|
Water Resources in Wyoming
Within the State of Wyoming, all water resources are constitutionally the property of the state. The water resources consist of water
existing in the vapor, liquid, and solid phases and include surface water, groundwater, precipitation (rain, sleet, and snow), snow fields,
ice fields, glaciers, and water vapor in the atmosphere. The Wyoming State Engineer’s Office (WSEO) regulates beneficial use of both surface
water and groundwater within the state. A permit issued from the WSEO is required to use the waters of the state. Water resources are
used for agriculture (crop irrigation and livestock watering), domestic supply, public water system supply, lawn/garden watering, fish
hatching/rearing, environmental purposes (groundwater remediation and monitoring), electric power generation, recreation, and many
industrial purposes.
American humorist Mark Twain once stated, “Whiskey’s for drinking, water’s for fighting about.” This quote is relatively accurate
when used to describe water resources in the western United States. Water resources in the West are renewable, but are often limited
in supply. Annual precipitation is ultimately the source of both surface water and groundwater resources. Variations in the quantity
and distribution of annual precipitation may limit available water supplies and create water shortages in areas of high demand.
Population growth has increased demand and competition for Wyoming’s water resources, both within the state and in downstream states.
The Wyoming Department of Environmental Quality, Water Quality Division (WDEQ-WQD) regulates both surface water and groundwater
quality within the state to protect human health and the environment. Various types of permits are issued by WDEQ-WQD to regulate
some types of business and other activities involving water resources within the state. A permit is required to discharge water into
the waters of the state.
The Denver office of U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (USEPA) Region 8 has primary control over (primacy) and regulates the public
drinking water of the State of Wyoming. Wyoming is the only state in the United States where USEPA has primacy over the state drinking
water systems. USEPA monitors water quality for the several hundred public water systems located within the state. Information on the
public drinking water systems in Wyoming is available on the USEPA website (links).
Surface Water
Ground Water
|
Email: wsgs-info@uwyo.edu