Colorado claims the right to all rain within the state

[Capt Worley PE]

Colorado water law declares that the state of Colorado claims the right to all moisture in the atmosphere that falls within its borders and that “said moisture is declared to be the property of the people of this state, dedicated to their use pursuant” to
the Colorado constitution.

http://water.state.co.us/DWRIPub/Documents/DWR_RainwaterFlyer.pdf

So, you can light a fattie, but not collect rainwater!

Weird.

 

[Supe]

Put tongue out during rain shower = stick it to the man.

 

[snickerd3]

so are they going to install dams to prevent it from leaving the state?

 

[Master slacker]

That is sad to the point of awesome. HTF does a law like this even get enforced? Seriously, if you have a small rain collection tank on the side of your house, you're going to get fined for conserving resources? Saving the earth? IN A HIPPIE STATE?

 

[snickerd3]

Yeah but with the rain barrels you will eventually be placing it on the ground anyways so there isn't a loss of water...it is just a delayed rain event.

 

[pbrme]

That is crazyness.

 

[Capt Worley PE]

Yeah but with the rain barrels you will eventually be placing it on the ground anyways so there isn't a loss of water...it is just a delayed rain event.

Question: Since I’m trying to conserve and cut
back on the use from my water supplier, am I
allowed to collect precipitation for watering my
land-scaping and to fill a decorative pond?

Answer: No. First, because you receive your
water supply through a tap from a water supplier,
you may not collect precipitation at all. The
changes in Senate Bill 09 -080 apply only to residential properties that are supplied by a well (or
could qualify for a well permit). Second, you will
not be able to use the precipitation you’ve
collected to fill a pond since that use would not be
allowed on the appropriate well permits

 

[Judowolf PE]

So what is the purpose of this law, are they wanting to charge downstream states for the use of the water? I would think the Corps of Engineers may have a beef with this...

 

[Judowolf PE]

What about houses with cisterns?

 

[snickerd3]

Yeah but with the rain barrels you will eventually be placing it on the ground anyways so there isn't a loss of water...it is just a delayed rain event.

>

Question: Since I’m trying to conserve and cut
back on the use from my water supplier, am I
allowed to collect precipitation for watering my
land-scaping and to fill a decorative pond?

Answer: No. First, because you receive your
water supply through a tap from a water supplier,
you may not collect precipitation at all. The
changes in Senate Bill 09 -080 apply only to residential properties that are supplied by a well (or
could qualify for a well permit). Second, you will
not be able to use the precipitation you’ve
collected to fill a pond since that use would not be
allowed on the appropriate well permits

from the way that is written...then swimming pools just became outlawed too. Because they collect precipitation

 

[Judowolf PE]

This is crazy...sounds like the "water supply" lobby wrote this law

 

[Capt Worley PE]

What about houses with cisterns?

Answer: No. First, because you receive your
water supply through a tap from a water supplier,
you may not collect precipitation at all.

 

[Dexman PE PMP]

From what I've seen/read about this issue, it mostly stems from the fact that 1) we're going through a couple years of serious drought conditions (which makes seniority and water rights battles VERY brutal between farmers/ranchers, cities, counties, water districts, etc), and 2) West Nile virus has been spreading across the state very rapidly and most people who collect rainwater only manage to successfully create mosquito breeding grounds.

 

[Capt Worley PE]

From what I've seen/read about this issue, it mostly stems from the fact that 1) we're going through a couple years of serious drought conditions (which makes seniority and water rights battles VERY brutal between farmers/ranchers, cities, counties, water districts, etc), and 2) West Nile virus has been spreading across the state very rapidly and most people who collect rainwater only manage to successfully create mosquito breeding grounds.

That's all well and good, but it doesn't make a case for the government telling me that I can't keep rain that fell on my house.

 

[Road Guy]

isnt it really our rain mr. hand?

 

[Capt Worley PE]

isnt it really our rain mr. hand?

Yes, Mr. Spicolli, it certainly is. (claps hands) Class, come have some rain!

 

[Judowolf PE]

From what I've seen/read about this issue, it mostly stems from the fact that 1) we're going through a couple years of serious drought conditions (which makes seniority and water rights battles VERY brutal between farmers/ranchers, cities, counties, water districts, etc), and 2) West Nile virus has been spreading across the state very rapidly and most people who collect rainwater only manage to successfully create mosquito breeding grounds.

So again the carelessness of the few ruin it for everyone else...I would have a hard time believing the supreme court would uphold this law...what mother nature drops onto my property is my property, this isn't a government owned conservation ground yet!

 

[cdcengineer]

Speaking as a Colorado resident on well water, this law was an improvement to the old. They used to not allow us to collect any rain water for external home use. If you had a household well, you could use it outside at all. I was tagged and nearly fined for watering outside with rain water I collected. If I had a domestic well, I could water outside. Now, we can collect water and use it in the ayrd.

It's a big no-no to wash our cars. I find it crazy that the water that flows from the mountains I live in can be spread all over Vegas and Southern California, but I can;t have an outside hot tub or wash my car, but at least I am allowed to collect a small amount of rain water to have a few flowers.

Wish I was one of the rich lawyers who purchased all the H2O rights long ago. They sell permits for exterior use, but they're not cheap.

 

[Judowolf PE]

that is just crazy...I can understand not using well water to wash cars and water lawns during a draught, but this is an overreach by government

 

[Road Guy]

Ga tried this a few years ago during our drought but the Feds quickly intervened and said that states don't have the ability to claim water that flows through their state.. I'm sure they will do the same..