Last December, the Bureau of Reclamation released the final draft of a very detailed Colorado River Basin supply and demand study.

Budget raids on mineral severance trust funds have diverted millions of dollars from community water projects in Colorado. “We need to make sure the most water goes to the hottest fires," said Reeves Brown, executive director of the Colorado Department of Local Affairs.

The Colorado Supreme Court has approved the titles for two proposals that critics say would change the way Colorado has handled water rights since 1876. The court announced Monday that each proposal properly asks voters to consider only one issue. Proponents want to amend the Constitution to highlight a clause that spells out that unappropriated water in natural streams is public property.

Colorado Water Congress is fighting a pair of initiatives because they could cause chaos with state water rights, but would be limited if the measures survive a Supreme Court challenge. Initiatives 3 and 45, sponsored by Richard Hamilton of Fairplay and his attorney Phil Doe, seek to apply the public trust doctrine to Colorado water rights with a constitutional change.

Colorado has a water policy, but nothing like the plans in some other states. That’s the conclusion of Eric Hecox, who handles much of the water planning chores for the Colorado Water Conservation Board.

While Colorado has been focused on providing water for people who will live in state in the future, people in the future may choose to live where water is more plentiful. “We’re going to see a shift in population (migration),” said Steve Maxwell, an investment banker who co-wrote “The Future of Water” with Scott Yates.

A water attorney who has been a part of the biggest water cases involving the Arkansas River and Rio Grande basin was given top honors by the Colorado Water Congress on Friday. David Robbins, president and co-founder of the Denver law firm of Hill & Robbins, was awarded the Wayne N. Aspinall water leader of the year award at the 54th annual CWC convention.

Mike Gibson, manager of the San Luis Valley Water Conservancy District, took over the duties of president of the Colorado Water Congress on Friday. “The issue that I plan to promote is how to get more young people to take an interest in water,” said Gibson, 68.