Wyoming Watersheds Progress 2005
Big Horn
River Watershed
Washakie County
Conservation District
208 Shiloh Road
Worland, WY 82401
307-347-2456
wccd@rtconnect.net
www.conservewy.com/wccd.htm
Big Horn River
Nowood River
Nowater Creek
Fifteen Mile Creek
Sage Creek
Slick Creek
Background
The Big Horn River, from the confluence of the Nowood River an undetermined distance above the city of Worland, was listed in 2002 as impaired by fecal coliform. The Nowood River was also listed as impaired in 2002 for fecal coliform, from the confluence with the Big Horn River an undetermined distance upstream. Nowater, Fifteen Mile, Sage and Slick Creeks were all listed in 2002 as threatened based on one time fecal coliform samples taken by USGS.
Monitoring Activities
The district began monitoring in May 2005 on six sites and will monitor again in September. Monitoring will again be conducted in June and September of 2006. Sampling and Analysis Plan
Planning
The Washakie Watersheds Steering Committee was formed in June 2004 to initiate the watershed planning process. The Watershed Plan is scheduled to be completed in July 2006.
Implementation Activities
The district has hosted two animal feeding operation workshops to inform livestock producers of the regulations and resource issues surrounding livestock facilities.
The district distributed septic system informational packets to all rural residents living on or along impaired or threatened waters. The packet included an application for a cost share program to remediate failing septic systems, as well as, septic system maintenance information. The steering committee approved 30 septic systems and six animal feeding operation projects in May 2005 and projects are scheduled for completion by October 2006.
Participants
The Washakie Watersheds Steering Committee is made up of local landowners, and representatives from Wyoming Sugar Company, Natural Resources Conservation Service, Bureau of Land Management, the Forest Service personnel with Big Horn National Forest and Wyoming Game & Fish.
Funding
Amount
Sources
Local $209,740.00 Washakie County CD
State $ 29,800.00 WY Dept. of Agriculture
Federal $256,981.00 Dept. of
Environmental Quality/EPA
Private $ 11,777.00
Natural Resources Conservation Service
Landowners/Homeowners
Caryn Agee, District staff and Doug
Miyamoto, WACD/NRCS
Watershed Coordinator collect data on Slick Creek
Caryn Agee, district staff
collecting macroinvertebrates