Fremont Lake Municipal Water Release Supports Statewide Water Management Study
- annikawharton
- Jul 31
- 2 min read
Fremont Lake Municipal Water Release Supports Statewide Water Management Study
The Town of Pinedale will begin a planned release of approximately 100 cubic feet per second (cfs) from its municipal water storage in Fremont Lake beginning August 1, 2026, and continuing through August 15, 2026. The release is being conducted in partnership with the Wyoming State Engineer's Office (SEO) as part of a statewide water accounting and conservation study.
The release is occurring under the Provisional Accounting Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) between the Upper Colorado River Commission (UCRC), the Upper Division States, and the Bureau of Reclamation (BOR). The project is intended to improve Wyoming's ability to accurately measure, account for, and protect water resources within the Colorado River Basin.
Why is the water being released?
The release will allow the Wyoming State Engineer's Office to measure how water moves through the river system from Fremont Lake to Fontenelle Reservoir and ultimately to Flaming Gorge Reservoir. During the project, the SEO will:
· Measure streamflows at multiple gaging stations.
· Conduct field measurements throughout the river system.
· Evaluate conveyance and transit losses.
· Improve future water accounting methods.
· Collect data that will help protect Wyoming's water interests in future Colorado River management discussions.
The Town of Pinedale was approached by the Wyoming State Engineer's Office to participate in this important effort. The Town agreed to assist in support of Wyoming's long-term water management objectives and to be a cooperative partner in this statewide initiative.
What does this mean for Fremont Lake?
Over the 15-day release period, the Town will release approximately 2,975 acre-feet of its stored municipal water. This equates to roughly seven inches of water surface elevation in Fremont Lake. The release consists entirely of water owned by the Town of Pinedale and does not affect other water users' stored allocations.
Will the Town receive compensation?
No. The Town of Pinedale is participating voluntarily and has not received any financial compensation for its involvement in the project.
What happens after the release?
Following the release, the Wyoming State Engineer's Office will continue monitoring the movement of the water through Fontenelle Reservoir and Flaming Gorge Reservoir before completing detailed accounting and transit loss analyses. The final project report is expected to be completed by the end of September 2026.
Additional Information
The Town has included the Wyoming State Engineer's Office's "Fremont Lake Municipal Water Release Plan" with this announcement for those interested in learning more about the project. The document provides additional information regarding the study objectives, monitoring methods, project schedule, and the data collection being conducted throughout the Green River Basin.
