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<br /> <br />.j <br />.~ <br />J <br />, <br />! <br /> <br />" <br /> <br />S2S <br /> <br />C'irVERSITY OF COLORADO LAW REVIEW <br /> <br />[Vol. 57 <br /> <br />communities. and subsequently was adopted by COUrtS and leglsla. <br />cures, The appropriallon doctrine operates On the principle of "first in <br />time. nrst in right." In contrast with the riparian system of water allo- <br />cation found in the relallvely humid East. the appropriation doctrine <br />involves no watershed or land.ownership limitations on the use of the <br />water, As was established in the early Colorado case of CojJin v. Left <br />Hand Ditch Co,,' water can be removed from the stream and diverted <br />from the watershed of origin for use elsewhere. even though none of <br />that water returns to the original stream system, Out-of-watershed <br />transfers are thus recognized as proper. so long as the water is put to a <br />benencial use, Future uses are not protected-application to a benefi- <br />cial use is the central requirement for a final appropriative right. <br />Given this basic pnnciple. it is clear that protection of an export- <br />V ing area, county, or watershed is not characteristic oi the appropria- <br />tion system. Any efforts to protect areas of origin are therefore in <br />derogation of underlying appropriation principles. <br /> <br />III. THE AREA.Of-ORIGIN CONCEPT <br /> <br />0/ <br /> <br />Despite the fundamental policy embodied in the appropriation <br />doctrine favoring movement of scarce water resources to locations <br />where they may be beneficially used. many states following this doc- <br />[rine have enacted some form of s[acurory resrrlclion or limitation on <br />interbasin transfers, Se:Jrching for an explanallon for such statutory <br />prOVISIons. the National Water Commission pointed to the absence of <br />an effective market for pricing water. J The Commission commented <br />that areas of origin for natural resources other than water do not re- <br />ceive such treatment. although severance taxes are in fact based on the <br />notion of allocating a share of the wealth distributed by nature in the <br />form of mineral deposits or timber stands to those who happen to live <br />10 the adjoining area! <br />An often.cited illustration of the need for area-of-origin protec- <br /> <br />2 0 Colo. +l.} 08B2). <br />J. !n It!. final report. the COmml5.SlOn .;taled: <br />.-\re':!...(l".orj~m pn',ecrion IS peculiarl)' :L5SOCI3ICd with waler. Other resources arc nOI <br />"lmllarly In:alal. probably because they arc pnced In conventional mll.rkCl5. For coal. 011. <br />copper. timber. .lnd other nalur:11 resources. cite area of ongm recel\.es lIS .'prCltcction" In <br />the form at" r:u.es and re\lenu~ irom lhe .'eApon" oi lhe resource. In the ab~nce oi .I <br />pricing ~ysCem ior the expon 01 water. ;lrc3.-a(-llnglR inceresu ha\ie resoned ro rhe pOlitical <br />prOCe5!> 10 obtain '.m lund" procecllon. thai is. enactmem of la....!> reservIng \liater for lhe <br />:ire:J..~ "ultimate requiremenls'" or provldin~ for r~:lprure 11'1 the event of fUlurl' nee-d. .-\~ a <br />con~cquence or" chI!> approach. saleguards for a wacer cAponlng are3 have u!>u3l1y b~n tied <br />:0 iuturc or potenli31 l,l.;uer development 1M the :ire:!. <br />'\;\TIO"'L W'Tr-1l CO'l'll'Ssro.'\: REPQIlT. rup,.a nOle J..J1 J2J <br />.lo .-\nolhcr IT'ilere\tlng parallel can he round in the ~latU(CS f'a~~Cd 1M Ihe IQ70.~ In pro'lc\~ '~I;ll <br />;-ro\e.:[I,m 10 lac:.!t .lorcas Imra":l~d b:- lhe rapid ~rc"lh accomp3oYln~ coerg}. 3nd mineral <.Je\donm~nl. <br />