Water Law

This one-day course provides an overview of Colorado water law, including appropriation, types of water rights, the priority system, water courts and decrees, state administration, groundwater and Denver Basin rights, transbasin diversions, and interstate compacts. It also covers topics relevant to tax appraisers, such as water right sales, conveyance documents, abandonment, changes of water rights, consumptive use, ditch companies, and valuation of ditch company shares. The course concludes with discussion of emerging Colorado water issues, including municipal and agricultural demands, drought, conservation, and new water projects.