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Powder/Tongue River Basin Advisory Group
Meeting Record
Buffalo, WY
April 2, 2003
Welcome
Facilitator Sherri Gregory welcomed the group and the meeting was called
to order at 6:02 p.m. All attendees introduced themselves, followed
by a review of the overall meeting agenda. A sign-in sheet was passed
around to record attendance. The next meeting is scheduled for July
16 in Kaycee.
Water Development Commission Report
Barry Lawrence updated the BAG on the status of the plans for the other
basins. The BAGs for the Powder/Tongue and Northeast Wyoming Basins
will be meeting April 2 in Buffalo and April 3 in Newcastle. The
Bear, Green, Snake/Salt and Wind/Bighorn River Basins met March 24
in Cokeville, March 25 in Rock Springs, March 26 in Alpine, and April
1 in Cody. Open houses for the Platte River Basin will be held this
spring. Barry discussed the status of all basin studies, and agenda
for future meetings.
John Jackson indicated that 4 new commissioners had been appointed, including
Bill Bensel in Division II. Nineteen new projects were authorized
in the Omnibus Water Bill – Planning, including a study for the Ranchester
Master Plan. Twenty-seven projects were authorized in the Omnibus
Water Bill – Construction. The projects in this basin included the following:
- Buffalo Water Storage Tank, which provides for the construction of
water storage facilities, pressure reducing stations, and a transmission
pipeline;
- Story Well, which will transfer the title of the new Level II groundwater
well;
- Sheridan Pipeline Rehabilitation, which provides for the construction
and replacement of transmission pipelines.
The Groundwater Exploration Grant Program, which was amended in 2002,
was appropriated an additional budget of $1,500,000. Eligibility for the
Small Water Project Program was amended to include the entire state.
Coalbed Methane Activities Update
Mickey Steward, Coalbed Methane Coordination Coalition, indicated the
coalition had just received funding from the state for the upcoming
year and Marilyn Conally was the new chairman. The coalition will focus
more on outreach to county commissioners and individual assistance.
Aquifer Depletion in the Powder River Basin
BJ Christensen, Coalbed Methane Coordination Coalition, indicated that
the study was the product of a local rancher’s call in September 2002.
An 890 ft. depth well, which had been flowing, had dropped to a water
level 27 feet below ground level. The local permitted groundwater wells
were researched as well as the Wasatch and Fort Union aquifers in the
basin. As of March 1999, there were 20,413 permitted water wells in
the basin. Those wells have an annual permitted production of 2,382,349
acre-feet contained within 7.9M acres, and the average age of each well
is 29 years. Unknowns affecting the aquifers include coalbed methane
wells, unpermitted groundwater wells, aquifer characteristics, drought,
and rural subdivision growth in the recharge area. It was noted that
a loss of artesian flow is probably occurring statewide. A lengthy
discussion followed.
State Engineer’s Office Coalbed Methane (CBM) Reservoir Policy
John Barnes, Surface Water Administrator, presented a history of water
practices from 1930 through late 1950’s. He indicated practices have
changed from the use of headgates and diversion structures from flood
or spring runoffs to the use of spreader dike systems. In addition, monies
were made available from the federal government to build small reservoirs.
John summarized the revised interim policy, as updated in 2002, with regard
to by-product water developed by CBM wells. He discussed the coordination
with various agencies, including the Oil and Gas Conservation Commission,
Department of Environmental Quality, Bureau of Land Management and the
US Corps of Engineers. Some of the areas of concern involve permitting
on-channel and off-channel impoundments, sodium absorption ratio (SAR),
and safety of dams for small and large reservoirs.
2,000 CBM related applications have been received since 1999, of which
half have been processed. John went on to say that within the next
3-5 years, an additional 3,000 are expected. A lengthy discussion followed.
Wyoming’s Drought
Jan Curtis, State Climatologist, introduced the drought website and
drought related links, which included the palmer index, soil moisture and
Snotel maps. Most of the state is in an exceptional drought, but due to
recent snowstorms, has been upgraded to an extreme drought. He emphasized
the importance of precipitation in April for the basin, which currently has
slightly above normal precipitation. A brief discussion followed.
Overview of Yellowstone NAWAQ Results
Dave Peterson, US Geological Survey, indicated the Yellowstone study
unit is headquartered in Cheyenne and maintains 3 field offices. There
are 50 study units nationwide and studies are updated on a rotational
basis. Study components include surface water quality and streamflow,
groundwater quality, and aquatic ecology.
At 10 basin sites, the surface water was sampled at monthly intervals and
high flow events from January 1999 through October 2001 for major ions, nutrients,
DOC, suspended sediment and bacteria. Trace elements were sampled at 5 sites
and pesticides were sampled at 3 intensive sites. Fecal coliform sampling
was conducted at about 100 sites in 3 sub basins (Wind, Bighorn and Goose
Creek).
54 wells in the Quaternary and Lower Tertiary aquifers along with 29 wells
in a land use study (rural ranchettes) were sampled for major ions, nutrients,
trace elements, VOCs, pesticides, etc.
Bed sediment and fish tissue sampling, habitat measurements, algae, invertebrate,
fish community sampling, and an algal nutrient synoptic were all components
of the aquatic ecology analyses. Some trace element concentrations in
bed sediment were within range of possible effects. Trace element concentrations
in fish tissue were generally less than levels of concern ie. copper,
selenium, mercury. The Yellowstone River was identified as moderate
to severely impacted with algae.
Many of the reports are currently in progress, and the national data may
be obtained online at
http://water.usgs.gov/nawqa/index.html
and the Yellowstone River Basin data can be obtained at
http://wy.water.usgs.gov/YELL/index.htm
.
A Healthy Watershed: Supply and Demand from the Community
John Chase described a healthy watershed as one having a healthy ecosystem,
strong economy and a vibrant community. He indicated that we are living
in a brittle environment, one in which there is a drought in both water
and economics. The causes of the drought are due to the landscape, climate,
land management paradigms and practices, capitalization, and resistance
to change. He felt the solution was to build a market driven system that
has sustainable supply and demand for resources within a healthy watershed
by building healthy soils through proper land management. The key to water
building in soils was carbon sequestration, which would result in cleaner
streams and rivers, and an improved economy.
There being no further business, the meeting adjourned at 9:00 p.m.
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