Supporters of $80M dam beat back funding cut

Uncertain how to fully fund an $80 million dam in southwest Wyoming, lawmakers Friday agreed the state should spend no money on construction before finalizing a financial package.

Among issues debated by the Legislature’s Select Water Committee are how and whether Colorado — which could accrue 25 percent of the project’s benefit — might participate in building the 280-foot-high dam and 10,000 acre-foot reservoir. Friday’s debate regarding a $82 million water-construction bill and an $11 million water-planning measure also saw legislators haggle over whether other lawmakers might raid a water account for different purposes.

Wyoming water developers seek $40 million in 2018 to continue planning and begin construction of a dam on the West Fork of Battle Creek in Carbon County. The proposed dam and reservoir would serve between 67 and 100 irrigators in the Little Snake River drainage. Irrigators would pay less than 10 percent of the cost, according to the funding request.

Although a quarter of the lands that would benefit from the dam are in another state, Water Development Office Director Harry LaBonde said he has had only conversations with counterparts in Colorado. He estimated that state’s obligation at $20 million or a fifth of the cost. Wyoming and Colorado so far have forged no cost-sharing agreement.

Read more: http://www.wyofile.com/supporters-80m-dam-beat-back-funding-cut/