ISSUE DESCRIPTION |
NOTES & CRITERIA |
1) WATER ALLOCATION
a) Current water rights perspective and
priorities: |
- i) Benefits and impacts of current allocations in
different uses
|
Wyoming Water Law - Base Model - Compact
Agencies |
- ii) Restrictions and opportunities of the Bear River
Compact
|
Fundamental to planning process and modeling |
- iii) Current Law and Prior Appropriation
Doctrine
|
Fundamental to planning process and modeling
|
- iv) Improving Existing Allocations
|
- Use Model to identify excess water
- Storage opportunities (example: 4100 ac-ft
unbuilt above Stewart Dam.)
- Water conservation |
- v) Water Transfers and Marketing Feasibility
|
- Provide model data for present and future
impacts
- In-basin transfers
- Out of basin transfers |
- vi) Water Storage
|
- Existing Storage
- Operational issues
- Ownership
- Compact limitations
- Storage opportunities
- Structure details/deficiencies |
- vii) Water Conservation
|
- Identify of areas of overuse and conflict
- Identify wasteful practices
- Public education
- Storage operational practices |
b) Groundwater Definitions: |
- Rights, Availability, Uses |
This is a current issue with compact
administration
- Aquifer potential
- Groundwater quality data |
2) WATER QUALITY
a) Water quality impacts and benefits:
- i) Municipal
ii) Agricultural
iii) Recreational
iv) Industrial/Mining
v) Subdivisions and infrastructure
developments (roads, highways, etc.)
vi) Groundwater
vii) Water flow/quality
interaction |
- Function of Federal Regulation Administered
by DEQ using small watershed basins
- Planning process will provide support data
including: -
- WQ monitoring points
- Identify areas of historical concern
- Historical high/low/future flow data
- Identify point discharges
|
b) Water quality standards and regulation (i.e.
TMDLs):
-
i) Historical perspective
ii) Point and non-point source differentiation
iii) Coordinating standards with neighboring states
|
- States are already coordinating on TMDS issues
- Planning will provide supporting WQ and flow data |
c) Water quality solutions
- i) Locally driven and citizen-based problem solving
ii) Monitoring activities
iii) State agencies and local conservation district involvement
|
- Planning process will provide supporting data for use by
DEQ and others |
3. FUTURE DEMANDS AND GROWTH
a) Current allocation patterns:
- i) Water rights
ii) Community heritage
|
- Model historic "baseline" flows and usage
- Provide data to decision makers and public
- Reflect Wyoming water law/historic use |
b) Potential shortages by water use sector:
i) Land and water availability |
- Spreadsheet model projections for wet, average
and dry years
- Impacts of consumptive vs. non-consumptive
use
- Quantify conflicting sector usage and frequency |
c) Opportunities and solutions to meet existing and
future shortages:
-
i) Efficiency
ii) New Technology
|
- Identify wasteful practices
- Examine storage operational practices
- Conservation potential |
- iii) Additional upper basin
storage
|
- Potential use of unbuilt storage above Stewart
Dam |
- iv) Public education
|
- WRDS, WDC, internet access, public presentations |
- v) Groundwater
|
- Quantify aquifer potentials
- Identify compact limitations (This is a
current administration issue) |
d) Miscellaneous growth issue (i.e. floodplains,
open space) |
- Spreadsheet model will provide tool for
understanding growth impacts |
4. HABITAT, WILDLIFE and FISHERIES
a) Examine impacts and benefits of existing and future
management activities
- i) Habitat benefits or impacts of
agriculture
ii) Impacts and benefits of water storage
projects
|
- Model will provide tool for understanding
potential conflicting uses and the statistical
recurrence of those conflicts
- Wyoming water law |
b) Compatibility of consumptive and non-
consumptive uses of water |
- Model will provide tool for understanding
potential conflicting uses and the statistical
recurrence of those conflicts
- Wyoming water law |
c) Endangered species issues and solutions |
- Federal regulations/mandates
- Use model to understand present and future impacts
|
d) Cost sharing opportunities for projects with
benefits to habitat, wildlife and
fisheries |
- Provide data to agencies/decision makers to
understand impacts and benefits for possible
cost-sharing |
5) ECONOMICS
a) Evaluation of economic impacts:
- i) Growth and Developments
ii) Agriculture
iii) Additional Storage
iv) New technology and efficiency practices
v) Water quality improvements & cost/benefits
analysis
vi) Recreation/Tourism
vii) Marketing water resources
|
- 3 planning scenarios (baseline, moderate, and
high growth)
- 50 year horizon
- Identify demands vs. water use sector
- Economic and demographic forecasting model
- Future water use opportunities:-
- long list/short list
- BAG input
- Screening criteria (economic, environmental,
legal, public acceptance, water quality,
multiple demands, etc.)
- Provide data for public and political decision
makers |
- Identify compelling needs/projects
- Planning process to provide cost/benefit
understanding of water projects
- Identify project beneficiaries by
sector or ownership
- Provide basis for state/federal funding assistance |