CO HB1271

Clarifies that the Colorado Water Conservation Board may use previously decreed water rights for augmentation purposes without requiring an additional change of water right decree

Allows the board to augment stream flows to preserve or improve the natural environment using water rights where historical use has been quantified and a previous change to include augmentation use was judicially approved

Requires the board to file a water court application for approval of an augmentation plan, subject to terms and conditions necessary to prevent injury to vested water rights and conditional water rights holders

Prohibits water used for augmentation in a stream reach from being diverted by exchanges, substitution plans, or other means that would reduce the augmented water in that stream, except for reasonable transit losses

Specifies that this clarification does not impair existing water court decrees or administrative authorizations for environmental, recreational, or water quality purposes, and does not preclude future water rights or agreements for such purposes