Laserfiche WebLink
<br />Third Extraordinary Session <br />Sixty.third General Assembly <br />STATE OF COLORADO <br /> <br />INTRODUCED <br /> <br />LLS NO. 02S-2013.01 Thomas Morris <br />Thiebaut SENATE SPONSORSHIP <br /> <br />SENATE BILL 02S.004 <br /> <br />HOUSE SPONSORSHIP <br /> <br />(None) <br /> <br />Senate Committees <br />Agriculture and Natural Resources <br /> <br />House Committees <br /> <br />A BILL FOR AN ACT <br />CONCERNING INCENTIVES TO CONSERVE WATER, AND, IN CONNECTION THEREWITH, AUTHORIZING THE <br />STATE ENGINEER TO ISSUE CONSERVED WATER CERTIFICATES FOR USE IN WATER MATTERS AND <br />ESTABLISHING REQUIREMENTS FOR THE TRANSPORT OF WATER FROM NATURAL RIVER BASINS TO <br />LOCATIONS OUTSIDE SUCH BASINS. <br /> <br />Bill Summary <br />(Note: This summary applies to this bill as introduced and does not necessarily reflect any amendments <br />that may be subsequently adopted.) <br />Requires entities seeking to transport water from a natural river basin in Colorado to a location outside <br />of such basin to demonstrate that the entity has explored all reasonable alternatives to such water transport. <br />Mandates that all applicants seeking to transport such water conduct an analysis to determine feasible alternatives. <br />Specifies criteria that such applicants shall consider in their analyses. Requires all applicants to prepare an <br />integrated water supply and demand plan. Mandates that all applicants hold a public meeting regarding the <br />proposed transport of water. Prohibits district court approval of such water transport absent a showing that the <br />transport is necessary to meet the applicant's reasonably foreseeable needs during the applicable planning period. <br />Authorizes the state engineer to issue a conserved water certificate upon proof that a water right holder's <br />existing water use practices are reasonably efficient and that implementation of a water conservation project will <br />result through increased efficiencies in conserved water without injuring other water users. <br />Requires applicants for changes of water rights who intend to rely on a conserved water certificate to <br />submit the certificate as a part oftheir water rights application. Creates rebuttable presumptions. as of the date of <br />issuance of the certificate, regarding the amount of conserved water available for the change application without <br />increasing the applicant's historic use and the fact that the applicant's water use practices were reasonably <br />efficient. <br />