WyomingWyoming state engineer studies groundwater in control areas
Starting July 1, 2026, the state engineer must study groundwater in certain counties if funding is available, with the first study due by June 30, 2030.
What it does
If funding is available, the state engineer must study counties with groundwater control areas and corrective control orders. The study must assess those controls, aquifer recharge compared with water use, and the effect of future development.
The state engineer must make each study's results public and report them to a legislative committee within 60 days after finishing the study.
The state engineer's office receives $500,000 for the required study, and may use it only for that purpose. Any unspent, uncommitted money reverts as provided by law on June 30, 2031.
Argument forPublic study results could help residents and lawmakers see how water use, corrective controls, and future development affect aquifers.
Argument againstDrilling monitoring wells could affect nearby landowners in counties where the state engineer chooses to use that method.
More detail
The state engineer must study groundwater. The study is required in each county with a board-designated control area where the state engineer has ordered at least one corrective control. The engineer may also study counties without a control area if the engineer considers it necessary. The study duty applies when funding is available. The required study must happen at least once every ten years. The first study must be completed by June 30, 2030.
The state engineer must make study results public and report them to a legislative committee. This applies to each study conducted under the groundwater study provision. The report is due no later than 60 days after the study is completed.
The law provides $500,000 from the general fund to the state engineer's office for the study. The money is for conducting the groundwater study required by the law. The money cannot be transferred or spent for another purpose. Any unspent, uncommitted money reverts as provided by law. The legislature intends that this money not be included in the state engineer's standard budget for the next budget period. The appropriation runs from July 1, 2026, through June 30, 2031.
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Where it stands
- Introduced
- Passed 1st Chamber
- Passed 2nd Chamber
- To Governor
- Became Law
Looking ahead
No hearings or votes scheduled.
History
- 2026
- Mar 6Assigned Chapter Number 70Latest
- Mar 6Governor Mark Gordon Signed SEA No. 0047Became Law
- Mar 6H Speaker Signed SEA No. 0047
- Mar 5S President Signed SEA No. 0047
- Mar 4Assigned Number SEA No. 0047
- Vote recorded H 3rd Reading:Passed 60-0-2-0-0. Result: pass.Lower
- Mar 4H 3rd Reading:Passed 60-0-2-0-0Passed 2nd Chamber
- Mar 3H 2nd Reading:PassedMinor
- Mar 3H COW:PassedMinor
- Feb 27H Placed on General File
- Vote recorded H02 - Appropriations:Recommend Do Pass 5-2-0-0-0. Result: pass.Lower
- Feb 27H02 - Appropriations:Recommend Do Pass 5-2-0-0-0Minor
- Feb 26:Rerefer to H02 - AppropriationsMinor
- Vote recorded H05 - Agriculture:Recommend Do Pass 9-0-0-0-0. Result: pass.Lower
- Feb 26H05 - Agriculture:Recommend Do Pass 9-0-0-0-0Minor
- Feb 24H Introduced and Referred to H05 - AgricultureMinor
- Feb 24H Received for IntroductionMinor
- Feb 23S 3rd Reading:Passed 29-1-1-0-0Passed 1st Chamber
- Vote recorded S 3rd Reading:Passed 29-1-1-0-0. Result: pass.Upper
- Feb 20S 2nd Reading:PassedMinor
- Feb 20S COW:PassedMinor
- Feb 19Recalled from Committee Pursuant to Senate Rule 5-5: 29-2-0-0-0
- Vote recorded Recalled from Committee Pursuant to Senate Rule 5-5: 29-2-0-0-0. Result: pass.Lower
- Feb 17:Rerefer to S02 - AppropriationsMinor
- Vote recorded S05 - Agriculture:Recommend Amend and Do Pass 4-1-0-0-0. Result: pass.Upper
- Feb 17S05 - Agriculture:Recommend Amend and Do Pass 4-1-0-0-0Minor
- Feb 10S Introduced and Referred to S05 - Agriculture 25-5-1-0-0Minor
- Vote recorded S Introduced and Referred to S05 - Agriculture 25-5-1-0-0. Result: pass.Upper
- Jan 29S Received for IntroductionMinor
- Jan 21Bill Number AssignedIntroduced
Environment & Energy