Title 41, Water

Suits for enforcement of water rights; appeals from decisions of state engineer and state board of control. (a) Upon the request of the state engineer, the attorney general shall bring suit in the name of the state of Wyoming, in the proper district court, to enjoin the unlawful …

Wyoming water development program. (a) The Wyoming water development program is established to foster, promote and encourage the optimal development of the state's human, industrial, mineral, agricultural, water and recreational resources. The program shall provide, through the c…

Definitions. (a) As used in W.S. 41-1-106 through 41-1-108 and 41-2-107 through 41-2-118: (i) "Project" means any dam, reservoir, canal, ditch, well or well field, hydroelectric power plant, regulatory work and all works and facilities necessary for the supply and utilization of …

Development of water projects; rehabilitation of water projects. (a) The commission shall, on the basis of the state water plan or as otherwise directed by the legislature and after consultation with and advice from state agencies and officials, other appropriate agencies and off…

Report; authorization; assignment. (a) In preparation of the final concept design under W.S. 41-2-114(a)(ii), the commission shall after giving public notice hold a public hearing within the affected water division. Any interested person, association or state or federal agency ma…

Water rights. (a) The director of the Wyoming water development office shall, at the direction of the governor, file applications in the name of the state of Wyoming for permits to appropriate water, to construct dams and other works, and to take the steps necessary to acquire, m…

Wyoming water development commission; membership; removal; terms. (a) The Wyoming water development commission is created to consist of ten (10) members. The membership shall include: (i) Nine (9) persons, two (2) shall be residents appointed from each water division of the state…

Powers, duties, salaries and expenses of commission. (a) The commission shall: (i) Repealed by Laws 1992, ch. 42, § 4. (ii) Have authority to contract for legal counsel upon approval of the governor to assist in matters related to water resource development as directed by the com…

Groundwater studies. (a) The Wyoming water development commission may grant not to exceed eight million eight hundred thousand dollars ($8,800,000.00) to incorporated cities and towns, water and sewer districts and improvement and service districts in Wyoming for exploration for …

Approval of loans, construction or water contracts and agreements. All loans, construction or water contracts and agreements to which the state is a party, entered into pursuant to this act or W.S. 41-2-114, shall be submitted to the select [water] committee for thirty (30) days …

Criteria for water development projects; disclosure of personal interests by commission. (a) The water development commission shall establish criteria for evaluation and administration of water development projects. Criteria shall include but not be limited to the following: (i) …

Protection and rights of landowner. (a) The Wyoming water development commission shall include in the planning process at Level I notification to a landowner whose lands may be flooded or otherwise physically affected, as determined by the administrator. The commission shall incl…

Project studies generally; hearings; reimbursement of costs; source of funding; use of unobligated funds; recommendations to legislature. (a) The commission, after public notice, is authorized to conduct public workshops and public hearings in the affected regions on projects whi…

Accounts created; unexpended balance. (a) The following accounts are created: (i) Water development account I into which shall be deposited revenues pursuant to law; (ii) Water development account II into which shall be deposited revenues pursuant to law; (iii) Water development …

Office of water programs created; duties; annual report. (a) There is created the office of water programs within the office of research at the University of Wyoming. The office of water programs shall: (i) Work directly with the director of the Wyoming water development office t…

Transfer of water authorized; conditions. (a) Pursuant to W.S. 41-3-115, the United States Bureau of Reclamation and the Wyoming water development office are hereby authorized to transfer a maximum of thirty-three thousand four hundred ninety-three (33,493) acre feet of storage w…