Wyoming Framework Water Plan - Living Rivers Home Page

4.0 AGENCY PLANNING RECOMMENDATIONS
that more basin agreements in the West will require detailed evidence of water use by their member
states.
Water requirements for environmental restoration and endangered species recovery are placing
additional demands on already thin water supplies. Wyoming currently participates in three basin-scale
recovery programs, the Upper Colorado Endangered Fish Recovery Program, the Platte River Recovery
Implementation Program, and the Missouri River Recovery Implementation Program. An important
objective of each of these programs is to provide Endangered Species Act (ESA) compliance for the
continued operation of existing water storage, diversion, and use projects and facilities. Maintaining the
ability to develop future water supplies and still meet ESA obligations is an important goal of Wyoming’s
participation in these programs. This assurance is also of value to the Water Planning program providing
a better estimate of the amounts of water available for future use with some certainty that ESA
requirements are met.
As water use has increased across the western United States, it has become imperative that
existing water supplies be stretched as much as possible. For example, the states of the Colorado River
Basin are jointly exploring the feasibility of augmenting supplies through such means as weather
modification, water conservation, water reuse, and desalination. In future Wyoming water planning
efforts, water reuse and augmentation should be investigated to determine the types and locations most
appropriate and practical for a particular basin.
Conclusion
Irrigated agricultural land continues to be the largest consumptive use of water in Wyoming. It is
unlikely that this will change dramatically over the next 30 years, but mechanisms to increase the
flexibility of how those water rights may be utilized by the individual water rights holder will likely be
examined and perhaps expanded. Wyoming will continue to develop its water supplies more slowly than
our downstream neighbors, but documenting our water use and estimating future water demands in each
river basin are both critical and fundamental to Wyoming being able to maintain our ability to develop
our remaining water allocations into the future.
4.3 WYOMING GAME AND FISH DEPARTMENT
Following is a summary of the recommendations made by the WGFD regarding future planning.
! Incorporate resource data from agencies into
a spatial database system to facilitate
dynamic water planning and decision
support. Link to agency databases for
access to current information.
! Incorporate aquatic and terrestrial wildlife
resource data and habitat priorities from the
WGFD.
! Include provisions for state agency
participation. Define clear and consistent
roles and procedures for agency
involvement up front.
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