For over 125 years, the Division of Water Resources (DWR), directed by the State Engineer, has been empowered to administer all water rights according to the Prior Appropriation Doctrine (in short, 1st in time, 1st in right). Most of this work is done by Division Offices located in the seven major river basins of the state, directed by the Division Engineers. Division Engineers are supported by water commissioners to ensure the priority system is followed, enforcing the decrees and water laws of the State of Colorado.
Whether water is used simply to drink from your household tap or to irrigate hundreds of acres of cropland, everyone in Colorado benefits from the orderly distribution and management of the state’s most precious resource. For more information, read the Beginner's Guide to Water Administration, as well as the Synopsis of Colorado Water Law.
Water Administration Video & Subject Areas
Learn more about Water Administration topics by watching our video on Colorado’s Water Priority System and the work of DWR's Water Commissioners. Visit the subject areas below for more details on topics such as Augmentation, Drought, Interstate Compacts, Land Divisions, Pond Management, Rainwater, Storm Water, Graywater, Substitute Water Supply Plans (SWSPs), and Water Rights.
Applications & Tools
Augmentation Plans
Court-approved programs to increase the supply of water available for beneficial use
Land Divisions &
Water Supply
Planning and review of water supplies including subdivisions
Pond Management & Restoration Projects
Water rights considerations for constructed ponds, stream improvements, and wetland mitigation
Rainwater, Storm Water
& Graywater
Rainwater collection, rain barrels, storm water detention, green roofs & graywater reuse
SWSPs &
Administrative Approvals
Substitute Water Supply Plans and other temporary administrative approvals
Groundwater
Groundwater administration and enforcement is one of the primary responsibilities of the Division of Water Resources. The Colorado Ground Water Law of 1957 established the permitting requirement of ground water wells. Since 1969, surface and groundwater rights have been administered with a recognition of the connection between the two. Every new well in the state that diverts groundwater must have a well permit. If wells do not meet any statutory exemptions and their priority dates are not senior enough to divert in priority, they may be able to operate pursuant to an Augmentation Plan decreed by the water court. Non-compliance with a well permit, decree of the court, Rules, or statute may result in the issuance of orders for compliance and further enforcement from DWR.
DWR provides staff to assist in technical support to the Colorado Ground Water Commission, in the exercise of its duties in the Designated Basins, generally located on the eastern plains of Colorado. The Designated Basins are separate from the system of water rights under the purview of the water courts. Well permits for wells located in the Designated Basins are issued by the staff of DWR based on statute and the Rules of the Colorado Ground Water Commission. DWR also provides staff assistance for the Board of Examiners of Water Well and Pump Installation Contractors. This board oversees the safe and proper installation of well pump equipment, and regulates the proper, safe construction of wells throughout the state.
Surface Water
DWR administers the waters of the state and Colorado's water sharing agreements with other states. Surface and groundwater are recognized as being connected, such that pumping groundwater in most locations has a depletive effect on surface water. Water administration is the enforcement of the priority system of water rights, which includes curtailment of junior water rights that are not in priority and not operating in accordance with Augmentation Plans or administrative approvals.
In order to control water effectively, a satellite monitoring system of gages on lakes, reservoirs, rivers, and streams has been set up throughout the state. Colorado Decision Support System (CDSS) Data and Tools provide a wealth of surface water administration information including streamflows, diversions, and call data.
Important Links
- Board of Examiners
- Colorado Average Streamflow Map
- Designated Ground Water Basins
- Water Education Colorado (Guides to Water Law, Groundwater, Transmountain Diversions, & Where your Water Comes From)
- Well Metering
- Well Permitting
On October 28, 2022, the State Engineer filed the "Rules and Regulations Governing the Measurement of Surface Water and Groundwater Diversions and Storage Release and Delivery of Water Located in Water Division 6" with the Division 6 Water Court. These rules were assigned Case No. 22CW3102. Anyone interested in filing a protest to these Rules had until December 31, 2022 to do so. A copy of the rules and the protests that were filed can be found by searching the case number and division in Laserfiche weblink.
All parties can keep informed about this rulemaking through DWR's notification list tool. From the website top navigation, select Public Information, and Notification Lists. Once on the notification lists page, you will be able to login and manage your notification lists and/or register for the notification list Division 6 Measurement Rulemaking Stakeholders, to receive emails concerning this rulemaking process from our office.
Use the Subject Search below to locate documents of interest related to the rulemaking, such as draft and redline rules and meeting agendas.
The Division of Water Resources (DWR) has focused on measurement rules in recognition of the importance of measuring both surface water and groundwater diversions. We are now conducting a formal effort to develop measurement rules in Division 7. Measuring surface water and groundwater diversions is important in Colorado to allow for accurate administration of water rights, establish a valuable record of use for water rights, and provide useful information for operating decisions.
Colorado water law requires that water diversions have a proper diversion structure and measuring device where necessary. Measurement Rules will give guidance, structure, and certainty to the Division Engineer’s implementation of that statutory requirement, which is critical in areas that are experiencing more demand, intrastate administration, and the need to protect Colorado interests related to the Colorado River Compact.
On November 29, 2023, State Engineer Kevin Rein will attend the Colorado River Drought Task Force, Sub-Task Force Meeting in Durango to provide an update on the State Engineer’s current efforts to develop Measurement Rules in Division 7. Please review the Meeting Agenda for the Colorado River Sub-Task Force Meeting for more details. Join remotely via the Zoom Link option. Tune in between 12pm-5pm, with Kevin Rein's session scheduled to begin at 1:15 PM. The update will include and be limited to presentation material from the previous stakeholder meetings in Division 7.
DWR has conducted stakeholder meetings in recent months to discuss proposed Measurement Rules in Water Division 7, which includes the San Juan, Animas, La Plata, Mancos, Pine, Piedra, McElmo Creek, parts of the Dolores, and other adjoining basins for tributaries exiting Colorado in the southwest part of the state.
The stakeholder meetings were held on the following dates at the following locations:
- July 25, Dove Creek
- July 26, Cortez
- August 8, Bayfield
- August 9, Pagosa Springs
- September 6, by Zoom Only
Use the Subject Search below to locate documents of interest related to the rulemaking, such as draft and redline rules and meeting agendas.
All parties can keep informed about this rulemaking through DWR's notification list tool. From the website top navigation, select Public Information, and Notification Lists. Once on the notification lists page, you will be able to login and manage your notification lists and/or register for the notification list Division 7 Measurement Rulemaking Stakeholders, to receive emails concerning this rulemaking process from our office.
View any additional upcoming meetings related to this rulemaking in the table below.
Upcoming Stakeholder Meetings
| DATE | MEETING TIME | LOCATION |
|---|---|---|
| None at this time |