Colorado Revised Statutes Title 37. Water and Irrigation § 37-87-105. Approval of plans for reservoir--notice of modification

(1) No dam shall be constructed in this state to impound water above the elevation of the natural surface of the ground for the purpose of creating a reservoir with a capacity of more than one hundred acre-feet of water or with a surface area at the high water line in excess of twenty acres or if the height of the dam will exceed ten feet measured vertically from the elevation of the lowest point of the natural surface of the ground, where that point occurs along the longitudinal centerline of the dam, up to the flowline crest of the spillway of the dam before plans and specifications for that dam have been filed in the office of the state engineer and approved by him in accordance with regulations established by the state engineer governing such structures.

(2) Repealed by Laws 1984, H.B.1052, § 13.

(3) In making his determination for approval, the state engineer shall be guided by dam, spillway, and construction regulations established pursuant to this article. Such regulations may include less stringent requirements than those dictated by consideration of probable maximum precipitation. The state engineer shall issue his written decision regarding the approval of plans and specifications within one hundred eighty days of submittal to him. The state engineer shall have authority to require the material used and the work of construction to be accomplished in accordance with regulations which the state engineer may establish. No work shall be deemed complete until the state engineer furnishes to the owners of such structures a written statement of acceptance, which statement shall specify the dimensions of such dam and capacity of such reservoir. The state engineer shall render his written decision regarding acceptance within sixty days of written notification by the owner that construction has been completed.

(4) No alteration, modification, repair, or enlargement of a reservoir or dam which will affect the safety of the structure shall be made without prior written notice and approval in accordance with this section to the state engineer. General maintenance, ordinary repairs, or emergency actions not impairing safety shall be excluded from the terms of this subsection (4).