Quick Guide to Water Rights and State Water Resources

April 2024

The web links included in this brief list will lead to resources for research on the issue of water rights in the state of Colorado as well as water quality and conservation information from Colorado state agencies. This is a quick information guide to selected print and electronic publications as well as web sites maintained by state agencies.

Water Rights

• Beginners Guide to Water Rights  (PDF) (Colorado Division of Water Resources)
• Water Rights - basic information and FAQ (Colorado Division of Water Resources)
• Synopsis of Colorado Water Law (PDF) (Colorado Division of Water Resources)
• Annual Report of the State Engineer - gives a summary of Colorado water issues for the year. 1996 - 2018 available online.
• Official Water Rights Tabulation - Net Amounts and Transactions (Colorado Division of Water Resources)
• Colorado Division of Water Resources: Well Permit Search - shows aquifers and well locations, searchable by permit number, name, address, subdivision or by structure.
• Surface Water Conditions - data from reservoir and stream monitoring sites across the state
• Colorado Water Knowledge - Water Rights - from the Colorado State University Water Center

General Water Resources

• Colorado Division of Water Resources
• Colorado Water Conservation Board
• Colorado State University Cooperative Extension Water Resources
• Water Quality Control Division, Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment

Suggestions for Searching the State Publications Online Catalog

For records of print publications to borrow and/or links to electronic publications, search our library catalog with keywords "water rights" or "water conservation."