture to meet urban needs, which pro-
tecting rural community economies; urban purchase of dry
year options as a relatively painless way of dealing with
drought years; and increased conjunctive use of surface
and ground water.
water rights.
Joseph Sax, John Loomis, and Bob Young take a break from
analyzing Colorado water law and its impact on economics.
Colorado Water Congress
Summer Convention
August 25 -26, 2005
Steamboat Springs, CO
For more informtion go to: www.cowatercongress.org or phone [phone].
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