Colorado § 37-91-113 - Well inspection program.

§ 37-91-113. Well inspection program.

(1) The state engineer shall monitor compliance with this article 91, including by inspecting water well construction, ground heat exchanger installation, and pump installation, and the state engineer may employ inspectors for this purpose. The costs of monitoring and inspection shall be paid from the well inspection cash fund created in section 37-80-111.5.

(2) Inspectors shall have the following qualifications, but need not be licensed pursuant to this article 91:

(a) Knowledge of proper well construction, ground heat exchanger installation, and pump installation techniques and practices;

(b) Drill site experience;

(c) Computer skills;

(d) Interpersonal skills; and

(e) Knowledge of all applicable statutes and rules.

(3) Inspectors shall annually spend a majority of their time conducting field inspections and a minority of their time preparing and evaluating reports and related office work. Duties include the following:

(a) Well construction, ground heat exchanger installation, and pump installation inspection and observation;

(b) Complaint investigation;

(c) Education and outreach;

(d) Inspection and observation of geotechnical wells, observation and monitoring wells, dewatering wells, and test holes;

(e) Field inspections of existing wells, ground heat exchangers, and pumps;

(f) Field inspections of well, ground heat exchanger, and hole plugging and abandonment; and

(g) Staff support for the state engineer and board.

Source: L. 2003: Entire section added, p. 1681, § 12, effective May 14. L. 2025: (1), IP(2), (2)(a), IP(3), (3)(a), (3)(e), and (3)(f) amended, (HB 25-1165), ch. 257, p. 1320, § 28, effective August 6.

Cross references: For the legislative declaration in HB 25-1165, see section 1 of chapter 257, Session Laws of Colorado 2025.

Water Right Determination and Administration

ARTICLE 92

Water Right Determination and Administration

PART 1

GENERAL

37-92-101. Short title.

37-92-102. Legislative declaration - basic tenets of Colorado water law.

37-92-103. Definitions.

PART 2

WATER DIVISIONS - COURTS

37-92-201. Water divisions.

37-92-202. Division engineers.

37-92-203. Water judges - jurisdiction.

37-92-204. Water clerks - duties.

PART 3

DETERMINATION AND ADMINISTRATION OF WATER RIGHTS

37-92-301. Administration and distribution of waters.

37-92-302. Applications for water rights or changes of such rights - plans for augmentation.

37-92-303. Rulings by the referee.

37-92-304. Proceedings by the water judge.

37-92-305. Standards with respect to rulings of the referee and decisions of the water judge - definitions.

37-92-306. Priorities junior to prior awards - when.

37-92-306.1. Relation back of priority date.

37-92-307. Special procedures with respect to plans for augmentation. (Repealed)

37-92-308. Substitute water supply plans - special procedures for review - water adjudication cash fund - legislative declaration.

37-92-309. Interruptible water supply agreements - special review procedures - rules - water adjudication cash fund - legislative declaration - definitions.

37-92-310. Colorado water rights protection act - short title - legislative declaration - limitation on actions.

37-92-311. Industrial hemp cultivation allowed under an agricultural water right.

PART 4

PUBLICATION OF WATER RIGHTS PRIORITIES

37-92-401. Tabulations of priorities and decennial abandonment lists.

37-92-402. Special procedures for the 1978 tabulation and abandonment list.

PART 5

REGULATION OF WATER - VIOLATIONS

37-92-501. Jurisdiction over water - rules and regulations.

37-92-501.5. Special procedures with respect to plans for augmentation.

37-92-502. Orders as to waste, diversions, or distribution of water.

37-92-503. Enforcement - injunction.

37-92-504. Treble damages.

PART 6

APPLICATION OF ARTICLE

37-92-601. Disposition of pending proceedings - showings of reasonable diligence.

37-92-602. Exemptions - presumptions - stream restoration projects - report - legislative declaration - definitions.

PART 1

GENERAL