Draft EIS Appendix 11 

APPENDIX 11—WATER QUALITY WITHIN THE RMPPA 

AND RIVER SYSTEM DEPLETIONS 

The State of Wyoming recently issued a summary report for threatened or impaired water bodies, below

are excerpts and summaries for areas within the Rawlins Field Office (RFO) (Wyoming 2003). This

assessment was done to meet requirements of Section 305(b) and 303(d) of the Clean Water Act.

Wyoming uses a publicly reviewed methodology to prepare the document, which meets the requirements 

of the “credible data” law. To see the current list of water bodies in the Resource Management Plan

Planning Area (RMPPA) on the threatened or impaired list in this draft report (see Table A11-1). 

DESCRIPTION OF SUB-BASINS IN THE RFO 

This section draws heavily from the Wyoming description of these basins (Wyoming 2003) and also

contains local information from the Rawlins BLM on conditions and management practices that reflect

current conditions. The reader should be aware that these descriptions are as current as possible for 2004 

and most likely will not be accurate for the future. These are presented to give the reader an impression

of typical water quality conditions in the RMPPA. 

Muddy Creek Sub-basin (HUC 14050004) 

Muddy Creek below Littlefield Creek and McKinney Creek below Eagle Creek are listed on Table C of 

the 303(d) List because of threats from physical degradation of the stream channels and riparian areas 

(See Table A11-1). The Little Snake River Conservation District (LSRCD) has had several 319 watershed

improvement projects in the Upper Muddy Creek drainage to address those threats. The RFO has 

participated in these projects by working with permittees to address grazing management issues and 

vegetation management on BLM lands. 

Implementation measures include upland water development, cross-fencing, vegetation management, and 

grazing management. These projects resulted in considerable improvement to stream stability, aquatic 

habitat, and riparian areas. As a result, Muddy Creek and Littlefield Creek above their confluence and 

McKinney Creek above Eagle Creek are now meeting their aquatic life uses. Because of the improved 

water quality, Colorado River Cutthroat Trout have been reintroduced into their former habitat in 

Littlefield Creek. 

McKinney Creek and portions of Muddy Creek are still being monitored in cooperation with the LSRCD 

and grazing practices are being evaluated to improve these reaches. McKinney Creek still lacks the 

woody component in the riparian area, has too many bare banks, needs improvement in the width/depth 

ratios, and the season of use on the herbaceous component of these systems is too long. Efforts will 

continue to be made to improve the ecological health of these systems. 

Another project was implemented on the reach of Muddy Creek, lying west of Highway 789, to address 

physical degradation of the stream channel, which threatens its aquatic life use support. This reach of 

Muddy Creek is also on Table C of the 303(d) List. Implementation measures include wetland

development, floodplain reestablishment, and irrigation water management. Results of this project show 

an improving trend in riparian condition and bank stability above Red Wash. However, habitat 

degradation has been identified by the BLM and LSRCD as a serious water quality concern on Muddy 

Creek, from Red Wash downstream to the Little Snake River. The habitat degradation is likely caused by 

season-long riparian grazing, exacerbated by accelerated erosion associated with oil and gas activities. 

Rawlins RMP A11-1 
Appendix 11 Draft EIS 

Several grazing best management practices (BMPs) are being implemented in much of this lower 

watershed, including changes in length, timing, and duration of grazing and cross-fencing. However, 

projected increases in Coalbed Natural Gas development will lead to increased surface disturbance and 

possible increased erosion and sediment loading. 

Little Snake Sub-basin (HUC 14050003) 

Haggarty Creek is the site of an inactive copper mine, the Ferris-Haggarty/Osceola Tunnel, which dates 

from 1898. Haggarty Creek originates near the Continental Divide and confluences with Lost Creek to

form West Fork Battle Creek. Haggarty Creek has been on former 303(d) lists because of metal 

exceedences (primarily copper with less toxic amounts of silver and cadmium) discharging from the 

Ferris-Haggarty Mine. The Department of Environmental Quality-Abandoned Mine Lands (AML) 

Program has funded a remediation project to treat the effluent and a proposed total maximum daily load

(TMDL) has been sent to the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). Review of data during the TMDL 

process on Haggarty Creek revealed that copper criteria are also exceeded on the West Fork of Battle

Creek, downstream of Haggarty Creek, so this stream was added to Table A of the 303(d) List. The

treatment of the Ferris-Haggarty/Osceola Tunnel effluent is thought to be more than adequate to allow the

West Fork of Battle Creek to meet standards. 

The Department of Environmental Quality (DEQ) has monitored water quality in the Little Snake 

watershed, which indicates that aquatic life uses are fully supported on the portions of the Savery Creek 

and North Fork Little Snake drainages within the Medicine Bow National Forest and much of the upper 

watershed of Little Savery Creek. However, physical degradation of lower Savery Creek and West Loco

Creek is threatening full aquatic life use support, and these streams are on Table C of the 303(d) List. 

Currently, a 319 watershed improvement project is in place in the lower Savery Creek drainage to address 

those threats. 

Upper North Platte Sub-basin (HUC 10180002) 

The Upper North Platte Sub-basin is that area upstream of Seminoe Reservoir to the Colorado Line. In 

the upper portion of this sub-basin, like most of the high-elevation basins in Wyoming, most of the 

bottomlands are privately owned and irrigated for hay production. Generally, the uplands are grazed at

lower elevations primarily early and late in the year, and the higher elevations are grazed in the summer. 

Much of the forested area was historically harvested for railroad ties, and many of the larger mountain

streams were straightened and logs and boulders were removed to facilitate tie driving. There is some oil 

and gas production in the sub-basin, and Sinclair has an oil refinery. There are no large-scale mining

operations, but historically there has been considerable gold and copper mining in both the Sierra Madre 

and Medicine Bow mountains. DEQ’s Abandoned Mine Lands Division (AML) has funded restoration 

projects in many of the mining areas within the sub-basin. 

Iron oxide was mined near Rawlins for use primarily as a paint pigment and has been applied on barns 

across the country. There has also been some limited coal mining in this basin, and gravel mines are 

scattered throughout. 

Stream bank modification within the town limits of Saratoga, intended to reduce erosion, resulted in

increased erosion in several other places as the river adjusted its channel. However, recent stabilization

has been conducted with natural river processes in mind, which should reduce erosion. Natural hot

springs in and near Saratoga slightly increase the temperature and dissolved solids content of the river. 

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Draft EIS Appendix 11 

Encampment River Watershed (HUC 1018000205) 

The Encampment River originates in the Mt. Zirkel Wilderness area in Colorado before it flows into 

Wyoming. Within a couple miles it flows into the Encampment River Wilderness Area. Flows are

augmented in this drainage as a result of a trans-basin diversion of water from the Little Snake drainage 

into Hog Park Reservoir for replenishing the North Platte water that Cheyenne diverts out of Douglas 

Creek. The increased flows in Hog Park Creek did reportedly cause some initial channel adjustment after 

the reservoir was completed in 1965, but the stream appears to be stabilizing. South Hog Park Creek was 

tie driven and carried a large sediment load and was unstable, so tree revetments were installed to help the 

stream establish a more natural shape and to improve the fishery. But beaver were removing the 

revetments for dam building because dams built with the small available willows could not withstand 

high spring runoff. Aspens are now being cut and hauled to the beaver so they will use the aspens instead 

of the revetments, so both can work to trap the sediment and restore the stream. 

A diversion ditch in the Billie Creek drainage breached in the late 1990s, eroded a gully and deposited 

approximately 3,300 tons of sediment in Billie Creek and its flood plain. Restoration work of the gully

was completed in 2001 to curtail erosion; however, recovery from the impacts to the stream and its

aquatic life will likely take several years. 

A 1984–86 AML remediation project removed a large (approximately 65,000 cubic yards) tailings pile 

generated by the mill and smelter in Encampment during the early 1900s, which reportedly resulted in 

considerable water quality improvement in the river. DEQ has conducted extensive monitoring in the 

drainage, and the majority of the stream miles are fully supporting their aquatic life uses. 

Sage Creek Watershed (HUC 1018000209) 

Sage Creek has a naturally high sediment load because of the highly erosive soils and arid climate in

much of the watershed. It has been identified by several studies as the most significant contributor of 

sediment to the Upper North Platte River and is on Table C of the 303(d) List. In addition, dam failures, 

road building, and past grazing practices have resulted in increased erosion and sediment loading, 

especially from the lower portion of the watershed. In 1997, Saratoga-Encampment-Rawlins 

Conservation District (SERCD), in cooperation with landowners, BLM, the Natural Resources 

Conservation Service (NRCS), and the Wyoming Game and Fish Department (WGFD), began the Sage 

Creek Watershed 319 project. 

The project is using a combination of short-duration grazing, off-channel water development, improved

road management, grade control structures and water diversion and vegetation filtering to reduce 

sediment loading from Sage Creek to the North Platte, as well as improving water quality within Sage

Creek. Data collected as part of the project already show reduced sediment loading to the North Platte

River and improved riparian and range condition. 

Hugus and Iron Springs Draw drainages are Class 3B waters, with intermittent to ephemeral stream

channels. Although historically impacted by past grazing practices, existing information and data indicate 

no significant water quality problems. In addition, new and developing Allotment Management Plans 

(AMPs) are expected to result in even better watershed condition. Sugar Creek flows through Rawlins and 

enters the North Platte just upstream of Seminoe Reservoir. Some concerns with the physical condition of 

the watershed above Rawlins have been raised. Rawlins’ wastewater treatment plant discharges to Sugar 

Creek, but the stream rarely flows all the way to its confluence with the North Platte River. 

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Appendix 11 Draft EIS 

Pathfinder-Seminoe Sub-basin (HUC 10180003) 

In the Pathfinder-Seminoe Sub-basin, North Platte River flow is regulated by Seminoe, Kortes, and 

Pathfinder Reservoirs. The sub-basin includes those areas, other than the Sweetwater and Medicine Bow 

Rivers, which drain into the North Platte River, or its reservoirs, between Pathfinder dam and the head of 

Seminoe Reservoir. Primary land uses in this sub-basin are ranching, irrigated hay production, coal 

mining and recreation. Underground coal mining began in the Hanna-Elmo area in the late 1860s to 

supply fuel for the transcontinental railroad and resulted in extensive underground coal workings created 

over a period of years. AML completed three remediation projects in the Hanna area, which corrected the 

erosion and standing water impacts associated with coal slag piles and almost 200 coal mine-related 

subsidence holes. Current coal mining activities are thought to have little impact on the water quality in 

this sub-basin or the Medicine Bow Sub-basin (HUC 10180004). 

Pathfinder dam was completed in 1909 and provided the first regulation of flows on the river. Reservoirs 

also trap sediment and lower average water temperature, so the natural flow characteristics of the North 

Platte have not existed since then. An extremely productive tailwater fishery resulted after Seminoe Dam 

was completed in 1939 and was given the name Miracle Mile. Completion of Kortes Reservoir below

Seminoe Dam shortened the Miracle Mile area, but with the establishment of instream flow rights, it is 

still considered a premiere blue ribbon fishery.

Deweese Creek, which flows into Pathfinder Reservoir, is one of the few perennial streams in this subbasin and is considered a reference stream for sand bottom streams in the Wyoming Basin Ecoregion. 

Medicine Bow Sub-basin (HUC 10180004) 

The headwaters of the Medicine Bow Sub-basin are on the north slope of the Snowy Range. Water 

quality characteristics change drastically as the streams flow from the metamorphic geology of the

mountains through the easily erodible, fine-grained sedimentary geology of the basin. This sub-basin

drains into Seminoe Reservoir. Land uses include logging in the mountains, grazing, irrigated hay 

production, recreation, coal mining, and oil and gas development. Irrigation in the Medicine Bow River 

drainage (including Rock Creek) dates to at least 1870–1880, the time of railroad construction. The 

transcontinental railroad reached this area in 1868, and coal production began in 1869 near Carbon to 

supply fuel for the railroad. 

AML has completed 10 site investigations in this sub-basin, most related to coal and gravel production,

and completed remediation of one early 1900s coal mine. Water quality assessments conducted in the 

upper Medicine Bow River drainage above the town of Elk Mountain indicate full support of aquatic life 

uses. Extensive monitoring by DEQ, as well as several agencies and universities, also indicate full aquatic 

life use support in the Rock Creek drainage above McFadden. The Medicine Bow Conservation District 

has conducted considerable monitoring in the lower portion of this sub-basin, and the final data

interpretation is pending. 

Little Medicine Bow Sub-basin (HUC 10180005) 

The Little Medicine Bow Sub-basin drains the northwestern edge of the Laramie Mountains and the 

Shirley Basin. Land uses are primarily ranching and oil and gas development, together with historic 

uranium mining (1955 to the early 1980s). AML completed reclamation of about 1,650 acres of open pit

uranium mines in Shirley Basin. 

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Draft EIS Appendix 11 

The Little Medicine Bow River originally flowed through the uranium ore location. During mining 

operations in 1972, the river was diverted to the east and shortened. The unstable new channel had down 

cut as much as 50 feet and drastically increased the sediment input to the drainage system. During

reclamation, the river channel was restored to its former location and pre-mining condition, with

stabilized, revegetated banks and a revegetated riparian area. Eroding radioactive mine waste piles, which 

also contained elevated levels of selenium and heavy metals, were removed. Leaching and runoff water

from these waste piles had been impacting surface and groundwater quality. Reclamation improved water

quality and reduced off-site sediment transport. 

Upper Laramie Sub-basin (HUC10180010) 

This sub-basin includes all the drainages above Wheatland Reservoir #2. Major drainages in the Upper 

Laramie Sub-basin are the Laramie and Little Laramie Rivers whose headwaters are in the Medicine Bow 

Mountains. Land uses are logging, recreation, and grazing at higher elevations; grazing, irrigated hay

production, and some oil and gas development in the lower elevations. 

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Appendix 11 Draft EIS 

Table A11-1. Impaired or Threatened Water Bodies Located within the RMPPA 

Wyoming Draft 2004 303(d) List of Waters: List of Impaired or Threatened Water Bodies Located within the RMPPA1

Basin HUC Name Location Cause of Impairment Source Uses Impaired Date Listed

Water Bodies with Water Quality Impairments (Excerpts from Table A)Little Snake 14050003 Battle Creek, West Fork From Battle Crk. To Haggarty Crk. Copper Point, Natural Cold Fish, Aquatic Life 2000 Little Snake 14050003 Haggarty Creek From Ferris-Haggarty Mine to West Fork Battle Crk. Silver, Copper, Cadmium Point, Natural Cold Fish, Aquatic Life 1996 South Platte 10190009 Crow Creek Impairment undetermined distance above and below Cheyenne. Ammonia, Fecal Coliform Non-point Undetermined Fisheries, Aquatic Life, and Contact Recreation 1996 South Platte 10190009 Middle Crow Creek Exceedences measured at FS Road 700. Impairment thought to be limited to grazing allotment pasture. Fecal Coliform Non-point Undetermined Contact Recreation 2004 Water Bodies with Water Quality Threats (Excerpts from Table C) Little Snake 14050003 Loco Creek, West Fork All of West Fork Watershed above Loco Creek. Habitat Deg., Nut., Temp. Non-point Cold Fish, Aquatic Life 1996 Little Snake 14050003 Savery Creek Below Little Sandstone Creek to Little Snake River. Habitat Degradation Non-point Cold Fish, Aquatic Life 1998 Little Snake 14050004 McKinney Creek Above Muddy Creek to Eagle Creek. Habitat Degradation Non-point Cold Fish, Aquatic Life 1996 Little Snake 14050004 Muddy Creek West of State Hwy. 789. Habitat Degradation Non-point Cold Fish, Aquatic Life 1996 Little Snake 14050004 Muddy Creek Above Alamosa Gulch to Littlefield Creek. Habitat Degradation Non-point Cold Fish, Aquatic Life 1996 Little Snake 14050004 Sage Creek From confluence with North Platte River to State Hwy. 71. Habitat Degradation Non-point Cold Fish, Aquatic Life 1996 1Downloaded from http://deq.state.wy.us/wqd/events.asp in February 2004. A11-6 Rawlins RMP 
Draft EIS Appendix 11 

DEPLETIONS TO RIVER SYSTEMS RESULTING FROM BLM-APPROVED 

ACTIVITIES

Depletions are the amount of water in a river system that is unavailable to fish, plant, or wildlife species 

as a result of water development or use. This is typically calculated based on a monthly mass balance 

calculation and therefore can include water that is stored in headwaters and/or water lost through 

consumptive use or evaporation. The Colorado River System has regional management plans and a 

recovery program, which began in 1988, to address depletions (Roehm 2003). The Platte River has 

interim policy guidance and a method for accounting for depletions. An EIS for the cooperative 

agreement for a recovery program is in draft form (USBOR and USFWS 2004). Because the Great

Divide Basin is a closed basin with internal drainage, there are no impacts to river systems with

threatened or endangered species requiring consideration of depletions resulting from BLM management

actions. 

The RFO participates in management plans and the recovery program for the Colorado River as well as 

the interim policy in the Platte River Basin. Any BLM-approved project that results in a federal nexus 

(requiring federal approval because of the use of federal resources including minerals or land use) that 

may result in depletion to these systems would be addressed during the National Environmental

Protection Agency (NEPA) analysis for that particular project. If required the BLM will consult with the 

U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS) on these depletions and potential impacts to protected species. 

Colorado River System 

A Biological Opinion (BO) was issued in 2000 to cover Colorado River depletions from livestock 

watering facilities. It was determined that individual projects causing 100 acre-ft or less of average 

annual depletion would be included in a programmatic approach and projects greater than 100 acre-ft 

would still be individually consulted on (USFWS 2000). The recovery program was established in 1988 

based on the needs of the endangered Colorado pikeminnow (Ptychocheilus lucius), endangered 

humpback chub (Gila cypha), endangered bonytail (Gila elegans), endangered razorback sucker

(Xyrauchen texanus), and designated critical habitat for these fish. 

A management plan for the Yampa River basin is currently in draft form (Roehm 2003). This plan 

quantifies current depletions as well as projects depletion through 2045. This is a joint effort between

Wyoming and Colorado to account for water development projects that lead to depletions. As projects 

occur on BLM land or need right-of-way (ROW) actions across BLM land, they will be evaluated to 

consider adequacy under the plan if it is adopted. Most of the projects mentioned in the Yampa River 

Management Plan will be initiated by the State of Wyoming and/or local water conservancy districts. 

Depletions from other activities such as oil and gas development are handled for individual projects and

considered during the NEPA process. Water is used for drilling operations, hydrostatic testing of 

pipelines, and dust abatement. The source of this water can vary but direct withdrawals from surface

waters are generally not allowed for these uses. Common potential sources include municipalities 

(Baggs, Wyoming) or state-approved wells. If it is determined that these sources are tributaries to the

surface waters in question, depletions would be consulted on with the USFWS. Produced water during 

oil and gas activities is evaluated during the NEPA process to determine potential connections between 

the producing geologic formation and surface waters. Methods for making this determination can include 

isotopic analysis, water quality data, and/or groundwater modeling. 

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Appendix 11 Draft EIS 

Platte River System 

The species of concern in the Platte River system are the whooping crane, least tern, piping plover, and

pallid sturgeon. A programmatic approach was developed to protect the hydrology required to maintain

critical habitat for these species in Nebraska (BLM 1999). This programmatic approach addressed small

depletions of less than 25 acre-feet per year. A fund was set up to account for these small depletions. For 

larger depletions, an individual consultation is required. 

Water development in the Platte River Basin is less common because of fully appropriated water rights in 

most of the basin. Most of the irrigated agriculture that is near RFO BLM administered lands is in this 

basin, and this system has two large reservoirs (Seminoe and Pathfinder) that regulate flows of the North

Platte and store water for municipal and agricultural use. There is at least one transbasin diversion from 

the Colorado River system to the Platte river system in Wyoming to meet municipal water uses in

Cheyenne. 

Oil and gas activities and mineral development (specifically coal mining and natural gas extraction from 

coals) typically dewater geologic formations to extract resources. In the Platte River system, this will add 

non-tributary water from these formations to the Platte River system. Reasonably foreseeable

development includes the discharge of significant amounts of water into the Platte River system. 

Although some anticipated actions have not been approved, some of this non-tributary water may be

available to meet species needs downstream.

All non-tributary water added to the system needs to be accurately measured to be used to meet species 

needs and would be discharged above Seminoe and Pathfinder reservoirs and therefore managed for this

use by reservoirs along the North Platte. All water discharged must be approved by the State of 

Wyoming under its National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NPDES) Program 

(http://deq.state.wy.us/wqd/pointsources.asp, accessed 2003). This program requires that water quality 

not be degraded below numerical requirements for beneficial uses specified for the water bodies receiving

the discharges or located below the discharges. Seminoe Reservoir and the North Platte River are water

quality classification 2AB, which is the highest numerical standard and is protected for game fish and

drinking water. Portions of the North Platte River (Miracle Mile and the headwaters) are considered class

1 waters; this means that the water quality cannot be degraded by point source discharges. 

Depletions from activities such as oil and gas development are handled for individual projects and 

considered during the NEPA process. Water is used for drilling operations, hydrostatic testing of 

pipelines, and dust abatement. The source of this water can vary but direct withdrawals from surface

waters are not allowed for these uses. Water produced during oil and gas activities is evaluated during the

NEPA process to determine potential connections between the producing formation and surface waters.

Methods for making this determination can include isotopic analysis, water quality data, and/or 

groundwater modeling. 

For projects involving large amounts of groundwater, groundwater modeling considering geology and any

data available from local wells will be used to evaluate impacts, including surface waters. Isotopic 

analysis can be used to determine when water was deposited in groundwater formations and whether the 

waters are tributary to surface waters. Water quality data along with water pressure can be used to

evaluate the homogeneity of groundwaters in formations and to confirm or deny assumptions made by the 

other methods. A combination of these approaches depending on the scale or likelihood of the potential 

connection to surface waters will be used to determine if groundwater is tributary. If groundwater use is 

from tributary systems, it will be considered a depletion and consultation will occur with the USFWS. 

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REFERENCES CITED

Roehm, G. W. 2003. A Management Plan for Endangered Fishes in the Yampa River Basin and

Environmental Assessment. U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Mountain-Prairie Region (6). Denver. 

United States Department of Interior Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS) (Mountain-Prairie Region).

March 2002. Memorandum: Revised Intra-Service Section 7 Consultation for Federal Agency Actions 

Resulting in Minor Depletions to the Platte River System. Reference: FWS/R6 ES. 

United States Department of Interior Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS) (Mountain-Prairie Region).

September 2000. Memorandum: Biological Opinion on Colorado River Depletions Resulting from 

Reauthorization of Livestock Watering Facilities, Wyoming. Reference: FWS/R6 ES. 

Wyoming. December 2003. Wyoming’s Draft 2004 305(b) State Water Quality Assessment Report and

Draft 2004 303(d) List of Waters Requiring TMDLs. 

BLM. 1999. Programmatic Biological Assessment for Minor Water Depletions Associated with Reissuing 

of BLM Grazing Leases in the Platte River Basin of July 1, 1999. 

Bureau of Reclamation and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (BOR and USFWS). 2004. Platte River 

Draft Environmental Impact Statement, released for public review and comment on January 23, 2004. 

Rawlins RMP A11-9