Rules 88 through 91 shall govern proceedings under article 92 of title 37, C.R.S. 1973.
Rule 87.Application of Following Water Rules
Current through June 1, 2026 · Last verified July 10, 2026
In one sentenceRule 87 is a short cross-reference provision stating that Rules 88 through 91 govern water court proceedings brought under Colorado's Water Right Determination and Administration Act of 1969, tying the rest of the water-court rule sequence to that statute.
Full Text of Rule 87
Amendment History
The source reproduced here (current through June 1, 2026) records no amendment to this rule since its original adoption — no Credits line appears for it in the compiled rules. For the underlying adopting order and any later amendments, see the Colorado General Assembly.
Plain-English Summary
Rule 87 does one job: it tells courts and practitioners that the four rules following it — Rules 88, 89, 90, and 91 — apply to proceedings brought under article 92 of title 37 of the Colorado Revised Statutes, the Water Right Determination and Administration Act of 1969. That statute is the framework governing how Colorado's water courts adjudicate and administer water rights.
Rule 87 works as a signpost rather than a rule of procedure in its own right. It does not set out any process of its own; instead, it links Rules 88 through 91 — covering judgment and decree recordkeeping, notice of priority-antedating claims, handling of water court applications, and entry of unprotested decrees — to the statutory scheme that drives water right litigation in Colorado.
Frequently Asked Questions
What does Rule 87 require?
Nothing on its own. It states that Rules 88 through 91 govern proceedings under the Water Right Determination and Administration Act of 1969, directing readers to that statute and the rules that follow.
Which rules does Rule 87 point to?
It points to Rules 88, 89, 90, and 91, the group of water court rules covering judgments and decrees, notice of antedating priority claims, handling of applications, and entry of decrees when no protest is filed.
Does Rule 87 cover every aspect of water court procedure?
No. Rules 88 through 91 add a handful of specific procedures, but most of the day-to-day conduct of water right adjudications comes from the underlying 1969 Act itself and from Colorado's general rules of civil procedure.
Source & verification. The rule text is reproduced verbatim from the
official Colorado Rules of Civil Procedure (Colo. R. Civ. P. 87). Prescribed by the Supreme Court of Colorado (C.R.S. § 13-2-108; Colo. Const. art. VI). The plain-English summary is original and written by us. Last verified July 10, 2026. ·
Official source
Also known as: water court rules 88 through 91water right determination and administration act 1969Colorado water court procedurewater rights adjudication ruleswater court