Wyoming State Water Plan, Wyoming Water Development Office
Rafting on Snake River Lake Marie, Snowy Mountains Wyoming Wind River Range picture

Wasatch - Cache National Forest Plan
Forest Plan Revision

Forest Plans provide a long-range guide for all natural resosurce management activities (what) and establish management requirements for implementation (how) on the National Forests. The Wasatch-Cache Forest Plan will cover 1.2 million acres including 371,439 acres of the headwaters of the Bear and Green Rivers (North Slope of the Uintas).

Each National Forest is required by law to revise its Forest Plan every 10 to 15 years. The first Wasatch-Cache Plan was completed in 1985. The Forest has been actively involved in revising the Forest Plan for over a year. Many public meetings and mass mailings have been conducted to provide public involvement in the planning process. A Draft EIS and Plan are scheduled for release this summer with the final documents released next winter. You can visit our website at www.fs.fed.us/wcnf/ or request hard copies of current information from Kelli Murray (801) 534-3981 or by e-mail to revision/w-c_r4@fs.fed.us - Or contact Stephen Ryberg Evanston District Ranger (307) 789-3194 for specific questions on the Evanston or Mt. View Districts.

Decisions to be Made in Forest Plan Revision

  1. What goals and criteria are needed to ensure watershed health and restoration.

  2. What direction is needed to assure sustainability of plant and animal populations.

  3. What transportation is appropriate for each management area.

  4. What types of recreation should be allowed and where, while sustaining ecosystem health.

  5. What kind of protection is appropriate for rivers found eligible by the Wild and Scenic Rivers inventory.

  6. Which areas should be recommended to Congress for Wilderness designation and how should remaining Roadless areas be managed.

  7. Where should timber production be allowed or emphasized.

  8. What types of livestock grazing should be allowed and where while sustaining ecosystem health.

  9. Which areas should be designated as Research Natural Areas.

  10. Which lands on the North Slope of the Uinta Mountains should be available for oil and gas leasing.

  11. What kinds of Forest Plan monitoring should be done.

From: Charlie Condrant, Wasatch-Cache National Forest hydrologist
To: File
Date: May 8, 2000

Table 1. U.S. Geological Survey gage information for upper Bear River on Wasatch-Cache NF.
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USGS                                               Years of              Average Discharge 
Gage #       Location                               Record             (cfs)       (acre-ft/yr) 
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------  
10010400     East Fk Bear River nr Evanston, WY     1973-86            58.5           42380 
10011200     West Fk Bear River at Whitney Dam      1967-86             8.52           6170
10011400     West Fk Bear River below Deer Creek    1973-86            50.9           36880
10011500     Bear River nr Ut/Wyo state line        1942-present      197.0          142400
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------



Table 2. Water quality information for upper Bear River on Wasatch-Cache NF.
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STORET         Location                                Currently 
Site                                                   Monitored
------------------------------------------------------------------------------               
490998         Hayden Fork above conf/ Stillwater Fk       Yes
490996         Stillwater Fk above conf/ Hayden Fk         Yes
490987         Bear River above conf/ East Fork Bear      
490986         East Fork Bear above conf/ Bear River
490990         E Fk Bear River below Scout Camp            Yes
490985         Bear River below East Fork Bear
490955         W Fk Bear River above Conf/ Bear River      Yes
490952         Mill Ck at Ut/Wyo boundary
490953         Mill Ck at N Slope crossing                 Yes
490954         Carter Ck at Elizabeth Pass RD crossing     Yes
490994         Bear River at Bear River Guard Station
590777         West Fork Bear River near Whitney Res 
590778         West Fork Bear River near Whitney Res
590779         West Fork Bear River near Whitney Res
590780         West Fork Bear River near Whitney Res
590781         West Fork Bear River near Whitney Res
590782         West Fork Bear River near Whitney Res
590871         Lily Lake area
590874         Lily Lake area
590890         Amethyst Basin area
590891         Amethyst Basin area
590870         East Fork Bear River
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Table 3. Wasatch-Cache water use in upper Bear River basin.
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Type of Use                  Amount (acre-ft/yr)
-------------------------------------------------------------------------
Livestock Grazing                   2.57
Drinking Water                      1.03
Road Maintenance                    0.77
-------------------------------------------------------------------------
Total =                             4.37



Table 4. Livestock use on WCNF in upper Bear River basin.
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Allotment Name     Allotment number     Kind     Head-months    Livestock #   water use     Remarks   
                                                                             (acre-ft/yr) 
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Humpy Creek               421           sheep       1,758           851          0.32 
Meadow Creek              419           sheep       1,200         1,200          0.22
W Fk Bear River           418           sheep       2,674         1,114          0.49
Gold Hill                 417           sheep       1,600         1,200          0.29
Stillwater                416           sheep       2,066         1,000          0.38
E Fk Bear River           415           cattle        294            96          0.32
Mill Creek                414           sheep       1,965           951          0.36
Lake Lym                  409           sheep         304           149          0.06
Larson                    408           sheep         630           305          0.12
Elizabeth #2              411                                                               no permittees
Elizabeth #1                                                                                went away in land exchange
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                        Total =    12,491         6,866          2.57

Note: water use based on 2 gallons/day for sheep and 12 gallons/day for cattle, from Utah Division of Water Rights.



Table 5. Drinking water use on WCNF in upper Bear River basin.
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Location                   type of source     flow (cfs)   number of   days of     water use     remarks
                                                             units       use      (acre-ft/yr)
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Mill Creek admin site        spring              0.05                     90                   temp closed
Bear River CG                well               0.015          4         107          0.03 
Beaver View CG               spring             0.015         18          93          0.13
Christmas Meadows CG         spring             0.073         11          93          0.08
Hayden Fork CG               well               0.015          9          93          0.06 
Sulphur CG                   spring             0.036         21          93          0.15
Bear River admin site        well               0.073         31         154          0.37     source is Christmas Meadows
Stillwater CG                well               0.015         21          93          0.15     source is Christmas Meadows
East Fork CG                 well               0.015          7         107          0.06
                                                                   Total =            1.03
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Note: assume 25 gallons/day/unit; water use calculated by multiplying number of units by days of use by 25 gallons/day per unit.



Table 6. Road Maintenance use on WCNF in upper Bear River basin.
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Location              amount of use        (acre-ft)  
                       (gallons)
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------
W Fk Bear River           50,000              0.15
Near Coyote Hollow        50,000              0.15
E Fk Bear River          100,000              0.31
Mill Creek                50,000              0.15
----------------------------------------------------------------------------
Total =                  250,000              0.77