Report on The Results of Water Survey
Questionnaire
INTRODUCTION
The Wyoming Water Development Commission, the State
Engineer's Office and the Wyoming Water Resources Center
recently completed a water issues survey of Wyoming
citizens as a part of the water planning feasibility
study funded by the Legislature. These agencies comprise
the planning team. The survey was conducted by the
Survey Research Center (SRC) at the University of
Wyoming, in coordination with survey consultants from the
Departments of Political Science and Agricultural
Economics. The SRC tabulated the responses, but did not
interpret the results.
The survey process began in September of 1997 when 1,777
survey questionnaires were mailed out, and 1,399 were
returned. The results of the survey are presented in this
document. The responses to the questionnaire are being
used to identify and prioritize water issues of
importance to Wyoming citizens. The survey mailing list
will be used to keep the public informed of water
planning activities through a regular newsletter.
Individuals may ask to be put on that mailing list at any
time. People on the list will be contacted and invited
to attend when public meetings relating to water planning
are held throughout the state.
The Water Development Commission wishes to thank everyone
who took the time to complete a survey questionnaire, and
especially the people who provided written comments. The
information generated through the survey will be
extremely valuable for the planning effort.
The Water Development Commission and its predecessors
have been responsible for water planning in Wyoming since
the Legislature created the Water Planning Program under
the State Engineer's Office in 1967 [W.S. 41-1-106 and
107]. In 1975, the Legislature created the Water
Development Program [W.S. 41-2-112]. In 1979, the
Legislature transferred these authorities to the Water
Development Commission and charged the Commission with
the responsibility for "...the planning, selection,
financing, construction, acquisition, storage,
distribution and use of water necessary in the public
interest to develop and preserve Wyoming's water and
related land resources." [W.S. 41-2-112 (a)].
In 1996, the Legislature directed the WWDC and the State
Engineer's Office to prepare a report for updating the
state's Framework Water Plan, which was completed in
1973. The 1997 Legislature appropriated funds to the
WWDC to conduct a feasibility study to implement a public
participation process, identify the technology, data
sources and modeling techniques which could be used in
water planning. The feasibility study will also develop
an accurate estimate of the costs of implementing an
ongoing, comprehensive water planning process for the
State of Wyoming.
The questionnaire was the first of several public
involvement opportunities that the Water Development
Commission will use. Others include presentations to
interest groups, a regular newsletter, press releases,
the formation of basin specific advisory groups, and
public meetings to review the recommendations from the
feasibility study.
SUMMARY OF PROCESS AND ISSUE
QUESTIONS
Included in this report are the percentage responses to
each question, and frequency graphs (histograms)
illustrating the compilation of responses to the 83
questions in the survey which addressed the planning
process and water resource issues.
A review of the responses is interesting. For example,
95% of the answers indicted that a water planning process
was important to the state, validating the wisdom of the
Legislature in starting this process (Q#1). An open and
public process was encouraged by 93% of the respondents,
who said that information generated by the planning
process should be readily available to the public (Q#6).
This report is the first step in insuring that the
feasibility study and the planning process are open to
everyone.
The vital importance of water to Wyoming's agriculture
was validated by the response to Q#43, with 93% of
respondents agreeing. Written comments also stressed the
importance of agriculture to the state's economy and way
of life. Since agriculture uses 85% of the water
consumed in the state, a reliable supply available long
term under the stability provided by existing water law
and the prior appropriation doctrine is seen by producers
as essential to the health of Wyoming's farms and
ranches.
Strategies to protect Wyoming water from downstream
states (Q#49) and the current adequacy of that protection
(Q#41) were of concern to many respondents. This issue
was one of the topics raised most frequently in the
written comments as well.
The federal government's role in Wyoming water issues was
identified as important by most respondents (Q#51,#64,
and #79). Written comments also reflected uneasiness
with the influence of federal laws and regulations on
water management decisions in Wyoming.
Instream flows were seen as somewhat important to very
important by about 82% of respondents (Q#77), and 89%
agreed that the importance of water for wildlife and
fisheries should be addressed in a state water plan.
Questions addressing the procedures used to develop the
water planning process also received a strong response.
Respondents agreed that citizen participation and input
was important to water planning (Q#27, Q#39).
The role of water in economic development (Q#11), and
water quality issues for both surface and groundwater
sources were also seen as important to the water planning
process.
DEMOGRAPHICS (QUESTIONS #82 TO
#94)
The demographic questions provide a profile of those who
returned the questionnaire and are part of standard
survey procedures. Question # 89 indicated that
respondents live in a wide variety of community types. No
more than 30% come from any one community category,
whether it was a large city, moderate sized city or town,
small town or rural area. Over 70% of the questionnaire
respondents have lived in Wyoming for more than 20 years
(Q# 91).
Question #86 indicates that Wyoming's citizens believe
themselves to be very knowledgeable about water issues.
Only 6.2 % reported they were not very knowledgeable or
uncertain of their knowledge level.
Respondents were equally clear about their preference for
receiving information about water planning (Q# 85) .
Newsletters, traditional news media, electronic media and
public meetings were the clear choices.
The water planning team tried to identify individuals
with interest in water issues to receive the
questionnaire. However, mailing lists were not filtered
to insure exact representation by population, geographic
area or water interest category. As the water plan
feasibility study proceeds, additional methods such as
basin advisory groups, public meetings, and reports by
request to interest groups will be used to expand and
supplement the input received in the questionnaire. The
Bear River Basin has been selected as a "water planning
feasibility demonstration area" while the Green/Little
Snake River Basin is expected to be the first basin
addressed assuming legislative and gubernatorial approval
of a planning process during the 1999 Legislative
Session. Basin advisory groups will be formed to enable
local citizens to provide input to the process.
WRITTEN COMMENTS
Over 520 individual comments ranging in length from a few
words to several pages were received. The planning team
is grateful to those individuals who took the time to
make written comments to clarify or expand on their
answers. We would like to respond to each comment
individually, but in order to get information back out to
the public as soon as practical, we have grouped the
written responses under water issues and addressed each
issue briefly. We will continue to take guidance from
the written comments throughout the feasibility study.
As we reviewed the written comments, three facts became
clear:
1. There is general agreement on the water issues
that are important to Wyoming. Written comments
were grouped into 14 water issues topics, and four topics
relating to the planning process itself.
2. There is no consensus on the state policies,
existing or proposed, that should be used to address or
resolve these issues. While a preponderance of
comments might weigh in on one side of a particular
issue, there was almost always a minority with a strongly
held dissenting opinion.
3. Public education on water issues will be an
important component of the water planning
process. Management of the state's water
resources involves consideration of a large and complex
body of laws, regulations, guidelines, interstate
compacts, Supreme Court Decrees, and traditions at the
federal, state, and local level. Finding solutions to
complex water issues will not be easy, and may require a
concerted effort to increase public awareness of the
realities impacting on the issues.
ISSUES COMMENTS
1. Agriculture
Irrigated agriculture consumptively uses more water than
any other user in Wyoming, accounting for 80 to 85% of
the state's consumption (Wyoming Water Atlas).
The importance of this use was reflected in written
comments suggesting that agricultural should receive the
greatest emphasis in state water planning. Development of
additional irrigated lands was mentioned, as well as
support for existing producers. The benefits of
agricultural water use to groundwater recharge, wildlife
habitat, wetlands, and open spaces was a popular topic.
Concern was expressed that the water planning process
should not be used to justify the transfer of water from
irrigation to non-agricultural purposes. Many felt that
existing agricultural organizations and interests should
play a strong role in the water planning process. A
minority was concerned there was too much emphasis on
agriculture. Respondents were concerned about this
sector's continued economic vitality, the development of
additional irrigated lands and the involvement of
irrigators and conservation districts in the planning
process. Comments also touched on the potential for water
transfers to move water from agricultural to
environmental uses. The secondary benefits of irrigation,
cost benefit analyses, and cost sharing of on-farm
improvements were also mentioned.
2. Groundwater
Millions of acre-feet of water are stored in Wyoming's
bedrock and alluvial aquifers. Many Wyoming communities
and individual rural residents are dependent on
groundwater for culinary and sanitary purposes.
Groundwater is also used for irrigation in some areas.
Survey respondents recognized the importance of this
resource as reflected in comments on issues such as safe
yield, well head protection, contamination from septic
fields, and health inspections of private wells. Impact
on aquifers from coal bed methane production in Campbell
County was mentioned, as was the desirability of a state-wide inventory of the productivity and vulnerability of
the state's aquifers. Geothermal groundwater was
mentioned, as was the issue of conjunctive use of ground
and surface waters. Aquifer inventories and conjunctive
use opportunities were identified as important issues.
3. Economic Development
The role of water in the expansion of economic activity
in Wyoming is important, but public opinion on the
desirability of "development" and "growth" was varied.
Respondents noted that water supply may not be the
critical factor in industrial or manufacturing
development and relocation decisions. The scope of
economic development goal setting in relation to the
planning process was the topic of several remarks.
Questionnaire respondents were also interested in
comparative economic analyses on all uses of water, and
assessments based on water quality.
4. Downstream Claims/Compacts/Decrees, including sale
or lease
Respondents expressed great concern about our ability to
retain control of water allocated to Wyoming but not
presently put to beneficial use. The Wyoming
Constitution declares the water within the boundaries of
the state to be the property of the state. Water supplies
available for consumptive use in Wyoming are established
by state water rights and water agreements with other
states. In the Green River drainage, for example,
approximately half a million acre-feet of water annually
is available for new consumptive uses in Wyoming.
Awareness of the lengthy and costly lawsuit with Nebraska
over the North Platte River and the growth in demand in
downstream states like Nevada and California led many
respondents to suggest that Wyoming's highest priority
should be to protect the state's existing allocations in
all drainage basins, under all decrees and compacts.
Development of more in-state storage reservoirs was
suggested, as were other measures to defend against
potential future claims by downstream states. Other
respondents felt the state should consider selling or
short-term leasing currently unused water to solve the
state's budgetary problems. Others warned that sales or
leases would be difficult to reverse if Wyoming needs the
water in the future. The protection and utilization of
the state's water resources was an issue raised by
numerous respondents.
5. Water Quality
Respondents recognized the importance of maintaining and
protecting the quality of Wyoming's water resources.
Some believed water quality should be the preeminent
resource concern. Others suggested that water quality
data be standardized statewide. Some felt that all water
quality concerns should be left to the Department of
Environmental Quality. Some comments expressed concern
that water quality issues such as TMDLs (Total Maximum
Daily Loads, a component of the Clean Water Act) would be
used to preempt state water law and the prior
appropriation doctrine to the detriment of agricultural
users. Watershed management programs were suggested as
one tool for protecting water quality. Concerns about
the effects of pesticides, herbicides, wastewater
discharge, flood irrigation, timber harvests, and
pollution by industry were expressed. Primacy under the
Safe Drinking Water Act was mentioned (Wyoming does not
currently have "primacy" or regulatory responsibility for
enforcement of safe drinking water standards). Several
comments focused on the current and future role of the
Department of Environmental Quality in managing this
resource concern. Standardized water quality inventories
and sediment concerns were also raised.
6. Municipal/Domestic
Domestic and culinary water use affects every Wyoming
resident. Concern for protecting the quality of
domestic supplies was mentioned, as was the role of state
and federal agencies in insuring that citizens of the
state have access to safe water at a reasonable cost.
This area was seen as a high priority by many.
Restrictions on the use of city water, water system
regionalization and problems created by subdivision water
use were issues raised. Drinking water standards, the
Safe Drinking Water Act, manufacturing needs and growth
forecasting were also seen as important by many
respondents.
7. Water Conservation/Reuse
This area was seen as a high priority by many. Water
conservation, return flows, and water reuse were
mentioned as alternatives to the development of new
supplies. Respondants also caution that before any new
policies addressing these issues are considered, a
careful analysis of unintended impacts should be
undertaken. There is little motivation for conservation
unless those incurring the expense or inconvenience to
conserve water realize some benefit for their efforts.
Current state laws impose some restrictions on water
reuse and conservation. The balance between water
conservation and water development was an issue brought
up by several respondents. There was also interest in
conservation on delivery systems and improved irrigation
practices as well as cost sharing of efficiency
improvements.
8. Water Rights/Water Law/Prior Appropriation
Doctrine/Transfers/Reserved Rights
Respondents expressed strong support for continuing to
use the prior appropriation doctrine and existing state
water law as the basis of water management decisions.
The prior appropriation doctrine is the foundation of
Wyoming water law, and a guiding principle for the water
planning process. There were, however, some specific
water law modifications suggested. Some respondents, for
example, thought non-consumptive instream water uses
should be defined as beneficial use. Water transfer
hearings, abandonment rules, and water rights application
procedures were also identified as areas of concern.
Reserved federal rights were an issue to several
respondents.
9. Non Consumptive Issues. Includes instream flows,
wetlands, ecosystem integrity, habitat, etc.
The balance between economic development and
environmental needs was raised in several comments. Many
respondents felt water use priorities should be driven by
economics, not aesthetics, but instream flows, minimum
reservoir pools, wetlands and endangered species were
suggested issues for consideration. While respondents
were interested in the value of economic development
related to tourism and recreation, they also had concerns
about sustainability and the use of open space. Many
comments felt that traditional water uses should be given
priority, particularly where economic viability was an
issue.
10. Water Development
Some respondents equated water development with the
construction of major storage reservoirs, and storage was
often mentioned as the solution to many water issues,
such as supplies for agriculture, economic development,
and instream flows. Storage was also considered as a
strategy to "protect" Wyoming water from downstream
states and from federal restrictions on water development
and management. Many comments were received in regard to
the feasible future development of water in Wyoming.
Geological hazards, suitable site selection, cost
effective construction and multi-purpose development
options were all raised as issues. Water flows that
result from energy development and cost benefit analyses
were also topics of consideration.
11. Federal Involvement/Regulations/Lawsuits
The federal role in Wyoming water management decisions
raised the greatest concern among questionnaire
respondents after the issues posed by increased demands
for water by downstream states. Since the last State
Water Plan was completed in 1973 ,the Endangered Species
Act, the National Environmental Protection Act, the Clean
Water Act, the Safe Drinking Water Act and the
regulations developed under these acts have become an
important influence on state water development
decisions. This federal legislation must be considered
in any water planning process. These regulations have
often delayed, altered, terminated, or increased the
costs of water development projects in Wyoming. Comments
were as specific as a suggestion to block the American
Heritage Rivers Initiative, to more general concerns
about federal "claims" to Wyoming water. Some believed
the state should allocate funds for legal expenses to
resist federal involvement in state water management
decisions.
12. Recreation
Respondents identified water based recreation as somewhat
less important than uses with an immediately apparent
economic benefit. The inherent nature of rivers,
streams, lakes and man-made reservoirs means that various
uses may be negatively impacted as other uses are
accommodated. Those whose livelihood depends directly on
a reliable water supply are likely to view reservoir
operations and stream flows differently from those who
use the reservoir for water skiing and the stream for fly
fishing. Some respondents felt tourism was not a major
economic factor in Wyoming, and argued that recreational
values do not translate to economic benefit.
13. Industrial/Minerals Extraction/Manufacturing
The availability of a reliable supply of water for
existing and future industrial uses was mentioned as
priority by some respondents. Industry and manufacturing
are unique in needing in most cases a 100% firm yield
(supply) on a regular basis. Discharge from industrial
uses was expressed as a concern.
14. Disaster and emergency response contingency
planning (Drought mitigation, Flood control)
Pre-disaster planning and development of mitigation
measures will greatly reduce and in come cases eliminate
the impact caused by these climate-induced events.
PROCESS COMMENTS
1. Questionnaire Format and Content
Recurring comments suggest that many respondents felt the
questionnaire was biased or developed to validate
preconceptions of the planning team. Repetitive
questions were criticized. Some felt the questionnaire
went beyond the scope of water planning, or focused on
inappropriate topics. Numerous comments related to the
appearance and organization of the questionnaire itself.
Some respondents felt that too many questions were asked,
some questions were irrelevant, and that the
questionnaire should not have been numbered. Questions
#82-84, and demographic questions in general, were seen
as inappropriate by some. Many individuals appreciated
the thorough scope of the questionnaire
2. Public Involvement
The importance of citizen participation in governmental
processes was stressed by many respondents. Many
indicated a desire to be involved in generating and
reviewing the output of both the feasibility study and
the planning process, if implemented. Individuals were
concerned about the role of vocal water interests, such
as agricultural and environmental organizations, as well
as the influence of uninformed public sentiment in the
planning process. Questions were asked as to how
individual water use sectors would be allowed a voice in
the process. The education and research components of
planning were considered significant by many individuals.
3. Public Education.
While respondents rated themselves well informed on water
issues, administration and management of the state's
water resources is based on a complex set of state and
federal laws, agreements, court decrees and regulations.
The solutions to issues of federal "interference," or
potential water claims by downstream states are not
simple, nor agreed to by all parties. Respondents
stressed that public involvement should be a two way
street, with information flowing from the public to the
planning team, and from the state agencies involved in
water management back to the public.
4. Function of the state plan.
Comments on the purpose and function of water planning,
indicated the public has many questions about the
process. Some comments focused on the distinction
between the creation and maintenance of a state-wide,
basin by basin data inventory, and aggressive planning
aimed at defining state water management and development
policy. Various comments mentioned that scoping the role
of the process was a necessary precursor to decisions on
funding the process. The balance between data inventories
and comprehensive planning were raised in relation to the
appropriate level of funding for planning in Wyoming.
Respondents were also concerned about basin planning, the
objectivity of the process, ethics in government,
bureaucracy, the funding of local planning mandates, and
coordination between agencies in state government. The
balance between centralized and local planning
administration was also an issue. Several individuals
thought that the need to remain flexible and dynamic was
crucial to water planning. Many comments asked for a
better definition of the objectives of a water planning
process.
Questionnaire Index |
Summary |
Process Questions (1-44) |
Issue Questions (45-81) |
Demographics Questions (82-94)
|