FROM THE ARCHIVES: The Busy Legislative Session of 1937

The conclusion of the Colorado General Assembly’s work in May serves as a reminder of a fateful month nearly a century ago that propelled the management and protection of water resources in Colorado.

On May 13, 1937, Colorado Gov. Teller Ammons signed into law the Colorado Water Conservancy District Act, which outlined the responsibilities and authority of a new type of district, one that would bring together communities for development of water resources. The first of those to be formed was the Northern Colorado Water Conservancy District, now known as Northern Water, to become the local partner to the U.S. Bureau of Reclamation for distribution of water from the Colorado-Big Thompson Project.

Also, that fateful month, legislators passed enabling laws for creation of the Colorado River Water Conservation District, which has a mandate to protect waters within its boundary, and the formation of the Colorado Water Conservation Board, which looks at water resources protection and development from a statewide perspective.

All three organizations continue to this day in their respective mandates to ensure Colorado’s water future remains bright.