(1) (a) The state engineer, with the approval of the executive director of the department of natural resources, shall appoint one division engineer for each division. Each division engineer shall be a licensed professional engineer and shall have such additional qualifications as may be specified from time to time by the state engineer. The state engineer, with the approval of said executive director, may employ such assistants and staff members as are necessary to enable each division engineer to carry out his or her duties.

(b) Each division engineer shall reside in his division, and the offices of the various division engineers shall be maintained in the following locations:

Division 1Greeley

Division 2Pueblo

Division 3Alamosa

Division 4Montrose

Division 5Glenwood Springs

Division 6Steamboat Springs

Division 7Durango

(2) The division engineers shall perform such functions as are specified in this article and other laws and such functions as may be specified in written instructions and orders issued to them or to any one of them from time to time by the state engineer.

(3) With the approval of the state engineer, each division engineer may establish one or more field offices within his division and may appoint as a member of his staff a water commissioner for each such office.

(4) The expenses of the offices and staffs of the division engineers shall be provided for out of state funds.

(5) To the extent required by the constitution and laws of Colorado, appointments under this section shall be subject and pursuant to the state personnel system.