What Happened?
All of Utah is currently in drought, and the state faces significant water challenges that it can't overcome without federal support. The Bear River Water Conservancy District hired Bishop Consulting Group LLC to lobby on water infrastructure appropriations, and its registration amendment was signed Sept. 2, 2025.
The district is also the sponsor of the Lower Bear River Watershed project, which seeks partial federal funding through a federal watershed protection and flood prevention law.
Why Does it Matter to Me?
The fiscal year 2026 Energy and Water Development appropriations bill typically includes funding for the Department of the Interior's Bureau of Reclamation and Central Utah Project.
The district has spent $63,000 across seven lobbying filings to press its case in Washington.
Both Sides, Now
Utah is currently in drought, with the entirety of the state affected. Sen. John R. Curtis held a roundtable in August with state officials, water experts, and conservation leaders to explore options including desalination, cloud seeding, and forest management. Sen. Mike Lee met with Utah water conservancy districts earlier this year to discuss the Great Salt Lake, the Colorado River, and water management.
Opponents argue that diverting more Bear River water could further reduce inflows to the Great Salt Lake and harm its ecosystems. Utah's Division of Water Resources estimated that Bear River development could lower Great Salt Lake levels by an average of about 8.5 inches, and by as much as 14 inches. Utah's Division of Water Rights has documented that river recreationists and some environmental groups have opposed additional dams on the Bear River and its tributaries.
Neither the district nor Bishop Consulting Group LLC has publicly commented on the opposition concerns documented in state agency records.
What Happens Next?
The fiscal year 2026 Energy and Water Development appropriations bill covers October 1, 2025 through September 30, 2026, and typically includes money for the Bureau of Reclamation and the Central Utah Project. The Lower Bear River Watershed project, sponsored by the Bear River Water Conservancy District, seeks partial funding through the Watershed Protection and Flood Prevention Act.
The two lobbyists on the account are Rob Bishop, founder of Bishop Consulting Group LLC, and Shule Bishop, a partner who previously worked in former Sen. Orrin Hatch's office.
Will Congress fund new Bear River water projects before Utah's drought deepens further?
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