ARTICLE XVI, SECTION 6, COLOAADO CONSTITUTION lANGUAGE PROPOSED BY
COLOAADO RIVER WATER CONSERVATION DISTRICT BOARD OF DIRECTORS
May 24, 1972
Section 6 (a) -DIVERTING UNAPPROPRIATED WATER- PRIORITY PREFERRED USES. The right to divert the unappropriated waters of this state to beneficial uses shall never be denied, provided, however, that such right of diversion shall not be exercised except in accordance with the preservation and protection of environmental and aquatic values of the natural source. Priority of appropriation shall give the better right as between those using the water for the same purpose; but when the waters of any natural source are not sufficient for the service of all those desiring the use of same, those using the water for domestic purposes
shall have preference over those claiming for any other purpose, and those using the same for agricultural purposes shall have preference over those using the
same for manufacturing purposes. Henceforth, with respect to any appropriation creating a water right or any change of a water right, the exportation of the waters of a natural stream originating in any one of the following river basins, Arkansas, Colorado, Dolores, Gunnison, Laramie, North Platte, Rio Grande,
San Juan, South Platte I White and Yampa-Green, to any other of said basins shall be permitted only when plans for such exportation are submitted to the agency hereinafter named and said agency finds that the present and reasonable prospective uses for beneficial purposes shall not be inpaired or increased in cost to the water users within the natural basin. Means and facilities to accomplish such purpose shall be incorporated in such plans.
(b) AGENCIES: After consultation with appropriate agencies 1 the establish-ment of the environestablish-mental protection regulations and requireestablish-ments set out in Section 6 (a) of this Article shall be accomplished within the respective areas of the established water conservation districts by the boards of directors thereof, and outside of such areas by the Colorado Water Conservation Board or similar
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originating in any one of
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the following river basins, Arkansas,
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PRESENT lANGUAGE IN ARTICLE--XVI, SECTION 6
Section 6. DIVERTING UNAPPROPRIATED WATER - PRIORITY PREFERRED USES.
The. right to divert the unappropriated waters of any natural stream to beneficial
uses shall never be denied. Priority of appropriation shall give the better right as between those using the water for the same purpose; but when the waters of
any natural stream are not sufficient for the service. of all those desiring the
·use of the same, those using the water for domestic purposes shall have the
,preference over those claiming for any other purpose, and those using the water
for agricultural purposes shall have preference over those using the same for manufacturing purposes •
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i ,j • ! ') 'THE COLORADO RIVER WATER CONSERVATION DISTRICT
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THIRD FLOOR, FIRST NATIONAL. BANK BUILDING
P.O. BOX 218 GLENWOOD SPRINGS, COLORADO 81601 ' 303/945-8522 i ' i I I
WHEREAS, the Eagle-Piney Water Protection Association is circulating for signature petitions for an initiated constitutional amendment to Article 'JNI, Section 6, of the Colorado Constitution, in the following language:
"Section 6. Appropriation and Use of Water
Subject to the provisions of this section, the right to appropriate the unappropriated waters of any natural stream for beneficial use shall never be denied. The term beneficial use means any use
:that is of benefit to man, including benefit to the natural
environ-ment. Water may be appropriated by any person and by any entity, public or private, including the state and any political subdivision thereof, and priority of appropriation shall give the better right. Such appropriation and use shall be in accordance with procedures established by law. Henceforth, with respect to any appropriation creating a water right or any change of a water right, the exportation of the waters of a natural stream originating in any one of the
following river basins, Arkansas, Colorado, Dolores, Gunnison, Laramie, North Platte, Rio Grande, San Juan, South Platte, White and Yampa-Green, to any other of said basins shall be permitted
only when approved in accordance with law and when it is established ·
that the proposed exportation will not materially damage existing water rights or the natural environment of the basin of origin." to be considered by the voters in the November 1972 election; and,
WHEREAS, the Executive Committee of the Board of Directors of the Colorado River Water Conservation District, at the direction of the full Board, has met and considered such proposed amendment and after extensive deliberation concludes it cannot support the passage of the proposed amendment as drafted.
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NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED, such Executive Committee, although sympathetic to the aims of said Association in providing protection to the basins of origin, does hereby state that it can not approve the language of the proposed constitutional amendmen:t or support its passage because it is too broad in its implication in that it could preclude other beneficial uses of water, it provides that instream uses shall be beneficial uses without definition or quantification, it does not provide that such decrees shall be obtained by responsible public agencies, nor provide for some responsible public agency to determine what is
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a proper transba sin diversion.
Notwithstanding this lack of approval, the Executive Committee does
additionally direct the District Staff, if requested by such Association, to attempt
to formulate alternate language to achieve the protection of the basi. ns of origin.
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· I, ROLAND C. FISCHER, Secretary-Engineer for the Colorado River Water
Conservation District do hereby certify that the above and foregoing Resolution was adopted by the Executive Committee of theBoard of Directors of the Colorado
River Water Conservation District at a meeting :of that committee held in Glenwood
Springs, Colorado on the 3rd day of May 1972. 1
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The Colorado River Water Conservation District , '. :: I . ! . • ,I
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HOUSE CONCURRENT RESOLUTIQN 1 0091 As Reported to.
~he
Rules Committee'
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• · · '. .. ··. .· a.,.e 488 0 · ''.: · House ·Journa1~72nd '?ay-March 16, 1972 •
"' · . : 1 ·: · ·. Page 2; strike all of lines 1. thi·ough 11,
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substitute' · · · · 2 the folloWing: .·
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~.: 4 : ~. '·• ' "Section 6. Unapprop1-iatecl water. The right to, .:· . '·
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G >·· ,_. .:· stream fo1· beneficial use shall never he denied. The ·.·. :· :.1 •••• •• ' 7, : ,: >term beneficial use means any use that is of benefit
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to t;nan, soci~ty, or ;nature. Sue~ ~ppropria~ion s~all ·,;.,·:I:. : • .. 9 , :. . be m accordance With the provisions of this sectwn · .'·,:·
' : · 10 · '. . • and any ,procedures established by law from time to · · ·
;: · · .1 11 • · .. · . · time. Henceforth, with respect to any app1·opriation · · .
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:0 creating a water right or application for a change of; · ·. ·13 • :.:>:'.water right, the exportation of the waters of a · · · I
:-.; :, 14 .. , :. natural stream originating in any one of the basins : · ..!j
I.• :.·· · 15· · .,.:.· ·of the Colorado, Gunnison, San Juan, Rio Grande, . : . I
L'. ... ·lG··:i,: ;: White-Yampa, North Platte, South Platte, o1· Arkan-,: ·
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I .•:. ': •17 . : · ... ' sas rivers to any other of sa.id basins shall be per- ·.· .. ,
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'mitted only when it is established that the proposed ·::·
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20-; :·~.: ·.,: · r1~h~s 01· .th~ natural env~ro!liMnt of .the hasm of.·:., .. .',!
, . · 21 ;: .: ongm. Pnonty of appropriation shall give the better. : : : :
· ' · 22 ·\ · · right as among those using the wate1· for the same ; .
:·i, · ·: 23 · . purpose; but when the waters o.f anY natural stream .:. ·
· ··.:: · · 24 ·are not sufficient for the service of all those desil·ing . ~:::
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25 '.· -' the use of. the same, those using the water for do- ::; . ~.:!•. : .' : .. 26.. .. ·:.:· mestic P"?l'I:'l'Oses shall have the preference ?ver ::;-.·./~I
-' :. :., ·, 27 • .. : , those cla1mmg for any other purpose, and tnose · ,,. . ;
::;· ·' ·28 · .. ~:I. i': using the water for agricultural purP'oses shall have ./:·
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1, 29 • · · · preference over those using the same for ma!lu- :: t· '; !
,.; · 30 •: .. ·,;:, , facturing pu~~oses,or for the purpose of protectmg_ ·~\:::. ':1
··· 31 ; ... .-~·:.· natural cond1t1ons. . .:'/ ... ~ .... 1
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' 33 :·. ·:· . MESSAGE FROM REVISOR OF STATUTES1 :.~ 34
' 35 ' I ·,', ,' . March 16, 1972
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37 We herewith transmit the following .bills, with comment:~
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38. S. B. No. 44 and without comment: S. B. Nos. 40 and 51, also 39 H. B. No. 1012, as amended. . .. ..1.· i . 40 :,';. :. . . ... .·.•
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SIGNING OFR:Z~OLt,rTION
,AND MEMORIAL :1.I !. ::
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March 16,1972 :· .·II ·!~- 45 , 1
j 46 · After the titles were publicly read the Speake~ signM ,
•·· ·. 47 H~ J. R. No. 1024 and H. J. M. No. 1006. : 1·
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. . INTRODUCTION OF.BXLLS-FIRST READING : ·i
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~' 51 . . . • . . . . l1 .• , 52 ·. The following bill was read by t~tle and referred to .the
1·, · ·.· 53 · committee indicated: , · • ·. · 1 · , I • · • :
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'54 · · · : ,.· . · ·· 55 . • H. B. No. 1118, by Representatives Blacl< and Fentress; a)so ·
56 · . . Senator Stockton-For an act concerning the income tax,
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