Water Diversions From Rio Grande Basin

The bill prohibits each state agency or instrumentality from approving or assisting any project that diverts water from water division 3, which consists of the Rio Grande river basin, for export to another basin in Colorado or export to any portion of another state unless the state engineer determines, after due consideration of all findings provided by the Colorado water conservation board, that the project will not:

• Increase the costs or negatively affect operation of the federal closed basin project;
• Adversely affect the purposes of any national wildlife refuge or federal wildlife habitat area withdrawal located in water division 3;
• Adversely affect the purposes of the Great Sand Dunes national park and Great Sand Dunes national preserve; or
• Increase the costs or negatively affect operation of any state parks, state wildlife areas, or lands administered by the state board of land commissioners located in water division 3.
  (Note: This summary applies to this bill as introduced.)