Colorado Revised Statutes Title 36. Natural Resources General § 36-4-102. Water tax--assessment

In case of any such land so petitioned into any irrigation district, the state board of land commissioners shall be considered in all respects as a freeholder, so long as said land remains unsold, but as soon as any of such land is sold, whether occurring prior or after the time such land is petitioned into any such irrigation district, the purchaser shall from the time of his purchase be considered as such freeholder and entitled to all the rights of a freeholder, whether or not he has completed his payments to the state board of land commissioners. In no case shall any interest or title of the state be made liable or subjected to any claim for any water tax, water assessment, or water charge by reason of the including of any of such state land in any irrigation district. All assessments or other payments for the cost of irrigating any such state land shall be paid by the lessees or purchasers thereof. In case of any lease or sale, the lessee or purchaser shall pay to the register on or before March 1 of each year, in addition to his rental or amount due on his contract of purchase, as the case may be, such an additional amount as will equal the district assessment for an equal amount of land within the district or such greater amount as the board may require, and the register shall pay such additional amounts to the proper officer authorized by law to receive payment of assessments within such district to apply on the cost of furnishing water for such state land. When the title to any such state land passes from the state, the unpaid balance of the cost of furnishing water for the same shall at once become due and payable and attach as a lien thereon and be collected as an assessment of such irrigation district, in the same manner as assessments on other lands in the district.