Wyoming Colorado River 

Advisory Committee

 Colorado River Advisory Committee meetings are open for public attendance and we welcome you.

There is NO VIRTUAL or RECORDED option for Colorado River Advisory Committee Meetings. 

Please find important resource links below including previous meeting presentations.

Wyoming Colorado River Advisory Committee members appointed by Governor Mark Gordon


Chad Espenscheid, representing agricultural irrigation interests that divert and use water from the

Green River or its tributaries upstream from the Fontenelle Reservoir, term expires 6/30/2025;

 

Ron Micheli, representing agricultural irrigation interests that divert and use water from the

Green River or its tributaries downstream from the Fontenelle Reservoir, term expires 6/30/2027;

 

Jim Espy, representing agricultural interests that divert and use water from the Little Snake River

or its tributaries, term expires 6/30/2027;

 

Benjamin “Ben” Bracken, representing municipal water users that divert and use water from the

Green River or its tributaries, term expires 6/30/2025;

 

Brad Brooks, representing municipal water users that divert and use water from the Little Snake

River or its tributaries, term expires 6/30/2027;

 

Ron Wild, representing industrial water users that divert and use water in Wyoming's portion of

the Colorado River basin, term expires 6/30/2027;


Aaron Reichl, representing industrial water users that divert and use water in Wyoming's portion

of the Colorado River basin, term expires 6/30/2025;

 

Jennifer Lamb, representing recreational, fish, wildlife and environmental interests in Wyoming's

portion of the Colorado River basin, term expires 6/30/2025;

 

Michael Henn, representing conservation districts in Wyoming's portion of the Colorado River

basin, term expires 6/30/2025;


Members appointed by the Speaker of the House and President of the Senate 


Albert Sommers, Representative, and Speaker of the House, term indefinite;


Larry Hicks, Senator and Majority Floor Leader, term indefinite.

Governor Mark Gordon's Memorandum: 

Colorado River Advisory Committee Welcome and Call to Action

Resources: Colorado River Advisory Committee

Resources: Colorado River Working Group

Wyoming Colorado River Working Group is dedicated to providing the best information. Resources will continue to be added & updated.

April 11, 2023 Draft Supplemental Environmental Impact Statement (SEIS)

Press Release: March 6, 2023: Suspension of 2022 DROA Releases from Flaming Gorge

Press Release

March 6, 2023


Drought Response Releases Suspended at Flaming Gorge Reservoir Wyoming, along with Utah, Colorado, New Mexico, and the Bureau of Reclamation, has agreed to suspend drought response releases from Flaming Gorge Reservoir beginning on March 7 th . Suspending additional releases now will help to begin rebuilding storage in Flaming Gorge. 


Since last May, additional water has been released from Flaming Gorge to help protect critical

infrastructure and maintain hydropower generation at Glen Canyon Dam. Poor water supply conditions raised concerns that Lake Powell would drop below an elevation of 3,490 feet which would limit water releases and prevent hydropower generation. However, due to the success of actions taken to address declining Lake Powell elevations, as well as improved water supply conditions this year, additional water releases from Flaming Gorge are no longer needed in the near term. The currently projected wet conditions provide a critical opportunity to prepare for future dry conditions by retaining storage in Flaming Gorge.


The additional drought response releases from Flaming Gorge have been made pursuant to the 2022 Drought Response Operations Plan, and were scheduled to be made through April 2023 and total 500,000 acre-feet of water. Suspending those releases for the remainder of March and April will result in approximately 36,000 to 37,000 acre-feet less water being released than was originally planned. Even with reduced inflow from Flaming Gorge, current projections indicate that Lake Powell elevations will stay well above 3,490 feet through water year 2023.


Wyoming recognizes that the ongoing drought requires prudent management of available Colorado River flows and monitoring of Lake Powell elevations and risk to critical infrastructure at Glen Canyon Dam. However, given the wetter than average conditions in the Upper Colorado River Basin, Wyoming, working with the Bureau of Reclamation and the other Colorado River Basin states, intends to seek recovery of additional storage in Flaming Gorge this year.

Other Publications & Events