Some alt text Lake Marie, Snowy Mountains Wyoming Wind River Range picture

Bear River Basin Advisory Group
Meeting Record
Kemmerer, WY
July 15, 2002

Welcome
River Basin Planner Barry Lawrence welcomed the group and the meeting was called to order at 6:04 p.m. Facilitators Cathy Lujan and Sherri Gregory- Schreiner of Counterpoise were introduced to the group. All attendees introduced themselves, followed by a review of the overall meeting agenda. A sign-in sheet was passed around to record attendance. The next meeting is scheduled November 18 in Evanston.

Water Development Commission Report
Barry Lawrence updated the BAG on the status of the plans for the other basins. The BAGs for the Wind/Bighorn and the Snake/Salt Basins will be meeting August 13 in Worland and August 14 in Moran; whereas the BAGS for the Green, Powder/Tongue and Northeast Wyoming Basins will be meeting July 16 in Kemmerer, July 17 in Dayton and July 18 in Lusk. Barry discussed the status of all basin studies, and schedule for future meetings.

Jodie Pavlica presented status reports on the Viva Naughton enlargement, Green River Supply Canal, and Green River ASR projects.

State Engineer's Office Report
Jade Henderson, Division IV Superintendent, described the current drought situation and related regulation in the lower, central and upper divisions of the Bear River. He currently is regulating to 1887 priorities. The upper division on Bear River from its headwaters to Pixley Dam is not in interstate regulation, however, it is being regulated instate. Bear Lake is below compact elevation of 5911, which might affect the filling of Woodruffs Narrows and Sulphur Creek with junior rights next spring.

Water Resources Data System Report
Robin Gray discussed the current drought situation. She indicated that weekly drought e-mail updates are available, and can be requested via jcurtis@uwyo.edu The Wyoming climate atlas is being updated and will be available spring 2004. Products recently placed online include the 2002 Municipal Water Supply Survey and the technical memorandums, final report and the executive summary for the Bear River Basin Plan. September 1, 2002 is the target date for the State Engineer's Office groundwater rights database in queryable format to be online. Chace Tavellli, State Engineer's Office, discussed the agency's change in public water right search policy and related training available during the summer and early fall.

Break

Bear River Lake Water Quality Task Force Study
Eric Duffin and Scott Evans of Cirrus Ecological Solutions discussed the scope of work of the TMDL study for Bear River Lake. He stressed the study is a data gathering effort. The study is funded for one year by a $25,000 EPA grant. The study completion date is March 2003.

Jade Henderson indicated a Bear Lake Regional Commission symposium will be held October 18, and the Interstate Commission meets November 19 in Salt Lake City, Utah.

There being no further business, the meeting adjourned at 7:30 p.m.