United States V. Bell

The United States of America appeals an order of the district court for Water Division No. 5 (water court), denying relation back of an amendment seeking reserved water rights from the Colorado River mainstem to the federal government's original application for reserved water rights in or on federal oil shale land.*fn1 The water court ruled that the amendment to the original application did not relate back to the time of filing because the United States had not fulfilled the notice requirements of C.R.C.P. 15(c). The court's order denied the United States' amended claim an antedated priority based on the land's reservation date and entered final judgment under C.R.C.P. 54(b) on the denial of relation back. We affirm the judgment of the water court.