As western water resources face increasing pressure, users turn to Holland & Hart to protect and manage water rights.
Our water rights team focuses on helping clients obtain, convey, and protect water rights as needed for real estate development, as well as energy, mining, and environmental purposes. We advocate and develop strategies to protect current and future water rights. Our clients include companies involved in complex water rights transactions and investments, state and local governments, municipal water suppliers, mutual ditch and reservoir companies, project developers, and other industrial, recreational, and agricultural water users.
Water rights challenges are ever present. We bring experience in permitting and adjudication of surface and groundwater rights, changes in nature and place of use for water rights, augmentation plans, reservoir projects, and water exchanges. Our team works proactively with clients to develop solutions to matters related to water scarcity, hydrograph shifts, and drought challenges. We also help clients comply with water quality regulations and associated permitting requirements, both at the state level and under the federal Clean Water Act (CWA).
Holland & Hart water resources attorneys represent clients in litigation and contested administrative proceedings before the US Supreme Court, the Tenth Circuit Court of Appeals, federal district courts, state appellate courts, and numerous state trial courts, including water courts.