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 communication, sharing perspectives, constraints, and opportunities to work together to better resolve concerns over federal water rights within western states.
Prior to the Workshop, WestFAST hosted an orientation webinar, providing a federal perspective of the Wild & Scenic Rivers Act.
Video excerpts of the Workshop are available at the links below:
Case Studies: Negotiating Flow Protection for Wild & Scenic Rivers
a. Idaho – Clive Strong, Legal Director for Natural Resources and Environment, Conference of Western Attorneys General
Understanding the Snake River Basin Adjudication excerpt
b. Alaska – Kim Sager, Statewide Reservation of Water Program Lead, Alaska Department of Natural Resources
c. Wyoming – Sue Lowry, Executive Director, Interstate Council on Water Policy
Resolution of Wild & Scenic River Water Right Claims – Stephen Bartell, Assistant Chief, Natural Resources Section, Environment and Natural Resources Division, U.S. Department of Justice
Wild & Scenic River Management Standards and Implications For Water Rights – Roy Smith, BLM Colorado/Utah, Wild & Scenic Rivers Program Lead
Quantification of Federal Reserved Water Rights For Wild & Scenic Rivers – Roy Smith, BLM Colorado/Utah, Wild & Scenic Rivers Program Lead
Role of the Interagency Wild & Scenic Rivers Coordinating Council – Mike Eberle, National Water Rights and Uses Program Lead, U.S. Forest Service
See rivers.gov for more information on the Interagency W&SR Coordinating Council and publications relating to Wild and Scenic Rivers