Shareholder

Overview

Matt Machado is an expert on surface water and groundwater rights, ditches, real property and water district law. For over 20 years, Matt has assisted special districts, municipalities, farmers, ranchers, landowners, mutual ditch companies, developers, investors, private ditch and lateral owners, well user groups, and hunting clubs in acquiring, selling, developing and protecting interests in land and water rights throughout Colorado. Matt is an accomplished author and speaker on water rights issues.

• Education & Past Positions

  Matt graduated from Tulane University with a B.S. and M.S. in Biology in 1991 and 1994, respectively. He is a member of the Sigma Chi Fraternity. He earned his J.D. in 1999 from the University of Colorado Law School. While in Law School, Matt was an editor of the Colorado Journal of Environmental Law and Policy, clerked for the U.S. Department of Justice, the Nature Conservancy and the American Whitewater Association.

• Representative Matters

  At all times, Matt strives to achieve desirable outcomes for clients given their goals, needs, and budget. He represents several water districts as general and special counsel. He has guided many clients through complex, multi-million dollar transactions involving sales and leases of land and water. He serves as general counsel for ditch companies. He has assisted many clients resolve disputes over access, ditch, reservoir, and seepage easements. Matt regularly works with clients to obtain decrees, permits, determinations, and other administrative approvals involving water rights and real property. This work includes helping clients obtain Water Court decrees for plans for augmentation for wells, changes of water rights, new water rights for ditches, reservoirs, wells, recharge projects, and water-related habitat projects, as well as a wide range of well permitting issues. He regularly represents clients before Colorado’s District Courts, Water Courts, Colorado Supreme Court, Colorado Ground Water Commission, State Engineer, Colorado Water Quality Control Commission, and various other local government boards.

• Organizations & Community Involvement

  Matt is a member of the Water Law and Environmental Law Sections of the Colorado Bar Association, the Boulder Bar Association, and the Colorado Ground Water Association.

  For over 10 years, Matt has served as a member and officer of the Louisville Licensing Authority, and formerly served on the board of the Louisville Public Library Foundation.

• Speaking Engagements

  Interview by Luke Runyon of KUNC on May 20, 2021 regarding State Engineer Enforcement Efforts

  Presentation for Continuing Education Seminar on January 30, 2019 regarding Understanding Colorado Surface Water and Groundwater Rights (Legal & Engineering Perspectives)

  Presentation at Colorado Water Congress Annual Convention January 24, 2018 RE Catlin Bylaws: Protecting a Mutual Ditch Company and Shareholders from Changes of Water Rights.

  Presentation for Boulder Bar Association on February 22, 2018 regarding Legal Framework for Aquifer Storage and Recovery

  Presentation for Colorado Bar Association on April 12, 2018 regarding Legal Framework for Aquifer Storage and Recovery

  Presentation for Colorado Groundwater Association on April 18, 2018 regarding A Case Study in the Water Court’s New Approach to Changes of “Pre-213” Nontributary Wells

  Presentation for Continuing Education Seminar on November 7, 2013, regarding Rules Governing Use of Groundwater and Wells in Colorado, Colorado Water Supply Acquisition, Development and Protection of Agricultural and Commercial Properties

  Presentation for Colorado Groundwater Association on November 11, 2010 regarding Petition to Colorado Groundwater Commission to Declare a Portion of the Lost Creek Basin Over-Appropriated