Directors of the Nowood Watershed Improvement District, which serves the Hyattville area, voted Saturday to hold off on condemning private property until after the district’s Nov. 3 election. The decision keeps the eminent‑domain option for the proposed Alkali Dam off the table until voters decide whether to retain three incumbent board members.
Election could reshape dam plans
Incumbents John Joyce, Martin Mercer and Mitch Vigil face challengers Tom Shirran, Todd Jones and Doug Hamilton. Mercer warned, “If they vote John, Mitch, and myself off … I don’t know what that new board will do with it,” indicating the condemnation plan hinges on the election outcome.
The district had previously sent final offers to owners of five properties—Paul and Kathy Hughes, Keith Hamilton of the Hamilton Ranch, Tom Shirran, Thomas Searfoss, and Gene and Kris Robertson of the Diamond S Ranch—asking them to sell options for permanent and temporary easements. The letters stated that if the offers were not accepted, the district would “reluctantly initiate eminent domain proceedings.” None of the owners had signed the options by the time of the meeting.
Alkali Dam project details
Water developers estimate the earthen embankment dam, 100 feet high and nearly a half‑mile long, could cost up to $113 million. The resulting reservoir would cover 132‑312 acres and provide just over 5,000 acre‑feet of water in eight of ten years, primarily for late‑season irrigation benefiting about 33 irrigators.
State lawmakers have imposed an end‑of‑year deadline for the project, criticizing the Wyoming Water Development Office and commission for spending more than $5 million without first securing easement options. A recent bill states that beginning Jan. 1, 2027, any funds appropriated for the project may not be used to exercise eminent domain.
Local opposition and district response
Landowner Tim Gardiner accused district directors of a conflict of interest, saying the dam offers “marginal benefit to the state as a whole” and that its promoters stand to gain financially. Mercer rejected the claim, asserting the process has been transparent, democratic, and rule‑compliant.
“We have an opportunity, and the state’s willing to invest money in helping everybody in this room,” Mercer said, emphasizing the project’s potential benefits for local water users.
The board’s postponement puts the decision in the hands of voters, who will determine whether the district moves forward with the dam or seeks alternative water solutions.
Original reporting: Oil City News (Casper WY) — read the source article.
