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 7
August 14 &t 15, 2025
Mr. Javier Vargas-Johnson addressed the Commission and commented that the full
Staff Report is contained in the meeting packet, and encouraged the Commissioner's
to ask any specific questions they may have after reading the report. Mr. Vargas-
Johnson then provided the Commission with some updates on topics affecting
designated basins:
1. New status codes have been rolled out in hydrobase for final permits. Since
final permits are issued for a water right and permit to construct a well, the
new status codes will help clarify when a replacement permit has been issued
to relocate an existing well and when an abandonment is required. The new
codes will also indicate when final permits are cancelled and when a
construction report has not yet been for a permit that was issued.
2. The DWR Efficiency Bill has become effective, and Staff is working to
implement the bill. The bill includes a provision that provides 2 years for the
construction of large capacity wells, rather than the previous 1 year. As a
result, the expiration date for large capacity permits has now been extended to
include a 2nd year. In addition, rather than sending out notifications via
certified mail for large capacity well permit expirations, those permits can now
be programmatically expired in the database on the expiration date. In
addition, the bill standardizes the bedrock aquifer permits outside the Denver
Basin with those inside the Denver Basin. Previously, those wells outside the
Denver Basin required a final permit. Going forward, those bedrock aquifer
wells will receive a determination rather than a final permit, along with a
permit to construct a well pursuant to the water right from the determination.
Mr. Vargas-Johnson highlighted the benefits of receiving a determination of
water rights when transferring partial ownership, compared to transferring
partial ownership of a final permit. The relevant forms and internal guidance
previously only used inside the Denver Basin will be updated accordingly to
allow for the inclusion of bedrock aquifers outside the Denver Basin and inside
Designated Basins.
3. As previously mentioned, the project for final permit cleanup is on-going, as is
the well abandonment project. More updates related to these projects are
expected to be provided at future Commission meetings.
Mr. Ullmann thanked Mr. Vargas-Johnson and Staff for their work related to the
projects mentioned above.
Commissioner Pautler noted that the transition from Ms. Joanna Williams to Mr.
Vargas-Johnson has been very smooth from the Commission's perspective.
Commissioner Pautler called for agenda item no. 7, the Attorney General's Report.
Ms. Emilie Pollie addressed the Commission and referred the Commission members to