Green River Basin Advisory Group
Meeting Record
April 13, 1999
Western Wyoming College,
Rock Springs, Wyoming
Introductions
The facilitator opened the meeting by introducing members of the
planning team, state officials and local legislators. Members of the
Colorado River Basin Coordinating Council (CRBCC) introduced
themselves as did members of the audience.
Each element of the evening's agenda was introduced, as well as
ground rules and the use of consensus for decision making.
Citizen Involvement and Wyoming's Water Plan 2000
Evan Green gave a slide presentation on the new water planning
process approved recently by the Wyoming State Legislature. Evan
also summarized the results and lessons learned from the Bear River
Basin feasibility project conducted in 1998. Accessibility to
electronic media via the internet was described and a description of
the Water Resources Data System was explained. Evan also explained
the function and membership of the CRBCC and their past and proposed
role with the Basin Advisory Group (BAG).
Green River Basin Advisory Group
The proposed process for development of a Basin Advisory Group for
the Green River Basin was described by the facilitator. It was
proposed that membership on the Committee be able to represent as
much as possible the 14 issues that arose from a water planning
questionnaire published in January of 1998. These issues were
presented and briefly described as follows:
- Agriculture
- Ground Water
- Downstream Agreements/Claims/Decrees, including sale or lease
- Economic Development
- Water Quality
- Municipal/Domestic
- Water Conservation/Reuse
- Water Rights/Water Law/Prior Appropriation Doctrine/Transfers/Reserved Rights
- Non Consumptive Issues. (Includes instream flows, wetlands, ecosystem integrity, habitat, etc.)
- Water Development
- Federal Involvement/Regulations/Lawsuits
- Recreation
- Industrial/Minerals Extraction/Manufacturing
- Drought Mitigation and Flood Control
Participants were then asked if there were other issues that should be explored by the Basin Advisory
Group in the development of a plan. These are listed below:
- Trans-basin Diversions
- Salinity Control
- States Rights
- Out of State Demands
- In State Demands
- State ESA Obligations
- Short Term Use of Unused Water
At this point in the meeting, participants were asked to discuss a proposal from the CRBCC that the
BAG membership be represented by the following interests:
- Agriculture - 3 areas (sub-basins)
- Municipalities - 3 representatives
- Recreation - 2 representatives
- Lending - 1 representative
- Environmental - 3 representatives
- Sub-basins - 3 representatives (1 from each sub-basin)
- Media - 1 representative
- Economic Development - 1 representative
- County - 1 representative
- Industry - 3 representatives
After considerable discussion, the participants agreed to discuss and evaluate the following six
alternatives for determining membership on the BAG:
- The CRBCC proposal as described above
- The CRBCC proposal as described above with the addition of one "at-large" member to represent
each of the 3 sub-basins
- One member to represent each of the issues identified in the water planning questionnaire
- Current membership of the CRBCC and additional representatives who are willing to make the
time and travel commitments to serve on the BAG for 8-10 meetings. Approximately 15
participants present at the meeting agreed to volunteer for this process.
- The CRBCC proposal without sub-basin representation
- The CRBCC proposal with the addition of two sub-basin groups to represent HUC designated sub-
basins (main stem of the Green River and the Little Snake River)
Alternative #4 emerged as the alternative with the least dissent among participants. The alternative
was clarified to include open public participation with a core group described as above serving as the
BAG. Audience participation will be encouraged as will the presence of agency representatives to help
the group with technical issues. The BAG will alternate meetings around the Basin to encourage local
participation in their discussions.
Participants who agree to become members of the BAG will be identified at the next meeting after
receipt of their concurrence to serve with the group.
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