Environmental Water Use: Wyoming State Engineer's Office Instream Flow Filings
In 1986 the Wyoming State Legislature passed two statutes that recognize minimum instream flows to establish, maintain, or improve new and existing fisheries as a beneficial use of State water. Establishing instream flow as a beneficial use allows the Wyoming State Engineer’s Office (SEO) to grant water rights to the State of Wyoming solely for the purpose of creating, enhancing, and protecting fisheries. Currently, 10 instream flow filings for stream reaches located within the Above Pathfinder subbasin have been submitted to the SEO by the Wyoming Water Development Commission (WWDC). These filings are summarized in the following table. A map showing the locations of the instream flow filings can be seen by clicking here.
Summary - SEO Instream Flow Filings - Above Pathfinder Subbasin
Stream segment
Hearing held
Stream reach length (miles)
Minimum flow (cubic feet per second)
Point of beginning of minimum instream flow (Section, Township, Range)
Point of ending of minimum instream flow (Section, Township, Range)
South Fork of the Grand Encampment River
yes
13.60
54
10-12-84
13-14-84
North Platte River
yes
16.00
163
23-12-80
26-14-81
Sweetwater River
yes
10.20
16-80
17-28-98
34-29-97
Lake Creek
yes
5.80
0.5
33-14-78
11-13-79
Horse Creek
yes
0.10
0.2
16-14-79
16-14-79
Nugget Gulch Branch
yes
0.10
0.2
14-14-79
14-14-79
Beaver Creek
yes
1.90
0.35
14-14-79
22-14-79
Camp Creek
yes
1.20
0.2
13-14-79
19-14-78
Douglas Creek
yes
22.30
5.5
9-14-79
6-13-80
Wagonhound Creek
no
8.50
1.2-545
31-19-79
6-19-79
The Platte River Basin Plan is a planning tool developed for the Wyoming Water Development Office. It presents estimated current and estimated future uses of water in WyomingÆs Platte River Basin. The Plan is not used to determine compliance with or administration of state law, federal law, court decrees, interstate compacts, or interstate agreements.
Wyoming Water Development Commission
6920 Yellowtail Road
Cheyenne, Wyoming 82002
Ph. (307) 777-7626
Fax (307) 777-6819
