M I N U T E S

SELECT WATER COMMITTEE

 May 30, 2001

  Cheyenne, Wyoming

  Room 302 State Capitol

PRESENT:  Representative Rodney "Pete" Anderson, Chairman

                        Senator Robert Peck, Vice Chairman

                        Senators Bill Barton, Rich Cathcart, Gerald Geis and Rae Lynn Job.

                        Representatives John Eyre and Bud Nelson.

                        Legislative Service Office:  Mark Quiner, Senior Staff Attorney

                        Wyoming Water Development Office: Mike Besson, Director.

                        Others:  See Appendix "A".

ABSENT:         Senator Bill Vasey; Representatives Frank Philp, Mac McGraw and Jeff Wasserburger.

* * * * * * * * * * *

A joint meeting of the Select Water Committee and the Wyoming Water Development Commission (WWDC) was called to order at 8:30 a.m.

The following is a summary of Committee proceedings arranged by topic.  Copies of all contracts, amendments and other materials referred to in these minutes which are not attached as exhibits are on file in the Legislative Service Office.

The minutes of the previous meeting held on February 28, 2001 were approved with no amendments.

Mr. Mike Besson, Director of the Wyoming Water Development Commission, reviewed the roles and responsibilities of the WWDC and the Select Water Committee.

Mr. Besson and Mr. Rick Miller of the University of Wyoming explained the current water programs at the university.  Mr. Miller explained that the water research center closed June 30, 1998, but there are other water programs which remain at the university:  Water resources data system (WRDS), the water resources library, USGS water resources research institute designation and the national institutes of water resources (NIWR), and the master of science program in water resources.  Mr. Miller further explained the concept of creating an office of water programs at the university.  The program would be located under the vice president for research but would coordinate with WRDS.  It would conduct no research on its own, but would serve as a central point of coordination for state agencies and campus researchers and provide education to water users.

CONTRACT AMENDMENTS

Following explanation by Mr. Besson, the Committee approved the following project contract amendments:

·       Conservation Position Contract

·       Corner Mountain, Level II Final Amendment

·       Hot Springs/Worland, Level II Interim Amendment

·       Lowham Engineering Contract

·       Marbleton Groundwater MOA

·       Moorcroft, Level II Interim Amendment

·       Opal, Level II Final Amendment

·       Prairie Dog Creek Watershed, Level I Interim Amendment

·       Sinclair, Level II Final Amendment

·       Upper Wind River Storage Project, Level I Interim Amendment

·       Wyoming Geological Survey MOU

CONSTRUCTION DOCUMENTS

Following explanation by Mr. Besson, the Committee approved the following project construction contract documents:

·       Bridger Valley Intake Rehabilitation Project Agreement

·       Cheyenne South Crow Project Agreement

·       Gillette Central Project Agreement

·       Hugus Mullison Ditch Project Agreement

·       Riverton Raw Water Supply Rehabilitation Project Agreement

·       Washakie Rural Amended Project Agreement

·       Wheatland Rehabilitation Project

PLANNING DIVISION CONTRACTS

Following explanation by Mr. Besson, the Committee approved the following planning division contract documents:

·       Lodgepole Aquifer Storage and Retrieval, Level I

·       Three Horses Watershed Plan, Level I

·       Popo Agie Watershed Study, Level I

·       Wind/Big Horn River Basins Planning Process

·       Snake/Salt River Basins Planning Process

·       River Basins Planning Facilitator

·       Casper Zone II Supply, Level II

·       North Uinta Water Supply, Level II

·       Alpine Spring Irrigation Supply Project, Level I

·       Dayton Water Supply Project, Level II

·       Deaver Irrigation Rehabilitation Project, Level II

·       Granger Rehabilitation Project, Level II

·       Riverton Valley Rehabilitation No. 2 Project, Level II

HIGH SAVERY

Mr. Besson and Mr. Phil Ogle, of the WWDC, explained the status of the High Savery Dam Project.  The WWDC approved the award of the contract for the dam construction in the amount of $22,685,000.00.  The entire amount budgeted for the project is $33,800,000.00.  The WWDC obtained a permanent easement across state lands from the Board of Land Commissioners.

OTHER TOPICS

Primacy over Safe Drinking Water:  Mr. Besson has drafted a survey to send out to Wyoming's mayors to seek their input on whether Wyoming should assume primacy from the EPA over the Safe Drinking Water Act.  Mr. Besson requested that any feedback from the Committee on the draft survey be given to him by July 1, 2001.

Wind River Reconnaissance Power Study:  Mr. Besson provided the Committee with information on the request for proposals for the potential to build small hydropower projects for electrical generation.  Mr. Besson indicated the Governor is interested in pursuing this potential in the Wind River Basin.  Mr. Besson will bring back the proposal for Committee consideration at the next meeting.

Local resources:  Representative Eyre would like the Committee to discuss the topic of local resources of entities which receive state moneys for water development projects.  He would like the Committee to discuss this topic at a future date.

NEXT MEETING

The next meeting of the Select Water Committee was scheduled for August 15 – 17, 2001. The meeting will include a tour of the Wyoming penitentiary and the High Savery project.

ADJOURNMENT

There being no further business, the meeting was adjourned at 12:15 p.m.

                                                Respectfully submitted,

                                                Representative Rodney "Pete" Anderson,

                                                Chairman