Watershed study kicks off with area meetings

WORLAND – The Wyoming Water Development Commission, with sponsorship by the Washakie County and South Big Horn Conservation districts, kicked off a two-year watershed study last week with public meetings in Basin and Worland, to inform the public of the mechanizations and impacts of the study.

Officially titled the Middle Big Horn Watershed Level 1 Study, the project physically includes an area of the Middle Big Horn River Watershed in Big Horn, Washakie, Hot Springs and Park counties.

According to the WWDC, the watershed “includes the primary stream system of the Middle Big Horn River from south of Worland to Greybull, where the Big Horn River confluences with the Greybull River. Tributaries in the study area include Elk Creek, Fifteenmile Creek, Gooseberry Creek, Nowater Creek and the East Fork Nowater Creek.” (A separate, Greybull River study has just been completed and findings were shared with residents last week.)

Y2 Consultants, an engineering, surveying and planning firm from Jackson, has been hired to manage and direct the project. The study will include water resources on both private and public lands used for irrigation, stock water and upland water projects.

According to WWDC project engineer Dave Myers, the overall objective of the study is to evaluate existing conditions and develop a watershed management plan.

“In a nutshell, the study amounts to 10 tasks, including public meetings, inventory of water sources, and evaluating biological and agricultural uses of the water sources,” said Myer.

Myer further explained that the study should help identify future projects that can be funded by the WWDC.

“Any repairs that need to be done, that funding will be available through the state,” said Myer.

YS2 will do the physical surveying of the watershed areas, including hydrological studies, and also advertising to let the public know their whereabouts and intentions.

Myers stressed that the study is 100 percent voluntary for landowners with private property in the study area.

“No participation is necessary,” said Myer, “and permission will be requested before any access is requested on private land for the study.”