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Investigating Hydrology Along Crow Creek, Southeastern Wyoming

Engaging Stakeholders to Focus Data Collection Activities

and

Preliminary Results

December 14, 2021

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Background

Process

Summer Data Collection

Preliminary Results

… but first some caveats…

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Prairie

Center

Est. 1977

Laramie

County

Est. 1981

Platte

County

Est. 1982

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Laramie County Control Area

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LCCA Boundary

County Boundary

Colorado

Nebraska

Albany County

Goshen County

Platte County

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Crow Creek, Laramie County, Wyoming

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New Applications!

Filings for Groundwater Recharge (2016)
Ultimately rejected (2017)
State Engineer declaration of “one source of supply”.
Recognized ability of groundwater rights to request regulation.

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Control Area Boundary

Groundwater Monitoring Well

Groundwater Model Boundary

Laramie County

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Crow Creek 2018 Monitoring Locations

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The Process…

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Collaboration Program in Natural Resources…… Enrollment Annually in April

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Challenges

Where to collect data?
What types of data to collect?
Money for gages and transducers?
Time for staff to build rating curves?
The relationships…

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How We Did It

Identified Stakeholders

Made Telephone Calls

Promised data

Held a First Meeting

Asked for help

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Stakeholders

Board of Public Utilities
Private Reservoir Owner
Laramie County Conservation District
Surface Water User
Groundwater Irrigators from Carpenter

West
East
South…

Local Scientist

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Crow Creek 2018 Monitoring Locations

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Crow Creek 2018 Monitoring Locations

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Crow Creek 2018 Monitoring Locations

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Meeting Two – Idea Generation

Need for Groundwater Level Data
Need for Better Rating Curves
Need Better Stream-flow Characterization

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Process Design

Vision Space

Problem Space

Solution Space

Implementation

Adapted from: Mastering Meetings for Results, Interaction Associates

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Meeting Three - Consensus

Utilized individual preference voting

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New Monitoring Locations	Cost	Average	Rank
Smith Monitoring Well	$1300	1	1
Smith Gauging Location	$800	1.7143	2
Carpenter Park Well	$1300	4.4286	5
Hirsig to RD140 station	$800	4	4
RD140 to Beaver Dam Gap	$800	2	3


	$5000		2900

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Meeting Three - Consensus

Utilized individual preference voting

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Station for Curve Development	TOTAL	Rank
WWTP	15	4
Campstool	27	9
HR Road	11	2
Hirsig	26	8
New Road 140	12	3
Road 207	20	6
Butterfield	22	7
Smith Stream Station	9	1
Road 203	17	5

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Rating Curve Focus

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Lessons/Takeaways

Spend More Time Problem Solving

Opportunity to Meet “one-on-one”

Opportunity to Develop Relationships

Appropriators and Agency

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2019 Station Locations

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2019 Peak Flow Timing�

5/29/2019

6:00

5/28/2019

21:00

5/28/2019

13:00

5/27/2019

19:00

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Monitor Wells 2019

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Spring 2020

Held a Workgroup Session to Share Data

Sought input to steer data collection

Investigate springs and gaining section with temperature
Discontinue reservoir stage measurements

Sessions Hampered by COVID-19

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2020 Station Locations

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Water Temperatures

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Water Temperatures

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Same-Day Comparison �February 2020

Road 207 Bridge

State Section

Photos by Jeff Geyer, Laramie County Conservation District

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Annual Comparisons

Accumulated volumes for 2018-2020

Impact on system from Flood Events

Wet vs Dry year

2019=wet year
2020=dry year

Aquifer response to flood events in dry vs. wet years

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Accumulated Volume: 2018�5/1/18 – 11/30/18

2,050

Accumulated

Acre-Feet

(19^th St)

+ 1,973

Accumulated

Acre-Feet

(BOPU CC)

4,945

Accumulated

Acre-Feet

(HR Road)

4,349

Accumulated

Acre-Feet

(Road 140)

3,690

Accumulated

Acre-Feet

(Rd 207)

806

Accumulated

Acre-Feet

(Rd 203)

Added by BOPU:

5,417

Total Acre-Feet

Reaches Rd 203:

806

Total Acre-Feet

+ 3,444

Accumulated

Acre-Feet

(BOPU DC)

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Accumulated Volume: 2019�4/4/19 – 10/9/19

1,648 Accumulated

Acre-Feet

(19^th Street)

7,883

Accumulated

Acre-Feet

(Rd 140)

4,234

Accumulated

Acre-Feet

(Rd 203)

+ 1,322

Accumulated

Acre-Feet

(BOPU CC)

+ 2,913

Accumulated

Acre-Feet

(BOPU DC)

Added by BOPU:

4,235

Total Acre-Feet

Reaches Rd 203:

4,234

Total Acre-Feet

7,599

Accumulated

Acre-Feet

(HR Rd)

3,585

Accumulated

Acre-Feet

(Rd 207)

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Accumulated Volume�5/1/2019 1:00 – 10/9/2019 8:00�Without Flood Events

640

Accumulated

Acre-Feet

(19^th St)

526

Accumulated

Acre-Feet

(Rd 140)

327

Accumulated

Acre-Feet

(Rd 203)

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Accumulated Volume: 2020�4/9/20 – 10/21/20

1,029

Accumulated

Acre-Feet

(19^th Street)

4,771

Accumulated

Acre-Feet

(Rd 140)

704

Accumulated

Acre-Feet

(Rd 203)

+ 1,284

Accumulated

Acre-Feet

(BOPU CC)

+ 3,213

Accumulated

Acre-Feet

(BOPU DC)

Added by BOPU:

4,497

Total Acre-Feet

Reaches Rd 203:

704

Total Acre-Feet

436

Accumulated

Acre-Feet

(Rd 207)

2,182

Accumulated

Acre-Feet

(Smith)

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Accumulated Volumes: 2018-2020

+

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Aquifer Response in wet year

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Aquifer Response in dry year

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Thank you! �Questions?