This is a digital document from the collections of the Wyoming Water Resources Data System (WRDS) Library. For additional information about this document and the document conversion process, please contact WRDS at [email protected] and include the phrase “Digital Documents” in your subject heading. To view other documents please visit the WRDS Library online at: http://library.wrds.uwyo.edu Mailing Address: Water Resources Data System University of Wyoming, Dept 3943 1000 E University Avenue Laramie, WY 82071 Physical Address: Wyoming Hall, Room 249 University of Wyoming Laramie, WY 82071 Phone: (307) 766-6651 Fax: (307) 766-3785 Funding for WRDS and the creation of this electronic document was provided by the Wyoming Water Development Commission (http://wwdc.state.wy.us) Wyoming Water Development Commission Upper Snake River WWDC Contract Number RN052616/F Level I Watershed Study FINAL Upper Snake River Level I Watershed Study WWDC Contract Number RN052616/F November 1, 2016 I hereby certify that this report was prepared by us or under our direct supervision and that we are duly licensed professional geologists and engineers under the laws of the state of Wyoming. 4muA.£e.t83 Jt1 I l / , I 24 L(p Karen Griffin, PG ) I \\/ \ /q.o I "7 ~ <1- ~ I I Debra L. Ohlinger, PE Olsson Associates 601 P Street, Suite 200 Lincoln, Nebraska 68508 4690 Table Mountain Drive, Suite 200 Golden, Colorado 80403 '. OLSSON@ ASS O C I ATES Wyoming Water Development Commission Upper Snake River WWDC Contract Number RN052616/F Level I Watershed Study Table of Contents Volume I 1. INTRODUCTION .................................................................................................................................... 1 1.1. Watershed Study Overview .......................................................................................................... 1 1.1.1. What is a Watershed Study? ........................................................................................... 1 1.1.2. The Upper Snake River Watershed Study Area .............................................................. 2 1.2. Key Issues in the Watershed ........................................................................................................ 2 1.2.1. Agency-Identified Issues and Opportunities .................................................................... 4 1.2.2. Private Landowner Issues and Opportunities .................................................................. 4 1.3. Purpose and Scope ...................................................................................................................... 4 1.3.1. Review of Existing Data and Digital Library ..................................................................... 4 1.3.2. Geographic Information System ...................................................................................... 5 1.3.3. Watershed Management Plans and More ....................................................................... 6 2. WATERSHED DESCRIPTION ............................................................................................................. 7 2.1. Setting and the Natural Environment ............................................................................................ 7 2.1.1. Watershed Topography and Description ......................................................................... 8 2.1.2. Climate ............................................................................................................................. 9 Weather Stations and Historic Precipitation Records ....................................... 9 Precipitation Zones ........................................................................................... 9 Temperature Climate ...................................................................................... 11 Drought Conditions in Wyoming ..................................................................... 12 2.1.3. Vegetation and Land Cover ........................................................................................... 14 Targeted Vegetation........................................................................................ 15 Mountain Pine Beetle ...................................................................................... 16 2.1.4. Soils ............................................................................................................................... 17 2.1.5. Geology .......................................................................................................................... 18 Surficial Units .................................................................................................. 19 Bedrock Units .................................................................................................. 20 Geologic Hazards ............................................................................................ 24 2.1.6. Hydrogeology ................................................................................................................. 24 Alluvial Aquifers ............................................................................................... 25 Bedrock Aquifers ............................................................................................. 25 Springs ............................................................................................................ 25 2.1.7. Surface Water Hydrology ............................................................................................... 26 Hydrologic Regions and Stream Types .......................................................... 26 Existing Lakes, Reservoirs and Wetlands ...................................................... 27 Existing Levees ............................................................................................... 28 Gaging/Sampling Stations .............................................................................. 28 Stream Flow Characteristics ........................................................................... 29 2.1.8. Stream Geomorphology ................................................................................................. 30 2.1.8.1 Rosgen Classification System ........................................................................... 31 2.1.8.2 Level I Classification Methods ........................................................................... 31 2.1.8.3. Level I Classification Results ............................................................................ 34 2.2. Land Uses and Activities ............................................................................................................ 47 2.2.1. Land Ownership ............................................................................................................. 47 2.2.2. Grazing Management and Range Conditions ............................................................... 48 2.2.2.1 Grazing Allotments/Leases ................................................................................ 48 2.2.2.2 Ecological Site Descriptions .............................................................................. 50 2.2.2.3 Range Conditions .............................................................................................. 51 2.2.3. Oil and Gas Production .................................................................................................. 52 2.2.4. Mining and Mineral Resources ...................................................................................... 53 2.2.5. Other Minerals ............................................................................................................... 54 i Wyoming Water Development Commission Upper Snake River WWDC Contract Number RN052616/F Level I Watershed Study 2.2.6. Transportation and Energy Infrastructure ...................................................................... 54 3. WATERSHED INVENTORY ................................................................................................................. 55 3.1. Irrigation Inventory ...................................................................................................................... 55 3.2. Groundwater Development Inventory ......................................................................................... 57 3.3. Water Storage Site Inventory ...................................................................................................... 57 3.3.1. Snake River Compact .................................................................................................... 57 3.3.2. Surface Water Availability and Shortages ..................................................................... 58 3.3.3. Existing Reservoirs ........................................................................................................ 59 3.3.4. Previous Storage Site Investigations ............................................................................. 59 3.4. Wetland Inventory and Function ................................................................................................. 59 3.4.1. Snake River Valley Wetland Complex (SRWC) ............................................................ 60 3.4.2. Riparian Wetlands ......................................................................................................... 63 3.4.3. Spring and Seep Wetlands ............................................................................................ 64 3.4.4. Lake and Pond Wetlands ..............................................................................................