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
#475 – Bureau of Reclamation Drought Response Program
Position #475 - September 16, 2021 WHEREAS, the Western States Water Council is a policy advisory body representing eighteen states and since its inception the Council has been actively involved in national drought preparedness, planning and response, as well as...
#474 – Drought Preparedness, Prediction and Early Warning Programs
Position #474 - September 16, 2021 WHEREAS, the Western States Water Council is a policy advisory body representing eighteen states, and has long been involved in western water conservation, development, protection, and management issues, and western states have a...
#473 – Federal Water and Climate Data Collection and Analysis Programs
Position #473 - September 16, 2021 WHEREAS, the Western States Water Council is a policy advisory body representing eighteen states, and has long been involved in western water conservation, development, protection, and management issues, and the member states and...
Issue #2509 Special Report
Issues #2509 Special Report
State Comments on EPA’s Request for WOTUS Recommendations
On September 3, 2021, the public comment period closed on the EPA’s Request for Recommendations: Waters of the United States. The following links are comments submitted by some of our states, sharing their positive and negative experiences under different WOTUS regulatory regimes.
Senate Water and Power Subcommittee Hearing
On May 25, the Senate Committee on Energy and Natural Resources Water and Power Subcommittee held a hearing on the following bills: (1) S. 953 to provide for drought preparedness and improved water supply reliability; (2) S. 2334 to direct the Secretary of the...
27th Annual Wallace Stegner Center Symposium
27th Annual Wallace Stegner Center Symposium | Annual Water & Tribes Initiative Basinwide Gathering The Colorado River Compact: Navigating the Future March 17-18, 2022 University of Utah S.J. Quinney College of Law | Salt Lake City, Utah The Colorado River Compact...
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WaDE 2.0 Metadata Dictionary for Sharing Site-Specific Historic Water Use Time Series Data (Draft)
Background The WaDE data dictionary is a product of a 10-year effort among the western 18 states for an agreed-upon common metadata schema implemented in a centralized data system that is used for sharing water rights and water use data to enable regional analysis...
Issue #2509
Issue #2509
Stock Water Rights for Grazing Livestock on Federal Lands
A report on select western state and federal laws, policies, and perspectives on stock water rights, as well as some stock owner perspectives. The report is intended to serve as a useful tool to facilitate understanding, and as a springboard to continue conversations as we seek to reduce conflicts where possible.
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
