BOARD00191

• Board Meeting Date: 3/21/2002
• Description: WSP Section - Agricultural Water Policy Discussion
• Board Meetings - Doc Type: Memo

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political subdivision thereof for the construction, operation, or maintenance of flood controi and
prevention facilities;
(k) In aeneral, to take such action and have such powers as are incidental to the foregoing
specific provisions and to the general purposes of this article;
(I) To enter into contracts as provided in sections 37-60-119 to 37-60-122 for the construction
of conservation proiects which, as authorized bv the aeneral assemblY under procedures
set forth in section 37.60.122, will conserve and utilize for the best advantaae of the
people of this state the water and power resources of the state, including projects beyond
the boundaries of the state of Coiorado located on interstate waters when the benefit of such
project accrues to the citizens of the state of Colorado, upon application under such rules and
regulations as the board shall establish;
(m) To file applications In the name of the department of natural resources for the appropriation
of water;
(n) To take all action necessary to acauire or perfect water riahts for proiects sponsored by
the board;
(0) To sell or otherwise dispose of property owned by the board, in the name of the state of
Colorado, as a result of expenditures from the Colorado water conservation board construction
fund in such manner as to be most advantageous to the state. Proceeds from such saie or
disposal shall accrue to the Coiorado water conservation board construction fund and shall not
revert to the general fund at the close of any fiscai year.
(p) To make grants pursuant to the..2fovisions of section 37-60-122.2 (2) for fish and wildlife
resources;
(q) To make a mitigation recommendation pursuant to the provisions of section 37-60-
122.2 (1) constituting the official position of the state of Colorado reaardina mitiaation to
maintair! a balance between the development of the state's water reSOllrces and the
protection of the state's fish and wildlife resources;
(r) To foster the conservation of the water of the state of Colorado by the m:.omotion and
implem@ntation of sound measures to @nhance water use efficiency in order to serve all
the watE!r needs of the state, to assure the availability of adeQuate supplies for future Ilses,
and to assure that necessary water sentices are provided at a reasonallle cost.

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37.60.115, Wat@rstudies.
(1) (a) The Colorado water conservation board is authorized to forthwith make, or cause to be made,
a continuous studY of the water resources of the state of Colorado. and a continuous
study of the present and potential uses thereof to the filII extent necessarv to a unified and
harmonious development of all waters for beneficial use in Colorado to the fullest extent
possible under the law, including the law created by compacts affecting the use of said water.
The studies to be made shall include analyses of the extent to which water may be transferred
from one watershed to another within the state without iniurv to the potential economic
development of the natural watershed from which water miaht be diverted for the
development of another watershed.
(b) In order to assure that the state of Colorado protects its allocation of interstate waters for
current and future beneficial purposes, to achieve optimum development of such waters under
significant constraints imposed by federallew and policy, and to achieve efficient and effective
management of river systems for recognized beneficial purposes, the board is authorized to
expend sllch moneys as may be allocated, appropriated, or otherwise credited to the Colorado
water conservation board construction fund for such projects and programs as may be specifically
authorized by the general assembly, including but not limited to development of river basin
models within and without the state, poliCY formulation, interstate neQotiations, and water
manaQement within the state.
(2) (Deleted by amendment, L. 96, p. 1223, ~ 24, effective August 7, 1996.)
(3) The Colorado water conservation board is further authorized and directed, after consultation with
the agriculture, livestock, and natural resources committee of the house of representatives and the
agriculture, natural resources, and energy committee of the senate and consistent with its duties set
forth in section 37-90-117 and the provisions of subsections (1) and (2) of this section, to study the

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