Committee Meeting Information

August 23 & 24, 2007

City Hall, Community Room

Gillette, Wyoming

 

Committee Members Present

Representative Rodney “Pete” Anderson, CoChairman

Senator Gerald E. Geis, CoChairman

Senator Chuck Townsend

Senator Bill Vasey

Representative Stan Blake

Representative Ross Diercks (Aug. 24 only)

Representative Owen Petersen

Representative Frank Philp

Representative Lorraine Quarberg (Aug. 24 only)

 

Committee Members Absent

Senator Pat Aullman

Senator Rae Lynn Job

Senator Drew Perkins

 

Legislative Service Office Staff

Mark Quiner, Assistant Director

 

Others Present at Meeting

Wyoming Water Development Office: Mike Purcell, Director

Please refer to Appendix 1 to review the Committee Sign-in Sheet
for a list of other individuals who attended the meeting.

Call To Order (August 23, 2007)

The Select Water Committee and the Wyoming Water Development Commission (WWDC) went on a water tour beginning at 8 a.m. in the Gillette area.  The tour included the Madison pipeline system including several pump stations and the water well field in the Gillette area.  Appendix 2 provides a schedule of the tour.

 

Call To Order (August 24, 2007)

CoChairman  Geis called the meeting to order at 8:30 a.m.  The following sections summarize the Committee proceedings by topic.  Please refer to Appendix 3 to review the Committee Meeting Agenda.

 

Approval of Minutes

Senator Vasey moved that the minutes from the June 7, 2007 Committee meeting be approved with no changes.  The motion passed.

 

Planning Study Amendments & Contracts

Mr. Mike Purcell, Director, and Mr. Jon Wade of the Wyoming Water Development Office (WWDO) and various WWDO staff explained the following project planning document:

 

• Green River Basin Plan contract. 

 

Following discussion, WWDC approved the contract.

 

Senator Vasey moved the Committee approve the contract.  The motion passed.

 

Miscellaneous Items

 

Construction Amendments

The Water Development Commission (WWDC) approved the following water project planning construction amendments:  Lysite Water Supply, Level II; Midvale Irrigation District Conservation Program, Level II; Northern Arapaho Ground Water, Level II; Owl Creek Rural Water Supply, Level I Study; Shoshone Ground Water Development, Level II; and Squaw Creek Water District, WWDC Ground Water Exploration Grant.

 

Contract Approval

The WWDC approved the Fontenelle Reservoir renewal of water sales agreement and the Alta Water Supply Project – Level III budget increase.

 

High Savery Dam – Walk-in Access Agreements

The WWDC approved authority for WWDO to enter into agreements with the Wyoming Game and Fish Department for walk-in access on High Savery dam project properties. 

 

Financial Status Report

Mr. Purcell explained the following water accounts have the indicated balances available for appropriation for 2008:

Account I - $65.4 million

Account II - $15.5 million

Account III - $118 million.

 

Forecast of Potential Expenditures

Mr. Purcell reviewed the forecast of potential expenditures for 2008 for upcoming water projects.  He indicated his forecast was very preliminary at this point, and the total of the projected projects could exceed available moneys within the accounts.

 

Wyoming Water Development Operating Criteria

Mr. Purcell explained that the proposed changes to the operating criteria are not for final approval, but for public comment.  The final version will be considered in 2008.  Mr. Purcell explained all the proposed amendments to the criteria.

 

Meeting Adjournment

The next meeting was scheduled for November 7 through 9, 2007 in Casper as a joint meeting with the WWDC.  The following meeting for the Select Water Committee will be January 15, 2008 in Cheyenne.

                              . 

There being no further business, CoChairman Geis adjourned the meeting at 12:30 p.m.

 

Respectfully submitted,

 

 

 

 

Senator Gerald E. Geis, CoChairman

 

 

 

 

 

Appendix		Appendix Topic		Appendix Description		Appendix Provider
1		Committee Sign-In Sheet		Lists meeting attendees		Legislative Service Office
2		Water Tour		Provides a list of topics and sites for the water tour		City of Gillette
3		Committee Meeting Agenda		Provides an outline of the topics the Committee planned to address at meeting		Water Development Office