Game and Fish warns Flaming Gorge boat ramps risk closure; asks for phased funding and partnership

John Walrath, regional fisheries supervisor for the Wyoming Game and Fish Department, told the committee that Flaming Gorge Reservoir access is already deteriorating and that several ramps and roads are losing functionality as the reservoir operates at lower elevations. He said an early construction window exists while land is exposed and warned future work could cost much more if delayed.

Walrath said the department has allocated engineering design funds and expects designs by April 2026, with the earliest possible construction in August 2027. He estimated rough per‑ramp replacement costs of $300,000 to $600,000 and said an all‑in estimate for large public‑access infrastructure on the Wyoming side could be about $12.5 million. “So all total, if we were just looking at public access infrastructure on the Wyoming side, that's about $12,500,000 for big, the big projects that would make a big improvement,” Walrath said. Committee members asked about matching options and where an appropriation should be directed; Game & Fish said it will continue engineering while seeking funding partners and recommended the committee send a communication to the governor and appropriations committee to highlight the problem.