Western States Water Council
A Voice for Water in the West since 1965
What We Do
Our mission is to ensure that the West has an adequate, secure, and sustainable supply of water of suitable quality to meet its diverse economic and environmental needs now and in the future.
Western Water Policy Positions
Raise water as a critical public policy priority. Policy positions are vetted with the governors, adopted by the Council, and promoted on behalf of Western States.
Weekly Newsletter
Report and curate state and federal news on water-related issues, as well as other activities and events.
Federal Reserved Tribal and Non-Tribal Water Rights
Support authorization and funding of negotiated settlements between tribes, states, and federal agencies to resolved unquantified tribal and non-tribal water claims.
Water Infrastructure
Recognize and promote active asset management, including consistent funding to address aging infrastructure challenges, future water supply, and water and wastewater treatment needs.
Sharing of State-Level Water Data
Develop and grow the Water Data Exchange (WaDE) Program that streamlines access to water rights and water use data, water quality and other water related databases.
Enhance State and Federal Relationships and Encourage Collaboration
Serve as a forum for Interstate and State/Federal dialogue and action on emerging and ongoing water issues with our Western States Federal Agency Support Team (WestFAST).
Water Quality-Quantity Nexus
Recognize and promote efforts to better manage and balance the interrelationships between the development and allocation of water resources, wastewater treatment, and water quality.
Water-Related Observing Systems and Data
Support the maintenance and expansion of critical observing systems and promote innovation related to the monitoring and reporting of water-related parameters.
WOTUS regional approach pre-workshop 1: Regional classification schemes
Improving Snowmelt Runoff Forecasting
Workshop on Improving Sub-seasonal to Seasonal Precipitation Forecasting to Support Water Management
#481 – Clean Water Act Jurisdiction
#481 - Clean Water Act Jurisdiction Position #481 (April 6, 2022) WHEREAS, the Clean Water Act (CWA) is built upon the principle of cooperative federalism in which Congress intended the states, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), and the U.S. Army Corps of...
#480 – Migratory Birds and the Management of State Water Rights and Resources
#480 - Migratory Birds and the Management of State Water Rights and Resources Position #480 (April 6, 2022) WHEREAS, the Migratory Bird Treaty Act (MBTA) (16 U.S.C. 703 et seq.) prohibits the taking of various migratory birds; and WHEREAS, in December of 2021, the...
#479 – Renewable Hydropower Development
#479 - Renewable Hydropower Development Position #479 (April 6, 2022) WHEREAS, the water and hydropower resources of the West have been developed through partnerships between energy and water users, and continue to be inextricably connected; and WHEREAS, clean,...
Issue #2510
Issue #2510
WOTUS 2022 – Rule 1
On February 7, 2022, WSWC and several of our member states submitted comments on the proposed rule, “Revised Definition of the Waters of the United States” (86 FR 69372). A selection of letters is included below.
S. 2568 Open Access Evapotranspiration (Open ET) Data Act
On June 7, the Western States Water Council submitted written comments to the Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee Public Lands, Forests & Mining Subcommittee strongly supporting efforts to enhance and expand the availability of and open access to...
ATTY99-2022-03379-Assistant Attorney General for the Water & Natural Resources Division-Cheyenne
The Wyoming Attorney General’s Office is seeking a qualified attorney who wants to be part of our office and serve as counsel to the Wyoming State Engineer and his staff as part of the Water and Natural Resources Division. The position general description,...
Western Water Perspectives
In this section, we will post reflective articles on water-related topics that summarize and review what has been done on a particular theme of interest.
Putting Water Data to Work: Western States Efforts to Inform Decision-Making
How should water data be structured and published to inform a wide range of decision-making activities for so many purposes? Here are a few stakeholder engagement reports from the leading states on this topic: California, Texas, and New Mexico. Informing the...
WestFAST June 2022 Newsletter
USDA Announces $503 Million to Improve Outdoor Recreation and Conservation on National Forests; Department of the Interior Proposes Expanding Conservation Technique as Climate Change Threatens Greater Species Extinction; May 2022 was warm and wet across the U.S....
Wild & Scenic Rivers Workshop
On September 14, 2021, the Western States Water Council and WestFAST jointly hosted a Wild & Scenic Rivers Workshop. The Non-Tribal Federal Water Rights Workgroup, comprised of WSWC and WestFAST members, has as its primary purpose to facilitate state-federal...
The Western States Water Council is the preeminent water policy organization in the western U.S. representing as it does 18 western states. From influential positions on federal rules and legislation to support of Landsat missions intended to acquire important water use information, the Council serves it member states like no other entity. My 18-year membership with the Council is one of the most memorable experiences of my service as Wyoming State Engineer.
I find the Council to be a provocative forum to discuss how State water supply and water quality program should interact. Western perspectives highlight the unique and confounding aspects of managing water quality in ways that defy uniform application of the Clean Water Act. And there may be no greater champion of the importance of water data programs of the USGS and NRCS than the WSWC.
The Western States Water Council is recognized as a national leader in developing and influencing national and western water policy, while serving as the water arm for the Western Governors’ Association. The Council provides an excellent forum for states and federal agencies to discuss water issues of mutual interest. I know that my time on the Council certainly enhanced my ability as a leader on state water issues.
Contact Us
Western States Water Council Office
682 East Vine Street, Suite 7
Murray, UT 84107-5501
(801) 685-2555
(801) 685-2559 (fax)
jgroat@wswc.utah.gov
Julie Groat
Administrative Assistant
