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<br />CHAPTER 149
<br />
<br />WATER AND IRRIGATION
<br />
<br />SENATE BILL 02-156 [Digest]
<br />
<br />BY SENATOR(S) Gordon, Entz, Fitz-Gerald, Hagedorn, Hernandez, Linkhart, Nichol, Pascoe,
<br />Perlmutter, Phillips, Tate, Tupa, and Windels;
<br />
<br />also REPRESENTATIVE(S) Smith, Bacon, Berry, Borodkin, Boyd, Chavez, Coleman, Daniel,
<br />Grossman, Hodge, Mace, Madden, Plant, Ragsdale, Romanoff, Saliman, Sanchez, Stengel, Tochtrop,
<br />Veiga, Weddig, and Williams S.
<br />
<br />AN ACT
<br />
<br />CONCERNING THE AUTHORIZATION OF CHANGES OF ABSOLUTE WATER RIGHTS
<br />FOR PURPOSES OF INSTREAM USE.
<br />
<br />Be it enacted by the General Assembly a/the State a/Colorado:
<br />
<br />SECTION 1. The introductory portion to 37-92-102 (3), Colorado Revised Statutes, is amended to
<br />read:
<br />
<br />37-92-102. Legislative declaration - basic tenets of Colorado water law. (3) Further
<br />recognizing the need to correlate the activities of mankind with some reasonable preservation ofthe
<br />natural environment, the Colorado water conservation board is hereby vested with the exclusive
<br />authority, on behalf of the people of the state of Colorado, to appropriate in a manner consistent with
<br />sections 5 and 6 of article XVI of the state constitution, such waters of natural streams and lakes as the
<br />board determines may be required for minimum stream flows or for natural surface water levels or
<br />volumes for natural lakes to preserve the natural environment to a reasonable degree. In the adjudication
<br />of water rights pursuant to this article and other applicable law, no other person or entity shall be granted
<br />a decree adjudicating a right to water or interests in water for instream flows in a stream channel
<br />between specific points, or for natural surface water levels or volumes for natural lakes, for any purpose
<br />whatsoever. The board also may acquire, by grant, purchase, DONATION, bequest, devise, lease,
<br />exchange, or other contractual agreement, from or with any person, including any governmental entity,
<br />such water, water rights, or interests in water IN SUCH AMOUNT as the board determines mil) be:
<br />!Cql1ileJ IS APPROPRlA TE for mimml1m stream flows or for natural surface water levels or volumes
<br />for natural lakes to preserve OR IMPROVE the natural environment to a reasonable degree. At the
<br />request of any person, including any governmental entity, the board shall determine in a timely manner,
<br />not to exceed one hundred twenty days unless further time is granted by the requesting person or entity,
<br />
<br />http://www.state.co.us/gov_dir/leg_dir/olls/sI2002a1sI.149.htm
<br />
<br />6/17/2002
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