Bill > HB1014

This bill makes several technical modifications to Colorado's groundwater management laws, primarily focusing on streamlining and clarifying processes related to water rights and well permits. The key changes include extending the time frame for constructing wells from one to two years, establishing a process for reinstating expired permits with a $30 filing fee, and introducing a new definition for "bedrock aquifer" as a designated groundwater basin. The bill replaces specific references to the Dawson, Denver, Arapahoe, and Laramie-Fox Hills aquifers with the more general term "bedrock aquifer," which will be defined by the Ground Water Commission through rule-making. The legislation also adjusts various administrative timelines and procedures for water rights tabulation, abandonment lists, and permit processing across Colorado's water divisions, with staggered implementation dates for different water divisions. These changes aim to increase efficiency in the Division of Water Resources by providing more flexibility in permit processing, clarifying terminology, and standardizing administrative procedures related to groundwater management.

Agriculture and Natural Resources, Budget and Finance

https://leg.colorado.gov/bills/hb25-1014