DWR_4535774

• Board or Commission: Colorado Ground Water Commission
• Document Type - Board and Commission Meetings: Meeting Document
• Document Date: 8/15/2025
• Subject: Meeting Minutes

Ground Water Commission Meeting Minutes Page 6
August 14 &t 15, 2025
project is working to organize permit documents under the final permit, better
organize data, and better index data.
Commissioner Pautler commented that Ground Water Management Districts should be
aware that not reporting after a change is made does have a trickledown effect on
the database.
Commissioner Hume suggested that outreach to title companies would be helpful to
ensure that well ownership information gets updated in the database after a transfer.
Mr. Grimes responded that the electronic change in owner eform has helped increase
compliance with recording updates to well ownership in the database.
Commissioner Denning pointed out that some wells are owned independently of the
real property, and changes to well ownership may not always get updated by title
companies in these sorts of transactions.
Mr. Nate Pearson then addressed the Commission and provided some updates from the
Department of Natural Resources ("DNR"). Mr. Pearson mentioned that next week,
the General Assembly will be returning to the Capital for a special session. The
special session is primarily focused on the tax and revenue impacts from HR-1, known
as the "Big Beautiful Bill". Mr. Pearson reminded the Commission that the State is
tethered to tax policy changes made by the Federal Government and is also required
to have a balanced budget. Mr. Pearson does not believe HR-1 will directly impact
water policy, but DNR will update the Commission if anything relevant to the
Commission's work is impacted by the special session.
Mr. Pearson also mentioned that zebra mussels larvae have been discovered in the
main stem of the Colorado River and two reservoirs in the western Grand Valley. A
private lake in Eagle County was also found to contain the invasive mussels, and the
Colorado Parks and Wildlife ("CPW") is working to eradicate them from the lake.
Mr. Pearson then provided an update on the Water Quality Control Division at the
Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment ("CDPHE") is nearing the end
of their dredge and fill stakeholder process. In the 2024 legislative session, the State
of Colorado adopted state level protections for dredge and fill operations in state
waters not covered under Federal Clean Water Act regulations. It is expected that in
December, a final regulation regarding dredge and fill operations in these areas will
be adopted by the Water Quality Control Commission. Mr. Pearson encouraged the
Commission and attendees to get involved in the stakeholder process.
Mr. Pearson closed his remarks by thanking DWR staff for their work on implementing
the DWR Efficiency and Geothermal Bills that recently passed.
Commissioner Pautler called for agenda item no. 6, the staff activity report.