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Grand County rancher uses 2013 law to leave water in Willow Creek without penalty

Sep 30, 2015 | Article, Division 5

A Grand County rancher has become the first person in Colorado to use a 2013 state law to intentionally leave water in a stream without fear of diminishing his water right. Working with the Colorado Water Trust, Witt Caruthers developed a plan to curtail diversions...

Groundbreaking State Law Tested in Colorado Headwaters Stream

Sep 21, 2015 | Article, Division 5

The infamous use-it-or lose-it rule is arguably the biggest barrier to water conservation and river-flow restoration in the western United States. It basically says that if anyone holding water rights does not put them to full use, the unused portion can be taken away...

Local landowner avoids ‘use it or lose it’ with new program

Jun 23, 2015 | Article, Division 5

In Colorado, no term inspires a vacuous, eye-glazing stare quite like “water law.” To the average Coloradan, the voluminous, arcane and, at times, archaic laws that apply to the state’s water may seem largely inconsequential, even mystical. But there is one facet of...

Colorado cuts into use-or-lose system that caused water waste

Jun 16, 2015 | Article, Division 5

Two-year effort to change system taking effect with first deals in Grand County and Aspen Colorado water rights owners are forging a way out of the state’s ingrained “Use It Or Lose It” rule that penalizes those who divert less than their full...

First Approved Water Conservation Program in Colorado

Jun 11, 2015 | Article, Division 5

In June 2015, the Water Trust received approval from the Colorado River Water Conservation District (“River District”) for the first Water Conservation Program application allowed by Senate Bill 2013-019. Under the proposed Program, the Water Trust’s project partners...