
Water Rights: Laws, Guns, & Money
Water Rights - Law, Guns and Money - Why is water so dang complicated? We are going to explain it drop by drop. You gotta start slow or it's overwhelming. We'll explore the early history, evolution of water rights, farmers versus cities, interstate squabbles, lack of common sense in administration, reallocation to form new uses, problems with water court, the ridiculous amount of time to get permitted, investments in water, and other topics. It is complicated but we have fun making sense of it all. We may get shot, but we will take aim at all these issues.
Episodes
85 episodes
Episode 84 OVERPUMPING GROUNDWATER CAUSES MORE PROBLEMS THAN WATER DRAWDOWNS
Risks beyond diminishing the supply of water· Remaining water unsafe or undrinkable· Saltwater intrusionSubsidence· Cracks in the earth· &nb...
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Season 2023
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Episode 84
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12:01

Episode 83 LOOKING UNDER OUR FEET
Great report from the New York Times· Reflecting from 1800 to 1950· Endless bounty of all resourcesRain and snow· Rain refills aquifers in east·&n...
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Season 2023
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Episode 83
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25:23

Episode 82 UPDATE ON COLORADO RIVER NEGOTIATIONS
Points of Agreement· Current operations not working· Next set of rules should be interimWhere they disagree· Upper Basin says Lower Basin exceeding al...
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Season 2023
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Episode 82
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19:44

Episode 81 MONEY TALKS
Strange things happen· Metropolitan Water District of Southern California· Imperial Irrigation DistrictRole reversals· Jeffrey Kightlinger now advisin...
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Season 2023
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Episode 81
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18:30

Episode 80 SOMETHING IS SO ROTTEN IT STINKS
Kickbacks or other forms of favors· Not at State employee level· Maybe elected officialsSuch a sweet deal given to Fondomonte· Low price on land renta...
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Season 2023
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Episode 80
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39:12

Episode 79 WILL DROUGHT PUT ALFALFA FARMERS OUT OF BUSINESS OR AT LEAST ON THE HOT SEAT
A British newspaper reports on our drought· Alfalfa is king· Powell and Mead have risen to 36% of capacity from 28%Our country is disconnected from food supply· &n...
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Season 2023
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Episode 79
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22:25

Episode 78 AN EXPERT’S OPINION ON FIVE IDEAS
Jennifer Gimbel· Extensive and impressive experience· Shares thoughts and ideasDiscussion of Five Ideas· Easier processes for farmers to sell saved wa...
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Season 2023
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Episode 78
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27:34

Episode 77 ARIZONA GETS DESPERATE; GRASPING AT STRAWS
Ocean desalination plant being discussed· Where’s the ocean?· Straw into the northern tip of the Gulf of MexicoEnvironmental and economic constraints· ...
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Season 2023
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Episode 77
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24:31

Episode 76 ARIZONA FINALLY ADDRESSING REGULATIONS – IS IT TOO LATE?
Arizona Big Media· Blatantly touting a vast resource of water in Arizona· Hub of data center and semiconductor plantsArizona officials waking up· No m...
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Season 2023
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Episode 76
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20:09

Episode 75 WHO OWNS THE WATER IN COW MILK? A REAL LITIGATED QUESTION!
Leprino cheese factory in Greeley, Colorado· About 1000 AF a year of milk· Mile is 87% waterIs that water state water or private water?· Is this simil...
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Season 2023
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Episode 75
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17:37

Episode 74 I'M MAD AS HELL AND I'M NOT GOING TO TAKE IT ANYMORE
The kick the can legislature· Only 16 water bills this session· Like we need another studyState should step up to complex and sensitive water issues· ...
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Season 2023
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Episode 74
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24:04

Episode 73 I HAVE SEEN THE FUTURE AND IT IS HERE
Farm Box Farms – containerized farmingEric Gostenki, VP of Sales· Produce 250 containerized farms per year and growing· Experimenting both with crops and conceptsJoaquin Gonzal...
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Season 2023
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Episode 73
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27:41

Episode 72 UNIVERSITY OF COLORAD EXPERIENCE LEADS TO OTHER ISSUES
Happy until lawsuits filed· Abandonment of water rights· Potential expansion of usePrior appropriation provides path forward for dispute resolution· T...
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Season 2023
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Episode 72
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44:42

Episode 71 DISCUSSION OF FARM ISSUES FROM THE HOWLING COW
Meeting with Rob Graves at the Howling Cow Restaurant· Saving water – what is it and who can benefit?· Monitoring use of water is a problemOther questions about moving water·&n...
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Season 2023
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Episode 71
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32:21

Episode 70 BEWARE THE IDES OF MARCH
Bad omen for the Colorado water worldFive things to consider· Stop discouraging buy and dry· Do away with HB 1041· Pass bill to allow farmers to sell ...
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Season 2023
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Episode 70
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20:26

Episode 69 BETTER IDEAS THROUGH MONITORING
Tragedy of the commons· Referring to a public resource· Transaction costs are almost prohibitiveDisincentive to saving water· Demand management in rea...
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Season 2023
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Episode 69
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38:27

Episode 68 HOW RIVER COMMISSIONERS RUN OUR RIVERS
Martin Sarley, past river commissioner, Ian Ferrell, attorney· Importance of quantifying river conditions· Administer water per laws and court rulingsAs much an art form as a scien...
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Season 2023
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Episode 68
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24:57

Episode 67 FARMERS TRYING TO SAVE WATER
More discussions with Evan Jeffries· Piping saves water simply by requiring less to transport· Leaving stubble from harvest keeps soil moisture higherHistory shows why most water i...
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Season 2023
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Episode 67
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17:56

Episode 66 FIREFIGHTER, RANCHER AND WATER THINKER
Experiences of Evan Jeffries in Evergreen and Otis· Running cows in a regenerative process· Manages and advises ranchers on waterSome illegal water ponds protected for use for fire...
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Season 2023
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Episode 66
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21:07

Episode 65 A TRAIN WRECK IN PROGRESS
Colorado River Basin talks with limited results· Six states agree· California holds outLawsuits are inevitable· Time consuming· ...
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Season 2023
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Episode 65
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24:47

Episode 64 AUGMENTATION, DEPLETIONS AND ACCRETIONS
Bill Berg, Hydrogeologist with Marin and Wood Water Consultants· South Platte River augmentations more complicated than in San Luis Valley· Most augmentation plans used for out of prio...
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Season 2023
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Episode 64
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28:31
