The general assembly finds and declares that the state of Colorado, through wind and water erosion and depletion of subsurface water resources, has lost for agricultural and livestock uses approximately six million acres, or one-tenth of the total area of the state; that these losses range from severe damage to complete destruction of the topsoils of these areas; that these losses have been caused by improper farm and range practices, by increasing the rate of withdrawal from underground water reserves without adequate attention to recharging such reserves, and by failure to conserve to the full the precious rainfall and snowpacks that could help replenish underground water reserves, and that the areas of land thus destroyed will increase until and unless a constructive method of land use providing for the conservation and preservation of natural resources, including adequate underground water reserves, the control of wind and water erosion, and the reduction of damage resulting from floods, is established by law over the entire state. It is to accomplish this purpose and to insure the health, prosperity, and welfare of the state of Colorado and its people that this article is created, and it shall be construed liberally in order that the purposes expressed in this article may be accomplished.
Source: L. 37: p. 1169, § 1. CSA: C. 149A, § 1. L. 41: p. 688, § 1. CRS 53: § 128-1-1. L. 55: p. 847, § 1. C.R.S. 1963: § 128-1-1.