The bill amends existing Wyoming water law to allow for private ownership of water rights specifically for instream flow purposes. Previously, only the state of Wyoming could own these rights, but the new language permits any person to own instream flow water rights. Additionally, the bill introduces a provision that allows individuals to acquire existing water rights or petition for a change of use for instream flow purposes, which was not previously available.

The amendments include the deletion of the restriction that limited ownership of instream flow water rights to the state and the insertion of new language that expands ownership rights to individuals. Furthermore, the bill clarifies that any water rights acquired and changed will be limited to a specified stream segment while maintaining the original priority date. The act is set to take effect on July 1, 2025.

Statutes affected:
Introduced: 41-3-1002, 41-3-1007