WATER RESOURCES OF THE WIND RIVER INDIAN RESERVATION, WYOMING By Richard L. Daddow U.S. GEOLOGICAL SURVEY Water-Resources Investigations Report 95-4223 Prepared in cooperation with the SHOSHONE TRIBE AND NORTHERN ARAPAHOE TRIBE Cheyenne, Wyoming 1996 U.S. DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR BRUCE BABBITT, Secretary U.S. GEOLOGICAL SURVEY GORDON P. EATON, Director For additional information Copies of this report can be write to: purchased from: District Chief U.S. Geological Survey U.S. Geological Survey Earth Science Information Center Water Resources Division Open-File Reports Section 2617 E. Lincolnway, Suite B Box 25286, Denver Federal Center Cheyenne, Wyoming 82001-5662 Denver, Colorado 80225 CONTENTS Page Abstract......................................................................................................................................................................... 1 Introduction................................................................................................................................................................... 2 Purpose and scope............................................................................................................................................... 2 Methods of investigation .................................................................................................................................... 4 Previous studies.................................................................................................................................................. 4 Numbering system for wells and springs............................................................................................................ 5 Numbering system for surface-water sites ......................................................................................................... 5 Acknowledgments.............................................................................................................................................. 7 Description of the study area........................................................................................................................................ 7 Geographic setting.............................................................................................................................................. 7 Climate....................................................................................................................................... 9 Geologic setting.................................................................................................................................................. 9 Water use.................................................................................................................................. 10 Ground-water resources............................................................................................................................................. 14 Quaternary deposits............................................................................................................................................ 15 Flood-plain alluvium................................................................................................................................ 15 Slope wash and alluvium.......................................................................................................................... 17 Terrace deposits........................................................................................................................................ 17 Glacial deposits......................................................................................................................................... 18 Altitude and configuration of the water table for two selected areas ....................................................... 18 Tertiary rocks...................................................................................................................................................... 19 Volcaniclastic rocks.................................................................................................................................. 19 Wind River Formation.............................................................................................................................. 21 Mesozoic rocks................................................................................................................................................... 22 Cody Shale................................................................................................................................................ 23 Frontier Formation.................................................................................................................................... 23 Cloverly Formation................................................................................................................................... 23 Nugget Sandstone..................................................................................................................................... 24 Chugwater Group...................................................................................................................................... 24 Paleozoic rocks................................................................................................................................................... 24 Phosphoria Formation and related rocks .................................................................................................. 25 Tensleep Sandstone................................................................................................................................... 25 Madison Limestone.................................................................................................................................. 26 Precambrian rocks .............................................................................................................................................. 27 Surface-water resources................................................................................................................................................ 27 Streams............................................................................................................................................................... 27 Streams with streamflow-gaging stations................................................................................................. 28 Miscellaneous surface-water sites ............................................................................................................ 28 Flow characteristics of streams with streamflow-gaging stations ............................................................ 34 Flow characteristics of streams without streamflow-gaging stations ....................................................... 38 Lakes and reservoirs ........................................................................................................................................... 38 Water quality................................................................................................................................................................. 40 Water quality in relation to water use................................................................................................................. 40 Public-supply and domestic use................................................................................................................ 41 Agricultural use........................................................................................................................................ 41 Ground-water quality.................................................................................................................................................... 44 Quaternary deposits............................................................................................................................................ 46 Wind River flood-plain alluvium.............................................................................................................. 46 Little Wind River flood-plain alluvium.................................................................................................... 50 CONTENTS iii CONTENTS-Continued Page Popo Agie River flood-plain alluvium...................................................................................................... 50 Owl Creek flood-plain alluvium............................................................................................................... 50 Slope wash and alluvium.......................................................................................................................... 51 Terrace deposits........................................................................................................................................ 51 Glacial deposits......................................................................................................................................... 52 Tertiary rocks...................................................................................................................................................... 52 Volcaniclastic rocks.................................................................................................................................. 52 Wind River Formation.............................................................................................................................