North Sterling Irrigation District v. Simpson

Justice RICE delivered

the Opinion of the Court.

The North Sterling Irrigation District ("NSID") owns storage water rights in the North Sterling Reservoir on the South Platte River. At issue is whether the State and Division Engineers for Water Division No. 1 (the "Engineers") may impose on NSID a fixed water year, from November 1 to October 31, for purposes of administering the one-fill rule. We hold that, because NSID's storage decrees are silent on the issue of how diversions are to be accounted for under the one-fill rule, the Engineers have the authority to implement a fixed water year for…