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Read. Follow. Verify.Wyoming establishes voluntary water conservation program and appropriates $510,000 for Colorado River basin management
Last action · March 7, 2026: Assigned Chapter Number 100Sponsor: Water
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What This Bill Does
Wyoming creates a voluntary water conservation program for water rights holders in the Colorado River basin, allowing participants to temporarily reduce water use for up to five years without losing their water rights. The measure authorizes water storage in Fontenelle Reservoir, appropriates $510,000 to the state engineer for implementation and two new staff positions, and establishes a program sunset date of July 1, 2032.
Water rights holders in Wyoming's portion of the Colorado River basin can pause irrigation or water diversions to help meet or manage drought, backed by $510,000 in state funding and subject to specific state approval and public notice requirements.
- The Colorado River basin has experienced prolonged drought conditions since 2000, prompting basin states to adopt collaborative conservation and water management strategies. context
Who It Affects
Groups the bill's text affects, as described in the record. Being affected is not a position for or against it.
Water right holders in Wyoming's portion of the Colorado River basin
Eligible to apply for voluntary conservation projects and subject to new application, notice, and operational rules.
State Engineer
Must review applications, publish notices, promulgate rules, hire two additional staff positions, and submit annual reports.
Owners of land adjacent to conservation project lands
Must be notified by applicants proposing to forego irrigation water and are permitted to provide written comments.
Key Facts
You don't have to trust us. Each fact below is taken straight from the official document - click any one to see the exact passage, highlighted in the original.
Frequently Asked Questions
Who is eligible to apply for the voluntary water conservation program?
Will participating in the conservation program cause me to lose my water rights?
What is the maximum duration for a temporary irrigation conservation project?
What else do you want to know?
News Coverage
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Votes, people, money & the original sourceWhere This Stands
Current status: Signed into law.
Procedural history
26 actions- Mar 7, 2026Governor Signed SEA No. 0062
- Mar 7, 2026Assigned Chapter Number 100
- Mar 6, 2026SenateS President Signed SEA No. 0062
- Mar 6, 2026HouseH Speaker Signed SEA No. 0062
- Mar 5, 2026SenateS Received for Concurrence
- Mar 5, 2026SenateS Concur:Passed 31-0-0-0-0
Show 20 earlier actions
- Mar 5, 2026Assigned Number SEA No. 0062
- Mar 4, 2026HouseH 3rd Reading:Passed 60-0-2-0-0
- Mar 3, 2026HouseH 2nd Reading:Passed
- Mar 2, 2026HouseH02 - Appropriations:Recommend Do Pass 7-0-0-0-0
- Mar 2, 2026HouseH Placed on General File
- Mar 2, 2026HouseH COW:Passed
- Feb 27, 2026HouseH COW:Rerefer to H02 - Appropriations
- Feb 26, 2026HouseH05 - Agriculture:Recommend Amend and Do Pass 9-0-0-0-0
- Feb 26, 2026HouseH Placed on General File
- Feb 24, 2026HouseH Received for Introduction
- Feb 24, 2026HouseH Introduced and Referred to H05 - Agriculture
- Feb 23, 2026SenateS 3rd Reading:Passed 31-0-0-0-0
- Feb 20, 2026SenateS 2nd Reading:Passed
- Feb 19, 2026SenateRecalled from Committee Pursuant to Senate Rule 5-5: 29-2-0-0-0
- Feb 19, 2026SenateS COW:Passed
- Feb 17, 2026SenateS05 - Agriculture:Recommend Amend and Do Pass 5-0-0-0-0
- Feb 17, 2026Senate:Rerefer to S02 - Appropriations
- Feb 10, 2026SenateS Introduced and Referred to S05 - Agriculture 28-2-1-0-0
- Feb 9, 2026SenateS Received for Introduction
- Feb 6, 2026Bill Number Assigned
Version history
Only one version on file - nothing to compare yet. As later stages (committee substitute, engrossed, enrolled) are captured, the redline appears here.
View official text →Lobbying Activity
No state lobbying filings in our records match this bill. Federal lobbying reports (LDA) cover Congress, so they are not listed on state bills.
Full breakdown
Who this bill affects and the strongest case for and against it, written only from the bill’s own text.
Sponsors
Discoveries
Patterns POLISCOPE noticed across the record. These are observations to investigate, not conclusions.
Establishment of State-Level Voluntary Conservation Framework
Wyoming has created a formal statutory process allowing temporary, protected water conservation reductions in the Colorado River basin backed by state appropriations and staff.
Connected Entities
Sources
www.wyoleg.gov
Analysis Score
0–100- Significance85How much this matters to a regular citizen
- Controversy30Intensity of disagreement among stakeholders
- Entertainment5Compellingness for a non-policy-wonk reader
- Buzz40Current news / social attention level
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