Wyoming Watersheds Progress 2005

Big Horn River Watershed
Popo Agie Conservation District
201 West Main Street
Lander, WY 82520
307-332-3114
jerit@wyoming.com
www.popoagie.org/index.php
 

Waters Addressed
Middle Fork Popo Agie River

Participants
The PACD partnered with the Game & Fish Department, DEQ, WACD, State Engineers Office, Fremont County Commissioners, City of Lander, Fremont Broadcasting, Lander Journal, Nature Conservancy, Lighthawk, Wild Heavens Production, Sprouts Greenhouse, Precision Dirt Work, Dig It, City Plumbing, Cedar Mountain Tree Care and the Fremont County Weed and Pest. Volunteers from many local organizations assisted with implementation of projects.

Background
The Popo Agie Conservation District initiated a watershed wide assessment and planning effort prior to the listing of the Middle Fork Popo Agie River. The Middle Fork was listed in 2002 for a fecal coliform impairment.

Monitoring Activities
The district in 2002, completed the final phase of a four year study to examine the current surface water resource conditions within the Popo Agie Watershed. The study monitored nineteen sites within the watershed, including sites on the Little Popo Agie, Middle Fork and North Fork of the Popo Agie and five main tributaries. In addition to the watershed study, PACD also utilized federal Clean Water Act 319 funding to investigate a bacterial impairment designated for a segment of the Middle Fork of the Popo Agie River located in Lander. PACD staff are continuing to collect samples at five stations during recreation periods to help resolve the issue and petition to remove the segment from the 303(d) List of Impaired Waterbodies.

Planning
The PACD initiated a watershed planning process in 1998 on the entire watershed. Through a series of public meetings, the local community selected Steering Committee members to help guide the process by building agreement among citizens with diverse viewpoints. The final plan was completed in August 2005.

Implementation Activities
The PACD has implemented numerous management practices and education activities. These include storm drain stenciling, septic system education, flood mitigation and other education and outreach projects. Storm drains in Lander were stenciled with the message “Dump No Waste: Drains to Stream.” The painted stencils were replaced with permanent decals in 2004. PACD developed a brochure to address aging/failing septic systems in the rural community. The brochure was mailed to rural landowners and was distributed at public events. As part of the watershed planning effort, the NRCS completed a preliminary investigation report for flood mitigation and stream channel restoration on the Middle Fork of the Popo Agie River through the City of Lander. PACD developed a full-color poster of the Popo Agie Watershed to use as an educational tool for the District. They purchased a non-point source pollution landscape model to enhance youth education programs and released a video highlighting the bioengineering practices used on Squaw Creek.

Funding
Amount                           Sources
Local $ 8,544.93               Popo Agie CD
State $145,807.11            WY Water Development Commission
Federal $108,422.00        WY Dept. of Agriculture
                                         Dept. of Environmental Quality/EPA 

Students collect aquatic insect samples in the Middle Fork of the Popo Agie River

Mila Ready, Popo Agie CD monitoring