Water Law

      The Firm provides comprehensive water rights representation in virtually all aspects of water law.  Keith regularly represents clients on water law matters of all types and provides practical, strategic and usable information related to the rights they hold, or the rights they seek to acquire.  He also maintains close relationships with a network of highly qualified consulting, engineering and surveying experts who can bring valuable insights and services on water right matters for the firm's clients.  The firm's areas of water right practice include: 

​

• Permitting new surface water, ground water and storage rights through the State Engineer.

• Adjudication of water rights through the Board of Control.

• Changes to water rights—Petitions relating to changes in use, place of use, point of diversion and means of conveyance.

• Temporary Use Agreements under Wyoming Statutes.

• Short and Long-Term Water Leasing and contracts for use of surface water, ground water and reservoir supplies.

• Water Right Exchanges pursuant to Wyoming Statutes.

• Water Right Searches—Beyond just identifying rights, the Firm can also assess them in the context of due diligence, relative priority vs. other appropriators on the system, evaluate historic use and compare "paper" rights to beneficial use on-the-ground, and assess potential abandonment risks.

• Strategy development and advice on maximizing the value and usability of water rights. 

• Representation in Contested Cases before the Board of Control and in court litigation and appeals.

• Abandonment and protection of adjudicated water rights.

• Ditch rights and easements.

• Irrigation District law.

• Bureau of Reclamation project issues.

• Law of the Colorado River and implications of Compact issues on water users.