Water Courts

About Water Courts

Each water division is staffed with a division engineer appointed by the state engineer, a water judge appointed by the Supreme Court, a water referee appointed by the water judge, and a water clerk assigned by the district court. Water judges are district judges appointed by the Supreme Court and have jurisdiction in the determination of water rights, the use and administration of water, and all other water matters within the water division. Water matters are generally commenced in a water court by the filing of an application with the water clerk. The water clerk publishes a summary of each application that is filed in the monthly water court “resume” and in a legal notice in one or more newspapers. Interested persons may then file statements of opposition to an application within the time allowed by statute. Because claims in water rights adjudications may affect, in priority or otherwise, any water right claimed or previously adjudicated within each division, owners of affected rights must appear to object and protest as provided in the 1969 Act or be barred from claiming injury to their water rights as a result of claims made in an application. The monthly resume published by each water court can be viewed on that court’s website. Links to the water court websites are set forth in the menu on the left side of this page. 

All water courts operate under a standard case definition approved by the Supreme Court in 1981. This made possible the establishment of water court filings standards, which have been reported annually by water division since July 1, 1981.

Justice Monica Márquez is the Supreme Court's Liaison to the Water Judges (by designation of the Chief Justice). Justice Márquez also chairs the Supreme Court Water Court Committee. The Water Court Committee discusses and proposes changes to the Uniform Local Rules for all State Water Court Divisions. The Supreme Court votes to adopt or reject proposed rule changes. 

For additional information on Colorado's water courts, please review links and information on this page. 

Water Divisions

Designated groundwater basins

There are five designated ground water basins in Colorado, which are managed in the 4th, 13th, 15th, 17th, and 19th judicial districts, presided over by Water Judges as noted below: