Water Conservation Measures
Concerning measures for the conservation of water in the state, and, in connection therewith, implementing the proposals of the Colorado river drought task force.
Official status: Became Law
Prime sponsors
- Dylan Roberts (Senate) — Prime Sponsor
- Perry Will (Senate) — Prime Sponsor
- Julie McCluskie (House) — Prime Sponsor
- Marc Catlin (House) — Prime Sponsor
Progress (from the official record)
Official summary
Official text — shown in English exactly as published by the official source. The official text controls.
Section 2 of the act allows the owner of a decreed storage water right to loan water to the Colorado water conservation board (board) to preserve or improve the natural environment to a reasonable degree for a stream reach for which the board does not hold a decreed instream flow water right. Current law requires the board to establish an agricultural water protection program for water divisions 1 and 2. Section 3 changes current law by requiring the board to establish an agricultural water protection program in each water division. Current law allows periods of nonuse of a water right to be tolled in certain circumstances for the purposes of determining whether a water right is abandoned. Section 4 changes current law by allowing a water right to be tolled for the duration that an electric utility that owns a water right in water division 6 decreases use of, or does not use, the water right if the decrease in use or nonuse occurs during the period beginning January 1, 2020, and ending December 31, 2050, and if the water right is owned by the electric utility since January 1, 2019 (abandonment exception). Current law requires an owner of a conditional water right to obtain a finding of reasonable diligence or the conditional water right is considered abandoned. Section 5 allows the water judge, in considering a finding of reasonable diligence for a conditional water right that is owned by an electric utility in water division 6 since January 2019, to consider the following as supporting evidence: The conditional water right may be used to support a specific project or potential future generation technologies or concepts that have the potential to advance progress toward Colorado's clean energy and greenhouse gas emission reduction goals; and The electric utility or another entity has made efforts to investigate or research the viability of future generation technologies that have the potential to advance progress toward Colorado's clean energy and greenhouse gas emission reduction goals. In determining the amount of historical consumptive use for a water right, a water judge is prohibited from considering certain specified uses. Section 6 prohibits the water judge from considering the decrease in use or nonuse of a water right owned by an electric utility in water division 6 since January 1, 2019, which decrease in use or nonuse occurs during the period beginning January 1, 2019, and ending December 31, 2050, in determining the amount of historical consumptive use (historical consumptive use protection). If the water right is leased or loaned by the electric utility to a third party, the water right is not entitled to historical consumptive use protection for the period the water right is subject to the lease or loan. To qualify for historical consumption use protection or the abandonment exception, an electric utility that manages all units of a generating station in water division 6 must file with the water division 6 water court an application seeking quantification of historical consumptive use for the absolute direct flow water rights serving the generating station. The application is a claim for a determination of a water right, and the water division 6 water court has jurisdiction to determine the historical consumptive use for the absolute direct flow water rights serving the generating station. Current law allows the board to approve certain grants related to water conservation and requires the board to establish criteria to require the grant applicant to provide matching funds of at least 25%. Section 8 requires the board to reduce or waive fund matching requirements in the case of a grant to the Ute Mountain Ute Tribe or the Southern Ute Indian Tribe. (Note: This summary applies to this bill as enacted.)
Status timeline
| Date | Location | Action |
|---|---|---|
| 04/03/2024 | Senate | Introduced In Senate - Assigned to Agriculture & Natural Resources |
| 04/10/2024 | Senate | Senate Committee on Agriculture & Natural Resources Refer Amended to Senate Committee of the Whole |
| 04/15/2024 | Senate | Senate Second Reading Passed with Amendments - Committee, Floor |
| 04/16/2024 | Senate | Senate Third Reading Laid Over to 04/17/2024 - No Amendments |
| 04/17/2024 | Senate | Senate Third Reading Passed with Amendments - Floor |
| 04/17/2024 | House | Introduced In House - Assigned to Agriculture, Water & Natural Resources |
| 04/22/2024 | House | House Committee on Agriculture, Water & Natural Resources Refer Unamended to House Committee of the Whole |
| 04/25/2024 | House | House Second Reading Laid Over Daily - No Amendments |
| 05/02/2024 | House | House Second Reading Special Order - Passed - No Amendments |
| 05/03/2024 | House | House Third Reading Passed - No Amendments |
| 05/08/2024 | House | Signed by the Speaker of the House |
| 05/08/2024 | Senate | Signed by the President of the Senate |
| 05/08/2024 | Governor | Sent to the Governor |
| 05/29/2024 | Governor | Governor Signed |
Recorded votes
- 04/22/2024 — House Agriculture, Water & Natural Resources: “Refer Senate Bill 24-197 to the Committee of the Whole.” — the motion passed on a vote of 10–0.
- 04/10/2024 — Senate Agriculture & Natural Resources: “Refer Senate Bill 24-197, as amended, to the Committee of the Whole.” — the motion passed on a vote of 7–0.
Full text
- Signed Act version (official PDF), 05/29/2024
- Final Act version (official PDF), 05/08/2024
- Rerevised version (official PDF), 05/03/2024
- Revised version (official PDF), 05/02/2024
- Reengrossed version (official PDF), 04/17/2024
- Engrossed version (official PDF), 04/15/2024
- Introduced version (official PDF), 04/03/2024
Official record
View SB24-197 on leg.colorado.gov
Source: Colorado General Assembly (leg.colorado.gov) · Data as of
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