All Roll Calls
Yes: 200 • No: 4
WyomingSF 842026 Budget SessionSenate
AN ACT relating to water within Wyoming's portion of the Colorado River basin; establishing a voluntary water conservation program; providing an application and approval process for the program; providing an appeal process; authorizing the storage and release of water conserved under the program; establishing a sunset date; providing legislative findings; requiring a report; requiring rulemaking; authorizing positions; providing an appropriation; and providing for an effective date.
Sponsored By: null Water
Signed by Governor
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Bill Overview
Analyzed Economic Effects
4 provisions identified: 2 benefits, 1 costs, 1 mixed.
Store conserved water for Wyoming use
The state engineer and the Water Development Office can arrange storage of conserved program water in Fontenelle and other suitable Wyoming reservoirs, consistent with contracts. Stored water may be released only for in‑state beneficial consumptive uses, to lessen curtailment impacts on Wyoming users, or to help meet interstate compact duties. Storage and releases must follow federal and reservoir owner contracts.
Downstream limits during active regulation
Approved conservation projects do not, by themselves, trigger regulation of other water rights. But when the source is under active regulation, the water commissioner may stop downstream headgates from diverting conserved project water. This limit applies only while that regulation is in place.
Conservation program rules, outreach, funding
The state engineer must adopt all rules needed to run the program. Within 90 days, the office must publish notices in at least three basin newspapers for three weeks and in two irrigated agriculture trade publications; within 120 days, it must hold at least three public meetings in the basin. The law funds two staff positions and $510,000 from the general fund through June 30, 2028; unspent funds revert on that date. Reports on program operations and any recommended changes are due Oct 1, 2026, and each Oct 1 through 2031 to legislative committees.
Apply for basin conservation projects
The law lets holders of Wyoming Colorado River basin water rights apply for a voluntary conservation project. If you are not the owner, you need the owner’s written consent; rights inside an irrigation, conservancy, or watershed district need written district consent. The state engineer posts notice and takes 30 days of public comments before a decision. Projects may be approved only if they do not injure other rights and they reduce historic consumptive use or help meet interstate duties. Applicants generally must show consumptive use in at least 3 of the last 5 years. Temporary fallowing of direct natural flow for irrigation is limited to five straight years, then the right must be used two years before re‑entry. Approved projects do not cause loss of the original right; uses return when the project ends. A nonrefundable review fee up to $50 must come with each application, and application materials are confidential under the act. You can appeal a rejection within 30 days after mailed notice, and an injured right holder can appeal within 30 days after the approval is posted online. No new projects can be authorized on or after July 1, 2032.
Sponsors & Cosponsors
Sponsor
null Water
Affiliation unavailable
Cosponsors
There are no cosponsors for this bill.
Roll Call Votes
Senate vote • 3/5/2026
S Concur:Passed 31-0-0-0-0
Yes: 31 • No: 0
House vote • 3/4/2026
H 3rd Reading:Passed 60-0-2-0-0
Yes: 60 • No: 0
House vote • 3/2/2026
H02 - Appropriations:Recommend Do Pass 7-0-0-0-0
Yes: 7 • No: 0
House vote • 2/26/2026
H05 - Agriculture:Recommend Amend and Do Pass 9-0-0-0-0
Yes: 9 • No: 0
Senate vote • 2/23/2026
S 3rd Reading:Passed 31-0-0-0-0
Yes: 31 • No: 0
Senate vote • 2/19/2026
Recalled from Committee Pursuant to Senate Rule 5-5: 29-2-0-0-0
Yes: 29 • No: 2
Senate vote • 2/17/2026
S05 - Agriculture:Recommend Amend and Do Pass 5-0-0-0-0
Yes: 5 • No: 0
Senate vote • 2/10/2026
S Introduced and Referred to S05 - Agriculture 28-2-1-0-0
Yes: 28 • No: 2
Actions Timeline
Governor Signed SEA No. 0062
3/7/2026GovernorAssigned Chapter Number 100
3/7/2026S President Signed SEA No. 0062
3/6/2026SenateH Speaker Signed SEA No. 0062
3/6/2026HouseS Received for Concurrence
3/5/2026SenateS Concur:Passed 31-0-0-0-0
3/5/2026SenateAssigned Number SEA No. 0062
3/5/2026H 3rd Reading:Passed 60-0-2-0-0
3/4/2026HouseH 2nd Reading:Passed
3/3/2026HouseH02 - Appropriations:Recommend Do Pass 7-0-0-0-0
3/2/2026HouseH Placed on General File
3/2/2026HouseH COW:Passed
3/2/2026HouseH COW:Rerefer to H02 - Appropriations
2/27/2026HouseH05 - Agriculture:Recommend Amend and Do Pass 9-0-0-0-0
2/26/2026HouseH Placed on General File
2/26/2026HouseH Received for Introduction
2/24/2026HouseH Introduced and Referred to H05 - Agriculture
2/24/2026HouseS 3rd Reading:Passed 31-0-0-0-0
2/23/2026SenateS 2nd Reading:Passed
2/20/2026SenateRecalled from Committee Pursuant to Senate Rule 5-5: 29-2-0-0-0
2/19/2026SenateS COW:Passed
2/19/2026SenateS05 - Agriculture:Recommend Amend and Do Pass 5-0-0-0-0
2/17/2026Senate:Rerefer to S02 - Appropriations
2/17/2026SenateS Introduced and Referred to S05 - Agriculture 28-2-1-0-0
2/10/2026SenateS Received for Introduction
2/9/2026Senate
Bill Text
Engrossed
Enrolled
Introduced
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