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<br />'. <br /> <br />. <br /> <br />. <br /> <br />The limited role of state government in fostering the <br /> <br />development of the State's water r~sources is further <br />~ <br /> <br />ace <br /> <br />-- <br /> <br />illustrated by the fact that the State provided almost no <br /> <br />funding for water project construction until the late 1970s. <br /> <br />nor for comprehensive planning for the use and development of <br /> <br />Colorado's water resources. yet the State was able to foster <br />significant development without contributing financially. <br /> <br />Furthermore. what few state planning activities were carried <br /> <br />out through the Colorado Water Conservation Board pursuant to <br /> <br />section 37-60-115. CRS. were. and are. necessarily constrained <br /> <br />by the fact that the use and allocation of the State's water <br /> <br />resources are not controlled by state government. Thus. the <br /> <br />notion of a "state water plan." master blueprint. to direct <br /> <br />water resources development is inapplicable in Colorado since <br /> <br />state government is largely without the authority to implement <br /> <br />such a plan. In short. while state government does have some <br /> <br />ability to influence water resources development, it does not <br /> <br />have the authority to make the final decisions as to where. <br /> <br />when. how, and for whose benefit development will occur. Its <br /> <br />guidance of federal activity has, of course. been substantial <br /> <br />, <br /> <br />and the resu~ts tangible. <br /> <br />The Historical Policy for Development <br /> <br />Although the historical role of state government in the <br /> <br />development of Colorado's water resources has been a limited <br /> <br />one. the State has had an explicit policy (or plan or strategy- <br /> <br />-call it what you may) for water resources development since <br /> <br />-3- <br />