The WSWC and WestFAST Non-Tribal Federal Water Rights Workgroup* held a series of workshops and other presentations on stock water rights in 2018 and 2019. The first workshop focused on western state and federal laws, policies, and perspectives. The second workshop included perspectives from stock owner organizations on navigating those complex laws, policies, and relationships to ensure stock have sufficient water to meet their needs. A presentation during a WSWC meeting introduced members of the workgroup to federal conflict resolution programs. The following report compiles information and lessons learned from those presentations and discussions. It 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 Non-Tribal Federal Water Rights Workgroup is comprised of members of the Western States Water Council and Western Federal Agency Support Team (WestFAST). The workgroup’s primary purpose is to facilitate state-federal communication and to share perspectives, constraints, and opportunities to work together to resolve concerns over federal water rights in western states.