Water Rights

Water rights engineering in Colorado requires a thorough understanding of the prior-appropriation system, the relationship between groundwater and surface water, and the complex nature of the State’s requirements and water issues. We work diligently with our clients and their water attorneys to navigate through the complicated system.

Our water rights engineering specialties include the following.

• Alternative Transfer Methods

• Augmentation Plans and Substitute Water Supply Plans

• Changes of Water Rights

• Conjunctive Use Projects

• Drought Management Plans

• Expert Witness Testimony

• Master Planning for Raw Water and Water Supplies

• Protection and Evaluation of Water Portfolios

• Rotational Leasing-Fallowing Projects

• Streamflow Modeling

• Water Efficiency/Conservation Plans

• Water Rights Accounting

• Water Rights Valuations

• Water Supply and Demand Analyses

Surface Water

Martin and Wood conducts a wide range of technical analyses of surface water resources for a variety of clients including municipalities and special districts, irrigators and irrigation districts, developers, home and ranch owners, and mining/industrial users.

These analyses can be conducted specific to surface water resources or in conjunction with groundwater resource analyses, since Martin and Wood possesses extensive capabilities in both fields.  This allows us to provide our clients with comprehensive evaluations of their water resources.

Our surface water specialties include the following.

• GIS Applications and Historical Use

• Resource Evaluation

• Streamflow Studies (Yield and Availability)

• Water Court Expert Witness Services

• Water Supply and Integrated Resource Planning

• Water Quality Evaluations

Groundwater

Martin and Wood has considerable experience statewide with the complex variety of groundwater conditions physically encountered and with the assessment and development of this critical resource. No fewer than five differing administrative classifications of groundwater currently exist in Colorado, and new laws and administrative procedures are continuing to be developed as technical advancements are made and the use of groundwater resources continues.  Additionally, groundwater systems are often inter-related to surface water systems, resulting in the need to consider the interaction of groundwater and surface waters under a variety of conditions.

Specialties include the following.

• Denver Basin Aquifers

• Designated Basins

• Drainage and Dewatering

• Expert Witness Services

• Groundwater Monitoring Studies

• Groundwater Resource Evaluation

• Water Well Design and Construction Observation

Expert Witness

Professionals at Martin and Wood believe that the primary purpose of their expert testimony is to educate the Water Court judge or other trier of fact. We testify most often in the Water Courts of Colorado, and also testify in other forums including county courts.

Our expert testimony is often related to these topics.

• Historical Use of Water Rights

• Hydrogeology

• Hydrology

• New Water Rights and Augmentation Plans

• Protection of Water Rights (Objections)

• Water Accounting