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![Series: Colorado Water Law Basics #17 - Conditional & Absolute Water Rights: What’s the Difference?](https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/624323ae3953993bee27d029/1654827705228-73IZG3GWZVYUTTQ5XPXN/courthouse-web.jpg)
Series: Colorado Water Law Basics #17 - Conditional & Absolute Water Rights: What’s the Difference?
In Colorado water rights there are two stages of water rights: conditional and absolute, which apply to all tributary water rights. An absolute right is a water right which has been proved in Water Court and the owner may use it indefinitely in accordance with their decree. Conditional water rights can be thought of as a trial period for water rights.