Casper Aquifer Protection Plan
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CASPER AQUIFER PROTECTION PLAN PREPARED BY WITTMAN HYDRO PLANNING ASSOCIATES MAY 2008 ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS The Casper Aquifer Protection Plan (CAPP) was originally generated through the hard work and dedication from various groups and City and County staff members. The Environmental Advisory Committee and Subcommittee members spent endless volunteer hours devoted to completing the original CAPP. The original CAPP was invaluable in the generation of this document. The hard work of previous volunteers, City and County staff, and government officials made the revision of the CAPP straight-forward and pleasant. Numerous interested citizens provided their opinions and insights into protecting the Casper Aquifer. Thanks to the following individuals who met with Wittman Hydro Planning Associates, Inc. (WHPA), the Laramie Community Development Department, and Albany County Planning Department to discuss the revision of the CAPP: Terry Haugen, Linda Cope, Tony Hoch, Diana Hulme, Scott Lieske, Murray Schroeder, Mitch Edwards, Phil Nicholas, Doug Samuelson, Tom Del Vecchio, Andy MacClugage, Bob Kersey, Gary Linford, John Evans, Allen Frank, Cheri Frank, Tim Chesnut, and Jerry Schmidt. The Technical Advisory Committee members Mitch Edwards, Alan Frank, Pat Gabriel, Jodi Guerin, Tony Hoch, Phil Nicholas, and Jerry Schmidt provided valuable review of the revised CAPP and amended County Aquifer Protection Overlay (APO) Resolution and City APO Ordinance. Derek Teini, Peter Wysocki, Charles Bloom (Laramie Community Development Department), Doug Bryant, Laura Ottoson (Albany County Planning Department), and Mike Lytle (Laramie Public Works) helped WHPA understand the community challenges and prospective. They were invaluable in providing data for revisions, providing access to interested community members, and reviewing the CAPP. Their dedication to the community was apparent throughout this process. Chris Moody (Wyoming Groundwater), Karl Taboga (University of Wyoming PhD candidate), Tony Hoch (Professional Geologist), and Keith Clarey (Wyoming State Geological Survey) provided invaluable edits, recommendations, and insight to the technical and scientific aspects of the CAPP, specifically Chapter 3, the delineation of the Casper Aquifer Protection Area. Disclaimer: The GIS data used to create the maps within the CAPP were from existing digital data provided by the City of Laramie and Albany County and were not field verified by WHPA. All pictures appearing in the Casper Aquifer Protection Plan were purchased, taken by Wittman Hydro Planning Associates or provided by the City of Laramie and Albany County. Table of Contents EXECUTIVE SUMMARY ................................................................ I Community Planning Team ....................................................................................................................................................................... i Delineation ..................................................................................................................................................................................................... i Contaminant Source Inventory .............................................................................................................................................................. iii Contaminant Management Plan ............................................................................................................................................................ iii Contingency Plan ........................................................................................................................................................................................ iii CHAPTER 1 .............................................................................. 1 Purpose ........................................................................................................................................................................................................... 1 Wellhead Protection Plan Overview ..................................................................................................................................................... 1 Wellhead Protection Versus Aquifer Protection .......................................................................................................................... 2 Wellhead Protection Areas ....................................................................................................................................................... 2 Aquifer Protection Areas .......................................................................................................................................................... 2 Casper Aquifer Protection Plan Background ................................................................................................................................ 3 Introduction to the Casper Aquifer ........................................................................................................................................... 3 History of Aquifer Protection in Albany County ........................................................................................................................ 5 Revising and Updating the CAPP ............................................................................................................................................................ 6 CHAPTER 2 .............................................................................. 9 Community Planning Team Overview .................................................................................................................................................. 9 History of the Community Planning Team .......................................................................................................................................... 9 History of Community Outreach and Educational Activities ...................................................................................................... 11 Groundwater Guardian Program ................................................................................................................................................ 12 Future Work of the EAC and City/County Staff ................................................................................................................................ 13 CHAPTER 3 ............................................................................ 15 Introduction ................................................................................................................................................................................................ 15 Casper Aquifer Protection Considerations ................................................................................................................................. 15 History of the Delineation of the Casper Aquifer Protection Area ............................................................................................. 16 Geology and Hydrogeology of the Laramie Area ............................................................................................................................. 18 Structural Setting ........................................................................................................................................................................ 18 Regional Setting ..................................................................................................................................................................... 18 Local Setting ........................................................................................................................................................................... 18 Stratigraphy ................................................................................................................................................................................ 21 Precambrian Rocks ................................................................................................................................................................. 21 Fountain Formation ............................................................................................................................................................... 21 Casper Formation ................................................................................................................................................................... 21 Satanka Shale ......................................................................................................................................................................... 24 Hydrostratigraphy ...................................................................................................................................................................... 24 Sherman Granite .................................................................................................................................................................... 24 Satanka Shale ......................................................................................................................................................................... 26 Casper Aquifer ........................................................................................................................................................................ 27 Hydrogeology of the Casper Aquifer ..................................................................................................................................................