This bill establishes a new temporary use of water right under W.S. 41-3-117, allowing individuals to acquire the right to use water from existing adjudicated or unadjudicated water rights for a limited period, not exceeding a specified number of years. The bill outlines the application process, which requires written submission to the state engineer, and stipulates that temporary agreements can be renewed. It also includes provisions to ensure that no other appropriators are harmed by the temporary use and that the rights of the original water right holders are preserved upon the termination of the temporary diversion.

Additionally, the bill amends W.S. 34-1-158(a)(i) to clarify that a temporary change of use under the new section or existing statutes will not be considered an interruption of use for the purpose of establishing a prescriptive easement for water conveyance. The state engineer is authorized to charge a fee for reviewing temporary water agreements, and penalties are established for wrongful diversions under this new framework. The act is set to take effect on July 1, 2024.

Statutes affected:
24LSO-0130 v0.3: 34-1-158