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I <br />the Water Court process is cumbersome, time - consuming and can be extremely <br />expensive. <br />The study could include consideration of <br />appointment of senior judges as alternate water judges <br />permitting the appointment of special masters in water court proceedings — <br />with the possibility that the water court referees could themselves serve in that <br />role <br />a requirement that water court referees be professional engineers <br />imposition of procedural time requirements in proceedings before the referee, <br />such as application of Rules 16 and 26 <br />mandatory annual training for water judges and referees both in water law and <br />in the engineering, technological and scientific issues and advancements, in <br />cooperation with the Law Schools, the Water Bar and the State Engineer's <br />Office <br />The Task Force recommends that the Governor and/or the General Assembly <br />request the Colorado Supreme Court to undertake and complete within six months a <br />study of the Water Courts in the State and identify possible ways to achieve efficiencies, <br />while still protecting quality outcomes. <br />Passed 21/2 <br />5. The Task Force recommends that the Legislature and/or the Department of <br />Natural Resources support any South Platte water entity in pursuing a CREP or EQIP <br />program to the same extent that the State has supported other entities, such as the <br />Republican River Water Conservation District, in pursuing CREPs or EQIP in other parts <br />of the state and the Task Force supports encouraging the Colorado Delegation to support <br />amendments to the 2007 Faun Bill to allow use of these programs in the South Platte <br />River Basin. <br />Passed 17/6 <br />6 Because the South Platte well rules did not go into effect until 1974 and therefore <br />pumping prior to 1974 did not require augmentation, the Task Force recommends that the <br />Legislature enact legislation providing that augmentation is not required for current <br />depletions caused by pumping prior to 1974. . <br />Passed 17/6 <br />7 The Task Force recommends that the Governor and DNR encourage Colorado's <br />Congressional Delegation to encourage federal funding of the study to reallocate space in <br />Chatfield for more storage. <br />Passed 23/0 <br />2 <br />