303-776-9900By Jeffrey J. Kahn and Michelle R. Soule On May 8,2024 the City of Thornton finally obtained the last permit necessary to build a pipeline to convey water from the Poudre River to Thornton. Thornton already has installed sections of the pipeline in Weld County but had been denied a permit by Larimer County after […]
News and Insights
With the ever-increasing development along the Northern Front Range, many of Lyons Gaddis’ irrigation company clients are asked to either permit a crossing of their ditch easement or to relocate their ditch to facilitate development. Both should result in an agreement. The difference between these two agreements is frequently not well understood but they are […]
Recently, the City of Aurora entered into a contract to purchase 119 shares in the Whitney Irrigation Company from BCI Waterco, LLC, an affiliate of the Broe Companies. Some are concerned that this purchase signals a renewal of water raids from the Denver metro area into northern Colorado water supplies. However, the Denver metro area […]
Lyons Gaddis COVID-19 Alert This Alert is one in a collection of articles created by Lyons Gaddis in our effort to get important information to our clients regarding the effect of the novel coronavirus (COVID-19) outbreak in the United States. This Alert focuses on the Colorado “Stay-at-Home” Order and whether Ditch Companies qualify as “Essential.” […]
Since the passage of the 2007 Farm Bill, buyers and sellers of certain water rights have enjoyed the ability to use tax deferred exchanges under Section 1031 of the Internal Revenue Code. Recent changes to the tax code, however, deleted any reference to mutual ditch or irrigation company stock from the definintion of qualifying “like […]
Submitted by Jeff Kahn On November 19th, Longmont’s Sean Cronin testified before the Senate Committee on Finance, Subcommittee on Taxation and IRS Oversight’s hearing entitled “Tax Relief after Disaster: How Individuals, Small Businesses, and Communities Recover.” Mr. Cronin is the Executive Director for the St. Vrain and Left Hand Water Conservancy District. (Watch Mr. Cronin’s […]
Submitted by Jeffrey J. Kahn Proposed Water Legislation and Ballot Initiative Legislation: The 2014 Colorado Legislative Session convened on January 8th and several pending bills appear headed for enactment, including: Relocation of Headgate without a Change Case. HB-1005 clarifies that relocation of a headgate upstream may be allowed without a change of water right if […]
