Rio Grande Water Court Role
The Colorado Judicial Branch water-courts page explains that Colorado has seven Water Courts, one for each major river basin. Water Courts have exclusive jurisdiction over water-rights determinations, use and administration of water, and other water matters assigned to those divisions. Water judges are District Court judges appointed by the Colorado Supreme Court, and each division also works with a referee, clerk, and division engineer. For Rio Grande County, the key local context is Water Division 3 and the Rio Grande basin.
Rio Grande County's court information is unusually local for water matters. The Colorado Judicial Branch Rio Grande County page highlighted a Water Division 3 trial in Case No. 2007CW52, titled "In the Matter of Special Improvement Subdistrict No. 1 of the Rio Grande Water Conservation District." The listed trial window was June 29, 2026 through July 31, 2026. The issue described in the research was the propriety of the State Engineer's approval of Subdistrict No. 1's 4th Plan of Groundwater Management.
Rio Grande Water Division 3
Water Division 3 matters are part of Colorado's specialized water-court structure, not a separate county courthouse that replaces Rio Grande Combined Court for all local records. The state court map places Rio Grande County in the 12th Judicial District for general District Court and County Court services, while water matters follow the basin-based water division system. That difference helps explain why the same person may need the Colorado docket search, a water-court contact, and the Rio Grande Combined Court clerk depending on the record requested.
| Water-court element | What it means | Rio Grande County connection |
|---|---|---|
| Water Court | Specialty court for water rights and water administration | Water Division 3 matters are locally relevant |
| Water Judge | District judge appointed by the Colorado Supreme Court | Michael A. Gonzales is listed as a district judge and Water Judge |
| Water Referee | Judicial officer handling water matters within the division process | 12th Judicial District Webex links include Water Referee Nicolas Sarmiento's water matters |
| Division Engineer | Water administration official tied to the water division | Relevant to State Engineer approval issues in the highlighted local trial |
Search Rio Grande Water Records
The statewide Colorado Judicial docket search is the first online path for many public docket checks. The research file notes that the docket search includes court type filters and that a user needs at least one filter in addition to date. For a Rio Grande County water matter, the search should be narrowed with known case details when available, such as county, court location, case number, party name, attorney, or date range.
The Colorado Judicial record/document request form also includes "Water" as a case type. That form can be used when a public user needs copies rather than just docket information. The form collects requestor contact information, case number if known, filing year, county or location of records, party information, other identifying details, and document categories. It also asks whether documents need to be certified or exemplified.
- Start with the case number if it is known, especially for a named Water Division 3 matter.
- Use the Colorado Judicial docket search with more than date alone, adding Rio Grande County or the proper court location when the form allows it.
- Use the record/document request form for copies, selecting Water as the case type when the matter is a water case.
- Contact the clerk or water-court staff when a file is restricted, older, unclear, or tied to a referee proceeding.
Note: The docket search is not a certified-copy service; certified or exemplified records must be requested through the proper court record channel.
Rio Grande Water Case Records
Water Court records may involve water-rights applications, objections, statements of opposition, referee actions, court orders, plans, engineering or administration issues, and related docket entries. The research source did not inspect a sample Rio Grande water case record without running live searches, so public copy should not invent a field-by-field sample result. The known record path is the docket search and the Colorado Judicial record/document request form.
| Record item | Why it may matter | Likely access route |
|---|---|---|
| Case number | Identifies the water matter, such as a CW case class | Docket search or request form |
| Application or petition | Starts or frames the requested water-court action | Record/document request |
| Objection or opposition | Shows contested issues or affected parties | Record/document request |
| Order or decree | Shows the court's ruling or water-rights determination | Record/document request, certified copy if needed |
| Hearing or trial setting | Shows when and where the matter is heard | Docket search, court page, or clerk contact |
Rio Grande Water Trial Notice
The strongest local water-court fact in the research is the Water Division 3 trial notice for Case No. 2007CW52. The matter concerns Special Improvement Subdistrict No. 1 of the Rio Grande Water Conservation District and the State Engineer's approval of the subdistrict's 4th Plan of Groundwater Management. The court page said the trial could be observed by selecting Alamosa Courtroom A from the livestream link.
This is a good example of why Rio Grande County water court records cannot be treated as generic statewide content. The county takes its name from the Rio Grande, and the local economy and court history are tied to water, agriculture, groundwater management, and San Luis Valley administration. The trial notice also shows that some water-court access can appear through regional or division-level court pages rather than a county-only page.
Rio Grande Water Court Contacts
For general Rio Grande County state-court questions, the local combined court remains the practical starting point. Rio Grande Combined Court is listed at 925 6th Street, Room 204, Del Norte, Colorado 81132. The phone number is 719-657-3394, and the email is riograndeclerk@judicial.state.co.us. Posted court hours are Monday through Friday, 8:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m., except state holidays.
Water-court files can involve division-level procedures, so use the case number and Water Division 3 details when asking the clerk or water-court staff for help.
Colorado Judicial also links Webex and livestream resources from local and district court pages. Research noted Webex rooms for Judge Tamara Sullivan's domestic relations proceedings, Judge Jason Kelly's advisements, Water Referee Nicolas Sarmiento's water matters, and a visiting judge room. Remote access should not be assumed for every hearing or trial. Confirm the current link, courtroom, and permission before relying on Webex or livestream viewing.
Water Records Access Limits
Water Court records are court records, so public access is shaped by Colorado Judicial Branch rules and directives, not just general open-records law. Colorado court public records are open at reasonable times under CJD 05-01 and P.A.I.R.R., while the Colorado Open Records Act mainly governs state and local agency records outside the judicial case-file system. If a water matter contains protected personal, financial, engineering, or court-restricted material, access may be limited or redacted.
Copy fees follow the same court-record fee framework used for other Colorado Judicial records when copies are requested through the record/document form or clerk. Research identified $0.25 per page, $20 per certified or exemplified document, $5 for a name search, actual off-site retrieval cost, and $30 per hour for research or redaction after the first hour. Always confirm current fees before ordering a large water-court file.
Rio Grande Water Court Context
Water law is a central historical and legal theme in Rio Grande County. Del Norte grew during the 1870s as Rio Grande County formed, and the San Luis Valley's development has long been tied to water, agriculture, ranching, and river administration. Modern Water Division 3 litigation connects that history to current court records, particularly when the Rio Grande Water Conservation District or groundwater management plans are involved.
The local court system is regionalized. Rio Grande County shares 12th Judicial District services with Alamosa, Conejos, Costilla, Mineral, and Saguache counties, and water matters can add another basin-based layer. For users, the practical rule is simple: identify whether the matter is a general District Court case, a County Court case, a municipal case, a federal case, or a Water Division 3 case before choosing a search path.