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Last modified
7/14/2011 11:12:38 AM
Creation date
9/30/2006 10:11:34 PM
Metadata
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Template:
Publications
Year
2004
Title
Citizen's Guide to Colorado Water Law
CWCB Section
Administration
Author
Colorado Foundation for Water Education
Description
Citizen's Guide to Colorado Water Law
Publications - Doc Type
Tech Report
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<br />The Workings of a River Call <br />In Colorado. after the strt:3ms peak from spnng snowmelt. <br />the reservoirs h3YC filled as much as they can based on ,heir <br />allotmt'nl In the pnom)' system. and stream flows stan to <br />drop. ,>,,-'me water nghls In the "YCt system llUy nm haw suf- <br />fiCient water ICl fulf1l1lhclT coun -decreed dl\'crslon amount <br />Water users may then stan to call for their water based on the <br />pnonl)' system of ~first In time, first In right. <br />For example. In late July. Irrigator Jane is not gemng <br />enou~h water 10 lmgate her ~arhc fann. She ha.~ a decreed <br />water right ....,(h a 1940 priont)' date_ Time 10 place a call <br /> <br />I) Irrigator Jane comacts her local deSignated ditch official. <br />and sa)'s she needs to call for her .....ater She can only <br />call for the amoum of water provided In her w;lter nght <br />decree. and onl)' for the amount that she can aClUally PUI <br />to beneficial use Ceg, imgalion of a crop), <br />2) The ditch olllcial ccomacts the local water commLSSloner 31 <br />the Colorado OlnSlOn of \\':lter Resoun:es and places the <br />mlllal call Dependmg. on Ihe nver S}'Slem, a verbal call <br />may be made, but m many cases a {lmnal wnllen GlII for <br />w3lerlsrcqmred. <br />3) \\'hen Iht' call comes on, the water commissioner \'Cnfies <br />Its legtlltnJ.c)', then stans looking upstream to shut dO\l,Tl <br />all undectttd uses, Still not enough water! <br />4) The water comm15siona then hmlts all decreed upstream <br />uSt.'ts to dcueed amounts of diwtslOn SI\II not enou~h <br />water to fulfill irrig3tl)r j;mes 1940 water nght' <br />5) Now, thc water commiSSioner "111 use the prilmty sys- <br />tem to look upstream from Janes headg.1le diversion, for <br />decreed ll.-.ets \nth pntlnty datt~ mt're recenl than I Q4{) <br /> <br />The5e W;Cts are considered ~Junior" and their dt\"t'rs-10ns <br />",Illx> reduced or shut dO"Tl <br />6) Each decreed JUnior water lL'.er, based on their tlrder (If <br />pnoot): Junior to seOltlr, IS shut d"v.,n until Jane ~ets <br />enough w.ner to fulfill her 1940 water nght <br />]) However, stream Il'\'C!s arc still droppmR, and Jl(lW, d"\\Tl- <br />stream muniCIpal US('r Blue Ot}' does nOl haw enough <br />"'<lter \(l fulfill ItS 1927 water nght Blue City places a call, <br />8) The waler comml5Sioner \\ill go Ihrough the same pro- <br />cess, reducing or shuumg dllwn all nghts more recent <br />than 1927 until Blue ClI)'S nghts arc met. ThiS ma}' mean <br />Ihat ImgalOr Jane ",11 have to let water now pasl her <br />headgate 10 fulfill Blue Clt)"S senior dowtl5tream nghl <br />9) If you don). comply, Ihe water comml5Sioner ",11 lock <br />dov.il your headgate' <br /> <br />Tht' pnonl}' date of Ihe river call may change ea(h day <br />dependmg on the stream now J\'ailable, and the semonly nf <br />the diversions Ihat need water on that day. <br />An additional consideration, Some water musl lx> earned <br />down m'er, and cannol be dl\'ened. This could indude res- <br />erYOlr water, Iratl5-basm diversion water, the stales instream <br />now water rights. or water Ihat musl be deli\'cred under <br />inters-late compacts or US Supreme Coun eqUltahle appor- <br />tionment decrees. <br />The ColoracJll OWISll,n of \\'aler Resources keeps track of <br />all calls for water on liS \\'('h site \\"w\\ watcr.Slatt',Co.US <br /> <br />Adapled from \\lIul batd,. 1$<1 Rl\'a C<1Il?by Ken Beegles, <br />CClII'rado OI\'ISIOn of \\'ater Re50urces. Dl\'lslOn 7 <br />
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