2023 Colorado Revised Statutes › Title 37 - WATER AND IRRIGATION (§§ 37-1-101 — 37-99-103) › WATER RIGHTS AND IRRIGATION (§§ 37-80-101 — 37-93-101) › UNDERGROUND WATER (§§ 37-90-101 — 37-91-113) › Article 90 - UNDERGROUND WATER (§§ 37-90-101 — 37-90-143) › Section 37-90-131 - Management district - board of directors - control measures - hearing - notice - publication - order

(1)
(a)
Whenever the board of directors determines that controls, regulations, or conservation measures are necessary in order to ensure the proper conservation of groundwater within the district, it shall confer with the ground water commission and groundwater users within the district. No such measures or regulations shall be instituted until after a public hearing. Notice of such hearing shall be published. Such notice shall state the time and place of the hearing and in general terms the corrective measures or regulations proposed. Within sixty-three days after such hearing, the board shall announce the measures or regulations ordered to be taken and shall cause notice of such action to be published. The board has the authority to compel compliance with such measures or regulations by an action brought in the district court of the county in which any failure to comply is found to exist.
(b)
Any person adversely affected or aggrieved by the announcement of control or conservation measures or regulations adopted by the district board may appeal such decision to the ground water commission by filing a notice of appeal and the grounds therefor with the commission not later than thirty-five days after the date of last publication. The commission shall hear all such appeals pursuant to section
37-90-113
. The commission shall have authority to affirm or reject the measures or regulations adopted by the district or to modify such measures or regulations but only upon consent from the district board. Judicial review of commission actions in such appeals may be taken pursuant to section
37-90-115
.
(c)
Any person adversely affected or aggrieved by an act of the district board, other than the announcement of control or conservation measures or regulations, has the right to be heard by the board. Such person shall file a written request for a hearing that states the basis of the alleged injury. Unless agreed otherwise by all parties to a hearing or unless otherwise approved by the district due to extenuating circumstances, a hearing shall be held within one hundred eighty-two days after filing the request for such a hearing. Upon thirty-five days' written notice to all adverse parties, the district shall conduct a hearing upon the matter. Hearing procedures shall be as informal as possible, with due regard for the rights of the parties. All parties shall have the right to subpoena witnesses and to be heard either in person or by attorney. The district board may have such hearings conducted before an agent or hearing officer. After such hearing, the district board shall issue a written decision containing its findings and conclusions and shall serve its decision upon all parties by first-class mail. Judicial review of such district decisions may be taken in the manner and governed by the standards set forth for review of commission and state engineer decisions in section
37-90-115
.
(2)
Subject to review by the ground water commission pursuant to subsection (1) of this section, the board may institute control measures or regulations to prescribe satisfactory and economical measuring methods for the measurement of water levels in and the amount of water withdrawn from wells and to require reports to be made at the end of each pumping season showing the date and water level at the beginning of the pumping season, the date and water level at the end of the pumping season, and any period of more than thirty-five days cessation of pumping during such pumping season.
L. 65: R&RE, p. 1262, § 1. C.R.S. 1963: § 148-18-30. L. 71: p. 1316, § 14. L. 79: (1) R&RE, p. 1375, § 9, effective June 7. L. 85: (1)(b) R&RE and (1)(c) added, pp. 1177, 1178, §§ 11, 12, effective May 31. L. 98: Entire section amended, p. 1223, § 14, effective August 5. L. 2012: Entire section amended, (SB 12-175), ch. 208, p. 883, § 155, effective July 1.