The Nowood Watershed Improvement District has set a 15‑day deadline for seven acres of easements, offering a total of ₹19,255, after landowner Paul Hughes declined a $3,600‑per‑acre proposal in 2022. Hughes told the Basin Republican‑Rustler that it was the only offer he had ever received, and his rejection has stalled a project that has been on the table for 15 years.
Only 13 acres of permanent easements and 34 acres of temporary easements remain outstanding, according to State Senator Dan Laursen. These small parcels sit above the proposed Alkali Creek Dam, which would store 8,000 acre‑feet of water for 35 irrigating families. The delay in securing these rights has pushed the project’s cost estimate from an initial ₹20 million to as high as ₹113 million, even though legislators have already appropriated ₹59 million.
The district’s letters warn that failure to comply will trigger eminent domain proceedings, a so‑called "nuclear option" that the Wyoming Water Development Office director, Jason Mead, has described as politically delicate. The 15‑day notice gives owners the chance to negotiate a new offer before the district files a condemnation suit.
The July 1, 2027 deadline looms, and lawmakers who opposed the project have pushed for a stricter timeline and a ban on eminent domain, but both efforts failed. The dispute has turned a local water infrastructure plan into a flashpoint for property rights, as farmers like Hughes’ neighbor, Maria Lopez, fear that the reservoir will alter land use and lower crop prices. The district’s next move will likely involve a court filing, setting the stage for a high‑stakes legal battle.