Opinion
No. 01SA252.
May 19, 2003.
District Court, Water Division No. 1, Jonathan W. Hays, Judge.
Ken Salazar, Attorney General, Steven O. Sims, Assistant Attorney General, Susan J. Schneider, Assistant Attorney General, Natural Resources and Environment Section, Denver, Colorado. Attorneys for Opposers-Appellants
Porzak Browning Bushong LLP, Glenn E. Porzak, Steven J. Bushong, P. Fritz Holleman, Boulder, Colorado. Attorneys for Applicant-Appellee
Fischer, Brown Gunn, P.C., William H. Brown, Fort Collins, Colorado. Attorneys for Amici Curiae Cache La Poudre Water Users Association and Thompson Water Users Association.
Hill Robbins, P.C., David W. Robbins, Dennis M. Montgomery, Denver, Colorado. Attorneys for Amici Curiae Rio Grande Water Conservation District, the Southwestern Water Conservation District, the Dolores Water Conservancy District, the Jackson County Water Conservancy District, and the Colorado Water Congress
Maynes Bradford Shipps Sheftel, Frank E. Maynes, Durango, Colorado. Attorneys for Amici Curiae Southwestern Water Conservation District and the Dolores Water Conservancy District
Patricia L. Wells, Denver, Colorado. Attorney for Amicus Curiae City and County of Denver, by and through its Board of Water Commissioners
Lind Lawrence Ottenhoff LLP, Kim R. Lawrence, Greeley, Colorado. Attorneys for Amici Curiae Central Colorado Water Conservancy District, the Groundwater Management Subdistrict of the Central Colorado Water Conservancy District, and the Lower South Platte Water Conservancy District
Burns, Figa Will, P.C., Lee E. Miller, Englewood, Colorado. Attorneys for Amicus Curiae Colorado Farm Bureau
Carlson Hammond Paddock LLC, William A. Paddock, Denver, Colorado. Attorneys for Amicus Curiae Rio Grande Water Users Association
Peter C. Fleming, Jill C.H. McConaughy, Glenwood Springs, Colorado.
Leavenworth Karp, P.C., David C. Hallford, Glenwood Springs, Colorado. Attorneys for Amicus Curiae Colorado River Water Conservation District
Hill, Edwards, Edwards Kinney, LLC, Tom Kinney, Carbondale, Colorado. Attorneys for Amicus Curiae Town of Basalt
Trout, Witwer Freeman, P.C., Mark T. Pifher, Douglas M. Sinor, Denver, Colorado. Attorneys for Amici Curiae Colorado Springs Utilities, Northern Colorado Water Conservancy District and Municipal Subdistrict, Northern Colorado Water Conservancy District
Burns, Figa Will, P.C., Lee E. Miller, Englewood, Colorado. Attorneys for Amicus Curiae Southeastern Colorado Water Conservancy District
Duncan, Ostrander Dingess, P.C., John M. Dingess, Denver, Colorado. Attorneys for Amicus Curiae City of Aurora, acting by and through its Utility Enterprise
Holland Hart LLP, Anne J. Castle, Christopher L. Thorne, Thomas J. Florczak, Denver, Colorado. Attorneys for Amicus Curiae Pueblo, a Municipal Corporation
Petros White LLC, Raymond L. Petros, Jr., Denver, Colorado. Attorneys for Amicus Curiae Longmont, a Municipal Corporation
Sullivan Green Seavy, LLC, Barbara J.B. Green, Boulder, Colorado. Northwest Colorado Council of Governments
Taylor E.C. Hawes, Silverthorne, Colorado. Attorneys for Amicus Curiae Northwest Colorado Council of Governments
Timothy H. Berry P.C., Timothy H. Berry, Leadville, Colorado. Attorneys for Amicus Curiae the Town of Breckenridge
Holland Hart LLP, Anne J. Castle, Denver, Colorado. Attorneys for Amicus Curiae Town of Minturn
Taylor E.C. Hawes, Silverthorne, Colorado. Attorney for Amicus Curiae Town of Montezuma
J. Matthew Mire, Vail, Colorado. Attorney for Amicus Curiae Town of Vail
John M. Ely, Aspen, Colorado. Attorney for Amicus Curiae Pitkin County
Summit County Attorney's Office, Jeffrey L. Huntley, Breckenridge, Colorado. Attorneys for Amicus Curiae Summit County
Porzak Browning Bushong LLP, Glenn E. Porzak, Steven J. Bushong, P. Fritz Holleman, Boulder, Colorado. Attorneys for Amici Curiae Clinton Ditch Reservoir Company, Eagle Park Reservoir Company, and Vail Resorts, Inc.
Collins Cockrel Cole, James P. Collins, Denver, Colorado. Attorneys for Eagle River Water Sanitation District, and Upper Eagle Regional Water Authority
Eagle County Attorney's Office, Robert Thomas Moorhead, Eagle, Colorado. Attorneys for Amicus Curiae Eagle County
Gunnison County Attorney's Office, David M. Baumgarten, Gunnison, Colorado. Attorneys for Amicus Curiae Gunnison County
Trout Unlimited, Melinda R. Kassen, Boulder, Colorado. Attorneys for Amicus Curiae Trout Unlimited
Kathleen C. Zimmerman, Boulder, Colorado. Attorneys for Amici Curiae High Country Citizens Alliance, San Juan Citizens Alliance, Colorado River Outfitters Association, American Canoe Association, Professional Paddlesports Association, and America Outdoors
City of Grand Junction, Daniel E. Wilson, Grand Junction, Colorado.
Brownstein, Hyatt Farber, P.C., James S. Lochhead, Glenwood Springs, Colorado. Attorneys for Amicus Curiae City of Grand Junction
CHIEF JUSTICE MULLARKEY, JUSTICE MARTINEZ, and JUSTICE BENDER are of the opinion that the judgment of District Court, Water Division 1 should be affirmed, whereas JUSTICE KOURLIS, JUSTICE RICE and JUSTICE COATS are of the opinion that it should be reversed.
Since the court is equally divided, the judgment of District Court, Water Division 1 is affirmed by operation of law. C.A.R. 35(e).
JUSTICE HOBBS does not participate.