Powder/Tongue River Basin Advisory Group
Meeting Record
CAM-PLEX - Gillette, WY
October 11, 2000
Welcome
The facilitators opened the meeting at approximately 6:00 pm. Participants introduced
themselves by stating their name, affiliation, and place of residence. The facilitators sent a sign-
in sheet around the room and reviewed the agenda to set the expectations for the meeting.
Planning Team Issues
Jon Wade gave a status report of the basin plans underway. Both the Bear and Green River
basins are nearing completion. At the September and October Basin Advisory Group (BAG)
meetings for these two basins, the consultants presented draft products and results for review.
The Northeast BAG is proceeding on the same schedule as the Powder/Tongue BAG.
The facilitators stated the next two BAG meetings, as selected by the BAG members, will be
held December 13 in Kaycee, and February 7, 2001, in Ucross. The BAG then scheduled the
next meeting for April 11 in Buffalo.
Consultant Update - HKM Engineering
Joe Lord of Lord Consulting distributed and explained a graphic project schedule that the
consulting team is following. He then presented a status report by explaining the consulting
team is working on data collection to define the basin water use profile. Primary activities
include mapping irrigated lands, compiling ditch diversion records, and preparing ditch operating
memoranda.
Question: What are the project meetings noted in the schedule? Response: These are monthly
meetings between the planning team and the consulting teams of all ongoing river basin planning
studies to discuss the status of the studies, problems encountered, solutions, and significant
findings. These meetings are held in Cheyenne at the Water Development Commision.
Question: Will the results be presented at the BAG meeting in October of 2001. Response: It is
likely that the draft results presentation will begin at the October meeting and be continued in a
meeting held in December.
Question: Will we have presentations from resource agencies concerning their water related
managements plans? Response: Yes. Agency representatives will be invited to make
presentations during upcoming BAG meetings.
USGS Water Data in the Powder and Tongue River Basins
Myron Brooks of the United States Geological Survey (USGS) gave a presentation on the
activities, projects, and programs of the USGS specifically related to the Powder and Tongue
River basins. The presentation addressed four basic questions: 1) why does the USGS do this
work; 2) how is the data collected; 3) where is the data being collected; and, 4) what uses exist
for the data.
The presentation addressed: 1) streamflow measurement and gaging procedures; 2) water quality
sampling methods; 3) quality assurance and credible data; 4) locations of historic and current
stations and length of record; and, 5) uses of data collected by USGS. Sample streamflow and
water quality data were presented and described.
Myron indicated data is available on the USGS website: http://wy.water.usgs.gov
Questions: Are log records for drill sites available on the USGS website? Response: No, this
data will probably not be available electronically soon. Specific questions about logs can be
addressed by calling the USGS office to determine the availability of the log records.
Question: How extensive is the collection of groundwater data and tying this data into the
hydrologic system? Response: USGS has a fairly scarce network of groundwater data. There
are some reasonably long-term records of water levels in observation wells. The network has
maybe one or two wells in the Sheridan area. USGS has projects that collect groundwater data -
water quality, levels, and information from well logs. This data goes into the database but is not
yet available on the website. The USGS office can be contacted to determine what data is
available. Followup question: Are statistical analysis and other tools available for groundwater
similar to those packages available for surface water that could be used to define basin
groundwater storage maps, interbasin flows between different units or within boundaries, and
things of that nature? Response: Yes, these tools are available and the USGS office can be
contacted to determine what tools are available.
Question: What is the funding source for USGS stations, does it look secure, and will USGS
convert to SI (metric) units? Response: Streamflow data is published in English units but can be
converted to SI units. Water quality data is published in SI units. Relative to funding for the
nationwide streamgaging network, only an estimated 15% to 20% of the gaging network
operated by USGS is funded solely by USGS. The remainder of the gages are funded by others
through the USGS cooperative program. USGS has been asking Congress to recognize this
funding arrangement is a problem and they are asking Congress for $80M to fund a national-
interest streamgaging network. Followup Question: Is there a way additional monitoring can be
done as part of the river basin planning process. Response: No, river basin planning does not
require additional monitoring as the planning process uses historical data.
Question: What is the quality assurance/quality control process for water quantity data, how does
USGS account for the condition of the gage? Response: Gage levels are surveyed and checked
regularly to USGS standards. Meters are inspected and tested and documented in a log
maintained by the hydrographer-commissioner. Periodic reviews are conducted by USGS
headquarters personnel who inspect the gages, review the records, and watch the technicians do
their work. Gages are maintained to the maximum extent of budget availability. Followup
Question: Are there "red flags" in the record that tell the users of the data that there may be a
problem with the data? Response: Notes included with the published records will indicate
problems.
Comment: The map of gage locations shown in the presentation only includes gages operated by
USGS or in cooperation with USGS. There are many more gages in the basin.
Comment: The Ucross Foundation is looking at possibly developing its methane. As part of that
process they intend to build real-time monitoring and want to cooperate with USGS so they don't
reinvent the wheel. Response: USGS is always interested in discussing cooperative programs.
Question: Will the presentation be included in the meeting record? Response: Yes, a copy of the
presentation will be distributed with the meeting record and will also be included on the water
plan website.
Question: Do all streamgages shown on the map of gage locations shown in the presentation
have water quality data? Response: Not all gages shown on the map have water quality data.
Comment: Coal hydrology reports prepared around 1978 are a good reference for data
availability. USGS has a limited number of these reports remaining.
Question: How are changes in the watershed, such as the construction of a dam, going to be
accounted for in developing the hydrologic budgets? Response: Estimates of the virgin flow at a
gage will be developed by removing effects of man, then adjusting the virgin flow to account for
the current level of development.
Issues Identification Process
The facilitators explained that at the last meeting the BAG identified subissues under general
headings. BAG members continued the subissue identification process for the four remaining
major issues: Related Land Issues, Water Quantity, Conservation, and Funding. BAG
members identified subissues and wrote them on pieces of colored paper. These subissues were
then posted under the appropriate main issue. The subissues identified during the meeting are
presented in the accompanying table. Subissues identified at the August 16 BAG meeting are
also included in this same table.
After the BAG completed identifying subissues, the facilitator explained the next step in the
issues identification process is to prioritize each of the subissues under the main issues. She
explained the Northeast BAG prioritized each subissue by basin and asked how the BAG wanted
to proceed. The BAG members agreed to prioritize the subissues by basin. Question: Is it
necessary to prioritize every subissue for every basin? Response: Yes, it is important for the
consultant to hear the discussion to learn what issues are important to which basin. The
members decided to group the subissues under each major issue prior to prioritizing the
subissues.
Beginning with the Future Use Projections issue, there was extensive discussion of the use of
projections made by private, local, state and federal entities in developing the projections for the
basins. It was agreed the projections made by these entities will not be used to dictate the future
for the basins, but they are only tools that will be used by the consultant to make projections
associated with low, moderate, and high growth scenarios. The projections will be based on
input from the BAG. BAG members agreed to remove local, state, and federal as subissues
under the Future Use Projections issue.
The facilitator explained the issues identification process will continue at the next meeting. The
subissues under the Future Use Projections issue will be grouped where possible and the
process will proceed to the other issues.
The meeting was adjourned at approximately 9:00 pm.
Powder and Tongue River Basins
List of Issues and Subissues
Basin Advisory Group Meeting: August 16, 2000
Issue: Water Quality
- stream classification (DEQ & G&F)
- baseline data collection - groundwater and surface water
- TMDL
- NPDES permitting
- erosion sediment deposition
- CBM discharge
- aquifer commingling
- agricultural feeding operations and confined agricultural feeding operations (AFO/CAFO)
- land use impacts
- aquifer classification
- stormwater discharge
- best management practices (BMPs)
- irrigation return flows
- water temperature
- transbasin diversion
- herbicide/pesticide use and runoff (golf course)
- well classification
- irrigation practices
- sodium adsorption ratio (SAR)
- leach fields impact/subsurface discharges.
Issue: Water Rights
- preservation of existing rights prior to compacts
- compact issues
- transbasin and tributary diversions
- change of use/change of point of diversion issues
- federal takeover threats
- instream flows - fisheries, esthetics, recreation
- minimum pools in reservoirs for recreation/fish
- state water law
- prior appropriation doctrine
- permitting process
- permitted uses
- ditch right vs. water right
- cumulative impacts from CBM water discharge
- water reserves for future uses
- low flows impacting fish and aquatic environment
- unused water rights
- abandoned water rights.
Issue: Future Use Projections
- population projections - local, federal, state (This subissue was later removed by the BAG at
their meeting on October 11, 2000)
- recreation/tourism
- aesthetic/visual use
- changing land use
- energy use
- technology
- industry
- economic
- agriculture
- pressure on infrastructure.
Issue: Regulatory
- wetlands
- instream flow requirements
- source water protection
- wellhead protection
- emotional paranoia
- EPA trying to take over State's primacy
- issues for new dam permitting
- Clean Water Act
- Endangered Species Act
- NEPA (National Environmental Policy Act)
- permitted vs. non-permitted flow diversion
- EPA, DEQ, state, county, federal, other
- state and federal laws effecting use and development
- safety of dams
- Corps, Game & Fish, US Fish & Wildlife, BIA - tribes.
Issue: Public Education
- walls of water
- value & economic cost of water
- conservation
- help for ditch organizations
- water law
- understanding Clean Water Action Plan
- meeting
- college
- schools
- COE (Corps of Engineers) permitting
- economic benefits of CBM
- radio/TV
- coal seam depressurization
- regulatory agency statute development
- MMMM (forums)
- public regulatory contribution
- fact vs. fiction
- NEPA process public input.
Issue: Water Development
- rehab of existing conveyance systems (old ditches), highest and best use priorities
- municipal
- agriculture
- pipeline distribution stock water systems
- extreme difficulty in getting dams permitted
- improved irrigation efficiency
- minimum flows & flushing flows below dams (present ones and future development)
- fish loss to diversion ditches
- plan, plan, plan
- privatized public use systems
- pre-compact projects
- new technologies and new uses
- funding
- aquifer storage and retrieval (ASR) programs.
Issue: Related Land Issues
- noxious weeds
- streambank erosion
- best management practices in riparian areas
- wellhead protection
- watershed management for water yield
- land ownership patterns
- restoration/reclamation/rehabilitation
- recreational overgrazing.
Issue: Water Quantity
- recharge area protection
- baseline data collection, groundwater and surface water
- water quantity and occurrence
- interbasin transfers and flows
- recharge areas defined recharges
- reinjection programs
- reinjection to aquifers
- planning for water quantity decreases following peak development (resting the resource)
- reservoir projects
- conveyance losses
- contract reservoir rights, how they fit in, what is their future, how dependable
- fish need water too
- precipitation
- drip irrigation
- conservation pools and flows
- promoting opportunity for innovative, non-invasive water management
- preservation of watersheds
Issue: Conservation
- groundwater
- surface water
- CBM water management
- improved management practices
- re-use
- wild and scenic designations
- improved irrigation practices
- non-subsidized use (pay for what you use)
- permaculture practices
- protecting scenic watersheds, private cooperative projects as opposed to government
- managing (conserving) consumptive use
- rehabilitation projects (irrigation)
- preservation of watersheds.
Issue: Funding
- private land rights
- funding for water development opportunities
- private funding
- industry contribution
- rehab of existing conveyance systems (old ditches)
- WWDC
- partnerships with Feds
- watershed groups (defined users)
- more funding for watershed protection (State)
- legislature
- more federal funding
- single species groups (Ducks Unlimited)
- water futures
- private systems providing water for payment
- interstate water sales and leasing
- The Nature Conservancy (TNC)
- cost/benefit analyses
- Trout Unlimited
- wildlife and conservation organizations
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