The Denver Post
April 22, 2008, John Ingold

Gov. Bill Ritter on Monday signed into law a significant revision to Colorado's water law to allow water-rights holders to leave some of their water in the river without penalty. Currently, water law is based largely on a use-it-or-lose-it premise known as consumptive use. If water-rights holders don't use all the water they are allowed, their rights can be weakened. ...

http://www.denverpost.com/legislature/ci_9007791