The conservation and protection of surface waters within the Lower Wind River Conservation District is a main goal of the District. With an average annual rainfall of 10 inches, water in our semi-arid region is highly valued. From lakes and reservoirs, small ephemeral and intermittent streams to the Big and Little Wind Rivers and irrigation canals, our District features unique water conveyance and storage systems that support a large part of our economy.

To better understand our water storage and conveyance, we analyze the makeup of our six main watersheds with the District. What is a watershed? A watershed is an area of land where all the water that falls, such as rain or snow, drains into a common outlet like a river, lake, or ocean. In our region, that outlet is Boysen Reservoir. Why do watersheds matter? They influence water quality and supply, contribute to flood control and ecosystem health, and the activities within our watersheds impact downstream areas.

Emergency Watershed Protection

The district has sponsored six Emergency Water Protection (EWP) Projects through the Natural Resource Conservation Service. Three were designed to help stabilize the bank of the Big Wind River when high water threatened the lives and homes of five families, when the Little Wind River threatened an irrigation canal, and when the Big Wind River threatened a headgate, irrigation ditch, livelihoods and property.