WSPC05058

• File Number: 8040.950
• Description: Section D General Studies - General Water Studies
• State: CO
• Basin: Statewide
• Date: 7/25/1978
• Author: Unknown
• Title: Draft Publication for Water Study
• Water Supply Pro - Doc Type: Report/Study

OJ13~H

~ rr"''':. 1 :'..-.:'!,~
i""" /' ,I .,'
I. ';~,~,' '.\ _~-t
~,,;I. 1-:\, ..l
. j ;~ ',:::' 1 ..1...:J.. jt

IV,

LEGAL MEANS TO INFLUENCE WATER ALLOCATION AND USE

The allocation and use of Colorado's water resources is, as discussed

in Chapter IT, the result of complex interactions between technological,

economic, legal and institutional factors. Alter any of these and future

uses of water may be different from what would be the case under the

present water rights system. Obviously, therefore, a second focal

point for the water study has been an inventory and an examination of

the institutional, technical, statutory, and constitutional tools which

are available, or which could be made available, to state and local

government, or to individuals, in order to influence the future use of

water in Colorado,

The purpose of such an examination is not to suggest change for its

own sake, or imply that change is needed or will inevitably lead to a

better result than that yielded by the present water rights system. The

purpose of such an examination is to determine whether there are legal

tools which could influence water use, and as a consequence, bring about

or avoid a certain set of consequences. The alternative future water

uses, and the projected consequences of such uses will be described as

set forth in Chapter III.

In order to find out just what could be done, an extremely wide

range of legal and administrative actions has been surveyed. Numerous

technical, statutory, administrative, and constitutional tools were examined,

Only a few were eliminated from consideration at the outset:

a. The water study does not consider or analyze the possibility of

a constitutional amendment which would abrogate the right to

22

"1-1