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Wind/Bighorn River Basin Advisory Group
Meeting Record
Riverton, WY
August 7, 2001
Welcome
The facilitators for the Wind/Bighorn River Basin Advisory Group, Sherri Gregory-
Schreiner and Cathy R. Lujan, of Counterpoise Consulting, Inc. in Cheyenne, opened the
meeting at 3:00 p.m. They introduced themselves and reviewed the agenda for the
meeting. Then the participants introduced themselves by stating where they were located
and their affiliation. The sign-in sheet was then passed around the room.
Planning Team Issues
The facilitators then passed out the reference notebooks as well as planning team contact
information. They also handed out the meeting records from the last two basin advisory
group meetings and copies of a presentation given by BRS Engineering in June.
Members of the basin advisory group asked that copies of the state's drought
management plan be included in the notebook. Water Development Commission
personnel indicated that they would make such available at the next meeting.
The next three basin advisory group meetings were then scheduled as follows:
October 9th, Powell, 3 p.m.
December 11th,Thermopolis, 3 p.m.
February 12th, Dubois, 3 p.m.
Update BAG Membership
Barry Lawrence handed out a draft list of basin advisory group members for the
Wind/Bighorn basin. Barry indicated that they have been following up nominations
made at the last meeting, and the list distributed was draft at this time. Additional
individuals in attendance then indicated their willingness to serve on the BAG. WWDC
personnel will continue to follow up on nominations and a final version of the BAG
membership list will be available at the next meeting.
Review of Issues Identification
The facilitators reviewed the 18 issues and sub-issues that the BAG agreed upon at the
last meeting. Several changes and additions were made at this time. The BAG
reaffirmed their right to revisit the list as needed. The complete issues list follows:
Recreation
- Fisheries
- Water for Wildlife
- Paddle Sports
- Identify Underdeveloped Fisheries (those where sufficient water exists)
Water Quality
- TMDL
- Salinity Loads
- Water Quality Impairments
- Runoff Quality
Drought Mitigation
- Accurate Data on Present Situation
Hydropower
- Power
Regulatory
- Federal Regulations - CWA, ESA, etc.
Industry
- Semi-conductors
- Oil Field Water
- Clean Water Industry
Non-Consumptive
- Riparian Quality
- Instream Flows
- Health of Tributaries
- Wetlands
Tribal
- Tribal Regulations: Water Code/Quality Standards
- Tribal Water Rights
- Tribal "Futures Water Development"
Tax Base
- West Side Irrigation Project
Agriculture
- Maintenance of Existing Water Delivery Infrastructures
Groundwater
- Groundwater Use/Supply
Education
Economic Development
- Marketing
- Business Development Profits
Municipal/Domestic
- Population Growth and Water Supply
- Land Use Planning
Water Conservation
- Irrigation Efficiency
- Dependency in Shrinking Sources
- Water Conservation in Irrigation
- Cost Share
- Methods to Encourage Adaptation of Water Conserving Irrigation Equipment
- Encourage More Conservation Practices of Water Use Through Incentives
Water Rights/Law
- Accurate Quantification
- Inter Basin Transfer
- Distribution/Redistribution of Existing Water Resources
- Present Use
- Preservation of Historic Water Rights System
- Out of State Water Rights
- Unappropriated Water
Water Development/Future Water
- Water Storage
- Instream Flow Needs
- Future Development for Irrigation
- Enhancement of Existing Resources
- Future Water Demand
- Future Impoundments
- Flow Augmentation
- Develop Water Projects for Chronic Water Short Drainages That Have Good
Soils and Water Righted Acreages
- Unallocated Water
- Floods
- Verification of Unappropriated Water
Other
- Flood Control
- T& E Species
Consultant Update
Doug Beahm, BRS, stated that his team was heavily into the data collection phase. They
are focusing mainly on hydrography and topography at this time. Such information will
be available through a GIS system. Finally, the potential to add a task in the planning
process regarding power generation in the basin, is being investigated.
Yellowstone River Compact and Water Law - Sue Lowry, SEO
Sue Lowry gave a PowerPoint presentation on the Yellowstone River Compact and water
law in Wyoming and its enforcement. She began with an overview of the history of the
State Engineer's Office's from the territorial times and it's responsibility to regulate the
waters of the state. She then moved on to the responsibilities of the State Engineer's
Office. These duties include permitting and regulatory responsibilities, interstate
compact/decree administration, water resource data collection and distribution, and water
education. She then covered the basic process of obtaining water rights, how an
application is received, reviewed, and sent to the Board of Control. She also gave
examples on how water would be regulated and distributed to the people holding water
rights under several different scenarios.
Sue discussed the Yellowstone River Compact, how the Yellowstone River Compact
Commission is selected, and the allocations set forth for the Clarks Fork River (60%
Wyoming, 40% Montana), Wind/Bighorn River (80% Wyoming, 20% Montana), Tongue
River (40% Wyoming, 60% Montana) and Powder River (42% Wyoming, 58%
Montana). Key to the process are US Geological Survey streamflow gage records being
maintained at the following sites:
06208500 | Clarks Fork Yellowstone River at Edgar, Montana, minus diversions to
White Horse Canal |
06294500 | Bighorn River above Tullock Creek, near Bighorn, Montana, minus Little
Bighorn River near Hardin, Montana. Adjusted for change in contents in
Bighorn Lake |
06308500 | Tongue River at Miles City, Montana |
06326500 | Powder River near Locate, Montana |
Sue concluded by talking about the current issues before the commission, which include
coal bed methane development, compact administration and tribal reserved water rights.
Sue also detailed Wyoming's participation in the Missouri River Basin Association. Sue's
presentation is available online at
http://waterplan.state.wy.us/BAG/bighorn/briefbook/compact_pres/sld001.html
Tribal Water Presentation - Gary Collins, Tribal Water Engineer
Gary Collins gave a PowerPoint show discussing the water issues that the tribes are
dealing with at present, including the lack of water from runoff, as well as storage issues,
export and agricultural issues. Specifically, he discussed the rehabilitation of Washakie
Reservoir and dam, and also indicated that projects were currently underway to look at
possible storage areas as well as export opportunities for the tribes. Gary spoke to the
issue of the regulation of water on the reservation, and the renovation of their system to
get better use from their water. Gary then turned the bulk of the time over to Dave Haire
with the Wind River Environmental Quality Council, to discuss the Water Quality
Assessment Report done for the area. This 305b report looks at the water quality of the
watershed and whether the surface waters of the reservation are meeting their designated
uses or not. In its final form, the report will be made available to the public both in hard
copy format and online.
Other Commentary
The facilitators lead a discussion on what kind of educational presentations were to be
held at the next meeting in Powell. The "old" water plan, USGS data collection
activities, and conservation were all suggested. WWDC personnel indicated that they
will be putting together the agenda for the meeting in the coming days, and cards would
be sent out as to the topics of discussion.
The meeting adjourned at 6:00 p.m.
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