Summer Tour

Get your feet wet with Wyoming Water at our annual summer tour! Each summer, we partner with organizations around the state to provide our members with unique, hands-on opportunities to learn about and tour water projects and sites in Wyoming. We are conducting the tour with WACD (Wyoming Association of Conservation Districts).

2026 Tour Recap – Kemmerer

The 2026 Wyoming Water Association Summer Tour in Kemmerer, in conjunction with the Wyoming Association of Conservation Districts, provided attendees with a unique opportunity to explore the intersection of Wyoming’s water and energy resources. Participants toured TerraPower’s developing facilities and learned about advanced nuclear energy technology and its potential role in Wyoming’s energy future. Evening presentations highlighted the importance of water and habitat management within the Seedskadee National Wildlife Refuge, followed by a legislative roundtable discussion addressing current water issues and challenges facing southwest Wyoming.

On the second day, attendees toured Rocky Mountain Power’s Naughton Power Plant to gain insight into power generation, cooling water use, and operational planning. The group also visited Viva Naughton Dam to learn about reservoir operations, water storage, and regional water management. The tour concluded with a visit to the Kemmerer Joint Powers Board Water Treatment Plant, where participants explored the infrastructure and processes that provide safe, reliable drinking water to local communities.

The Summer Tour brought together water professionals, policymakers, industry representatives, and community leaders for valuable discussions, networking, and firsthand learning experiences focused on Wyoming’s water, energy, and natural resource future.

2025 Tour Recap – Buffalo

The 2025 Wyoming Water Association Summer Tour took place June 19–20 in the Sheridan area, beginning with a visit to Tie Hack Dam followed by a social hour,  dinner, and an engaging evening presentation on watershed modeling by Zach Byram of the Clear Creek Conservation District. The next day featured a full slate of educational stops, including a historical overview at Tunnel Hill with Mark Caudle, irrigation project insights from Dave Schroeder and Ryan Barker, a tour of the Story Fish Hatchery with Steve Deikena, lunch at Lake DeSmet with an update from Paul Mavrakis, and a final stop at the I-25 Fish Passage Project led by Zach Byram and Travis Cundy.  A big thank you to our sponsor, JUB Engineering, and to all of our speakers and presenters for contributing to a successful event!

  • side of a dam in the mountains
  • headgate in a body of water with trees
  • very old ditch in the mountains with a valley below
  • Irrigation ditch with person on it
  • Tour group standing on a dam in the mountains
  • group of people looking at very early irrigation ditches
  • group of people looking at the river restoration
  • River with trees and grass on the banks

2024 Tour Recap – Pinedale

2023 Tour Recap – Saratoga

The 2024 Summer Tour in Pinedale brought together water professionals and stakeholders to explore key water issues and projects in Sublette County. Participants heard presentations on Colorado River Basin challenges, water banking, reservoir development, and demand management efforts. The tour also included visits to the New Fork River Restoration Project, Boulder Rearing Facility, and stream restoration sites utilizing beaver dam analogs and Zeedyk structures.