▁are ▁district ▁court ▁jud ges ▁appointed ▁by ▁the ▁Colorado ▁Supreme ▁Court . ▁The ▁water ▁courts ▁have ▁exclusive ▁subject - m atter ▁juris diction ▁in ▁the ▁determ ination ▁of ▁water ▁rights , ▁the ▁use ▁and ▁administration ▁of ▁water , ▁and ▁all ▁other ▁water ▁matters ▁within ▁the ▁juris diction ▁of ▁the ▁water ▁divisions . ▁ ▁The ▁water ▁courts ▁were ▁established ▁by ▁the ▁Water ▁Right ▁Det erm ination ▁and ▁Administration ▁Act ▁of ▁ 1 9 6 9 , ▁a ▁state ▁law ▁which ▁created ▁seven ▁water ▁divisions ▁based ▁upon ▁the ▁d rain age ▁patterns ▁of ▁Colorado ' s ▁rivers . ▁Each ▁water ▁division ▁is ▁staff ed ▁with ▁a ▁division ▁engineer , ▁appointed ▁by ▁the ▁state ▁engineer ; ▁a ▁water ▁judge , ▁appointed ▁by ▁the ▁Supreme ▁Court ; ▁a ▁water ▁ref eree , ▁appointed ▁by ▁the ▁water ▁judge ; ▁and ▁a ▁water ▁cl erk , ▁assigned ▁by ▁the ▁district ▁court . ▁ ▁The ▁seven ▁water ▁courts ▁are : ▁▁ ▁Water ▁Division ▁One ▁- ▁South ▁Pl atte ▁River ▁Bas in ▁( based ▁at ▁the ▁W eld ▁County ▁Cour th ouse ▁in ▁Gree ley ) ▁ ▁Water ▁Division ▁Two ▁- ▁Ark ansas ▁River ▁Bas in ▁( based ▁at ▁the ▁P ue blo ▁County ▁Jud icial ▁Building ▁in ▁P ue blo ) ▁ ▁Water ▁Division ▁Three ▁- ▁Rio ▁Grande ▁River ▁Bas in ▁( based ▁at ▁the ▁Al am osa ▁County ▁Cour th ouse ▁in ▁Al am osa ) ▁ ▁Water ▁Division ▁Four ▁- ▁G unn ison ▁River ▁Bas in ▁( based ▁at ▁the ▁Mont rose ▁County ▁Cour th ouse ▁in ▁Mont