Nothing in articles 80 to 92 of this title shall be so construed as to impair the prior vested rights of any mill or ditch owner or other person to use the waters of any such watercourse.
Source: R.S. p. 364, § 8. G.L. § 1379. G.S. § 1729. R.S. 08: § 3234. C.L. § 1714. CSA: C. 90, § 112. CRS 53: § 147-7-2. C.R.S. 1963: § 148-7-2.
ANNOTATION
Where the ditch company distributed water to its stockholders in proportion to the number of shares owned by them respectively, there was nothing indicating that such mode of distribution in any way conflicted with the "better right" of prior appropriators. Combs v. Agricultural Ditch Co., 17 Colo. 146, 28 P. 966 (1892); Oppenlander v. Left Hand Ditch Co., 18 Colo. 142, 31 P. 854 (1892).