Bureau of Reclamation
A warm, dry January had an impact on the Bighorn Basin’s water, but there’s still plenty in the region’s four reservoirs – and even more to come after February’s winter storms. The Bureau of Reclamation released its latest snowmelt forecast for 2023 on Tuesday, Feb. 21. Based on the latest numbers; it looks like there…
After years of below-average inflow, all four reservoirs in the Bighorn Basin are anticipated to be at or above their 30-year-average water levels by summer, thanks to ample precipitation over the last few months. The Bureau of Reclamation released its first snowmelt forecast for 2023 on Friday, Jan. 13. In the report, the spring runoff…
The Bureau of Reclamation will be lowering the water level in Alcova Reservoir as the 2022 irrigation season draws to a close. The annual drawdown of the reservoir will begin on Saturday, Oct. 1. During October, “the reservoir water surface elevation will be lowered by about 10 feet, at a rate of approximately four inches…
The Buffalo Bill Dam fulfills an essential purpose every day, but a test by the Bureau of Reclamation proves it will work safely and efficiently when it needs to release some of the water it contains. The Bureau of Reclamation’s Wyoming Area Office completed a full travel gate testing at Buffalo Bill Dam outside of…
The Department of the Interior is allocating over $31 million to all 23 Wyoming counties to maintain public lands as part of the annual Payments in Lieu of Taxes funding. The Department of the Interior announced that 23 local governments in Wyoming will receive $31.5 million in Payments in Lieu of Taxes (P.I.L.T.) funding for…
Today, the Department of the Interior announced “$25.5 million” in Bipartisan Infrastructure Law funds for “WaterSMART Water and Energy Efficiency Grants” in an effort to “safeguard local water supplies” in the face of severe western drought. Eight western states will be awarded funding for fourteen projects to “help local communities improve water use efficiency” by…
Boaters planning an excursion at the Buffalo Bill Reservoir will launch and load at “your own risk,” as low water levels have fully exposed the Lake Shore Dock. As temperatures stay consistently warm, many boaters are looking forward to a water excursion on the Buffalo Bill Reservoir. And while nothing’s stopping boating, getting their boats…
The Bureau of Reclamation is holding an important meeting at the Park County Fairgrounds to discuss water and the Buffalo Bill Reservoir in 2022. The Bureau of Reclamation will host a public Buffalo Bill Reservoir Water Information Meeting in Powell on Tuesday, Mar. 15 at 1:00 p.m. The purpose of the meeting is to discuss…
No basin in the Bighorn Basin is expected to reach capacity in 2022, which isn’t a promising sign for a region that’s already “abnormally dry.” The Bureau of Reclamation released its snowmelt forecast on Thursday, Jan. 13. In the report, the spring runoff of each river in the Bighorn Basin is calculated to determine how…
Thanks to a joint effort between the B.L.M. and the State of Wyoming, the Cottonwood Creek Mine near Cody is returning to its natural state. The Bureau of Land Management partnered with the State of Wyoming in 2021 to reclaim a hazardous mine near Cody, improving public safety and the health of public lands. The…
