Wyoming State Water Plan, Wyoming Water Development Office
Rafting on Snake River Lake Marie, Snowy Mountains Wyoming Wind River Range picture

Bear River Basin Water Plan
Final Report

7.0 Continued Planning Process

Wyoming's Water Planning Process is not intended to provide a directive for the implementation of future water development, but rather to provide the basic information needed to address water issues that arise in the future. One of the most important products of the planning process is the collection, storage in a useable format, and understanding of basic water resource and water use data in the Bear River Basin.

7.1 Use of the Bear River Basin Water Planning Products

This report and the supporting data used in the development of this report are intended to be used as a reference for citizens of the State of Wyoming and agency personnel to understand the current state of water use and development in the Bear River Basin. This report and the planning products generated can provide assistance in establishing purpose and need for future water development or changes of use. The supporting data and models will be easily accessible for more detailed analysis of the feasibility of specific projects.

The Bear River Basin planning effort has created an informed group of citizens interested in water issues. The members of the basin advisory group have chosen to continue to meet three times a year to discuss water issues. The Bear River Basin Water Plan Report will provide the framework for discussions and planning efforts related to current water use, projected water use, compact issues, and other regulatory issues in the Basin.

7.2 Future Water Planning

Previous Wyoming water planning documents provided useful snapshots in time, but were often outdated within a few years. The advance of computer and Internet technology will help assure that the Statewide Water Planning Process will remain current and accessible to the citizens of Wyoming. The WWDC intends to update each basin water plan on a regular schedule, approximately every five years.

As indicated in Section 6.2, there are currently no specific water-related projects identified for implementation. Economic or legal changes may results in project needs not presently anticipated. The planning process products will allow for cost-effective and timely evaluation of those projects.