2003 WACD Annual Convention

"Wyoming - Conserving the Best"

Presidential Award

(pictured from left to right, Bobbie Frank, WACD Executive Director; Mike Besson, Wyoming Water Development Commission Director).

The WACD Presidential Award is selected annually, at the discretion of the President of the Association, to recognize individuals who have made outstanding contributions to furthering the natural resource conservation mission of Conservation Districts and their partners.  I am please this year to announce and present to Mike Besson this year’s WACD Presidential Award.

Mike, as the Wyoming Water Development Commission Director, has demonstrated his willingness and commitment to work with districts through his actions.  Although this award recognizes an individual in this current year, Mike’s efforts have spanned several years.  Mike was appointed in 1996 to serve as Wyoming Water Development Commission Director.  Since his appointment, Mike has taken many steps to help improve and allow for more district involvement in Water Development programs and effectively utilizes water development resources to further the enhancement, protection and development of Wyoming ’s water resources.

Examples of his efforts include an exerted effort to inform local Districts of their opportunities to serve as sponsors of Level I studies.  More and more districts, as they become aware serve a vital function in helping local communities have these studies conducted  to identify opportunities for water resource enhancement.  Mike also proposed and successfully gained Commission support to modify the funding criteria for Level II and III construction efforts to recognize watershed planning and water quality issues as potential uses of these funds. 

Although Districts are currently limited in their ability to participate in these programs due to a lack of statutory authorities, when this issue is addressed, hopefully within the next year or two, Mike has ensured the program criteria is already in place for districts to be able to access these programs to meet their local goals. The work it will take to modify District authorities to allow this to occur will be a big hurdle – and the Districts can be certain that Mike is sure to be there to assist and support these efforts.

In 1998, the Conservation Districts, for the first time developed a state wide water quality funding proposal to initiate statewide water quality monitoring efforts.  Then Governor, Jim Geringer, supported the proposal but decided to fund the program with Water Development funds.  Recognizing the potential impact on Water Development, WACD contacted Mike when this occurred.  Mike indicated his support of these efforts and although he is always concerned with the continued raiding of water development funds and the future impact it will have on future water development efforts, he still supported the water quality efforts.

As well, the state has been conducting river basin planning over the past several years. Mike has made a concerted effort to ensure that the Districts were invited and involved in this process.

Several of you have been sponsoring small water development projects to assist your landowners in developing water sources, which became increasingly important given the severe drought the state has experienced.  This is a new program and with all new state or federal government programs, it has had and will continue to experience growing pains.  However, a few years ago, this additional financial resource was not available to our constituents. With Mike’s support, yet one more opportunity exists to develop Wyoming ’s water resources.  And there is no doubt that Mike will continue to be open and receptive on how to enhance this program.

Obviously, all of these examples demonstrate Mike’s commitment and respect for the local Districts role on getting work done on the ground.  However, one of the most exciting opportunities that Mike has created is the ability for Wyoming Water Development and the Conservation Districts to develop a much broader and greater partnership for Districts and WWD to meet Wyoming ’s water resource goals.