Wyoming Watersheds Progress 2005

North Platte River Watershed
Platte County Resource District
302 A 16th Street
Wheatland, WY 82201
307-322-9060
brian.artery@wy.nacdnet.net
www.conservewy.com/pcrd

 

Waters Addressed
Rock Creek
Chugwater Creek

Background
In 2000, a seven mile segment of Chugwater Creek was listed as threatened for habitat degradation. In 2002, Rock Creek above the Town of Wheatland and Wheatland Creek an undetermined distance above and below Highway 320, were listed as impaired by fecal coliform. Rock Creek becomes Wheatland Creek as it goes through the Town of Wheatland.

Monitoring Activities
The Platte County Resource District has monitored Chugwater Creek at seven stations for chemical, physical, and biological parameters within the reach identified as threatened by WYDEQ. The Platte County Resource District has monitored Rock Creek at seven stations for chemical and biological parameters, including monitoring for fecal coliform and E.coli and seven separate 30-day geometric mean samples for E.coli and multiple grab samples collected on a weekly basis from May through September of each year.

Planning
The PCRD, in cooperation with the Chugwater Creek Watershed Steering Committee, based on the districts data analysis requested that Chugwater Creek be delisted in 2004. This request was denied. The district has requested a review by the Water and Waste Advisory Board of the listing of the segment Chugwater Creek. The Platte County Resource District, in cooperation with the Rock Creek Watershed Steering Committee, have completed a Watershed Management Plan which was open for public input and comment March through May 2005. The plan has been submitted to DEQ.

Implementation Activities
The PCRD, Rock Creek Watershed Steering Committee and NRCS have assisted with volunteer participation in 43 irrigation efficiency practices, eight water quality enhancement practices, six grazing management practices, and 17 wildlife habitat enhancement practices. The district has also published approximately ten educational documents which were distributed to landowners within the Rock Creek Watershed to increase awareness of water quality issues and stress the importance of sound land management practices. The seven landowners along Chugwater Creek have participated in the efforts to demonstrate a lack of threat and petition for a review of the listing. In addition to the appeal, landowners within the seven mile segment of Chugwater Creek, prior to the listing, implemented management practices to enhance riparian habitat conditions.

Participants
There were 15 individuals that participated in the development and completion of the Rock/Wheatland Creek Watershed Management Plan. Throughout the development of the Chugwater Creek assessment and petition to delist, there were 20 individuals who participated in the investigation process and the development of the final document. Throughout this process, landowners and citizens of Platte County, PCRD, USDA NRCS, WACD, UW, and Game and Fish Dept were involved.

Funding
Amount                           Sources
Local $ 17,334.00            Platte County RD
State $ 82,692.00             Natural Resources Conservation Service
Federal $ 69,972.00         WY Dept. of Agriculture
Private $ 32,324.00          Private landowners
 

Riparian habitat on Chugwater Creek provides optimum habitat for wildlife

Riparian fence for grazing management efforts on Rock Creek