Download or read book Natural Resource Development Impacts on Surface Water Quality Across Multi jurisdictional Watersheds Within Montana Wyoming and Crow Tribal Lands written by Grace A. Bulltail and published by . This book was released on 2017 with total page 326 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: The first portion of my dissertation research focuses on water quality and quantity impacts from a potential coal surface mine development on Crow tribal lands in southeastern Montana. My field research analysis will focus on the surface water quality in three adjacent watersheds. The study objective was to determine baseline water quality in watersheds on the Crow Reservation prior to the development of a proposed coal mine site on tribal lands. All watersheds are located within the boundaries of the Crow Indian Reservation. The primary component of both watershed studies consists of an assessment of water quality of surface water originating on tribal lands. The objective of my field research is to determine a baseline assessment of surface water in watersheds prior to mine development, particularly on tribally owned and allotted tracts. In addition, I will determine impacts to water quality from reclaimed coal mine spoils surface runoff and produced water discharge from coal bed methane wells within the watersheds. I will compare the water quality parameters from select undeveloped sites to developed sites within the watershed area. Several mines have been developed in areas downstream of the research site, immediately adjacent to tribal lands. Where the tributaries are still flowing, the surface water quality will be assessed and compared to the upstream baseline data. Historical data from state agencies will also be compared to data collected within watersheds on tribal lands. Analysis has shown the increasing degradation of water quality in watersheds downstream and across the state boundary of Montana into Wyoming where historical mining has occurred. Water quantities affected by coalbed methane development will be outlined and compared to average annual precipitation in the region. Water rights are tied to the land ownership in both states. Where coal bed methane wells were developed, the water rights of receiving waters that would be impacted by direct discharge were quantified. All surface water in Montana was owned by energy companies, in Wyoming the majority of surface water rights where CBM wells were developed was owned by energy companies with a few fee land owners with water rights feeding irrigation canals. All natural resource development was facilitated through groundwater extraction. Had the wells discharged the allowable permitted flowrate of produced water every year, the discharged water would have significantly altered the flowrate of Youngs Creek. In Wyoming the produced water was permitted as beneficial use and discharged into waterways as livestock and irrigation supplies. Montana had changed its permitting requirements and has prohibited the direct discharge of produced water into waterways. Energy companies own the majority of the water rights in the downstream reaches of the watersheds where potential coal mines would be developed. Groundwater levels in coalbed aquifers within the affected watershed have been influenced by the development of coalbed methane wells on tracts adjacent to the tribal lands. Surface water quality has also been impacted by the direct discharge of produced water from coalbed methane wells into local drainages.
Download or read book Montana s Water Resources written by Montana University Joint Water Resources Research Center and published by . This book was released on 1978 with total page 40 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt:
Download or read book Geochemical Analysis of the Powder River Wyoming Montana and an Assessment of the Impacts of Coalbed Natural Gas Co produced Water written by Shaun A. Carter and published by ProQuest. This book was released on 2008 with total page 137 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: In the past decade, the coalbed natural gas (CBNG) industry in the Powder River Basin of northeastern Wyoming has experienced pronounced growth. However, production of natural gas has been accompanied by concerns regarding the disposal of groundwater produced with the gas. In response, the Montana Department of Environmental Quality approved numeric standards to be applied to several rivers entering the state from Wyoming, including the Powder River, limiting electrical conductivity (EC) and sodium adsorption ratio (SAR) in these streams. This research assesses the natural variability of water quality in the Powder River and the effects of CBNG co-produced water by comparing historic data to modern data collected from 2006 to 2008. Oxygen, hydrogen and carbon isotopes are evaluated as tools for identification of the source of water in the Powder River. [delta]13C proves to be a good indicator of the presence of CBNG water, which has a value distinct from that of surface water. The quality of water in the river, as it relates to the Montana standards, depends strongly on the flow of the river. At high flow, the EC and SAR of the river are within Montana standards. At low flow, most samples exceed these limits, including samples collected in Montana from streams which do not receive discharge of produced water. Some CBNG water is present in the Powder River. However, the current Montana standards are not well-suited to identify this component because they do not account for the natural seasonal variability of water quality in the Powder River.
Download or read book Montana Water Plan written by Montana. Water Resources Division and published by . This book was released on 1992 with total page 11 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt:
Download or read book Protecting Instream Flows in Montana written by Debra A. Sweetman and published by . This book was released on 1980 with total page 92 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt:
Download or read book Reservoir development impacts on surface water quantity and quality in the Yampa River basin Colorado and Wyoming written by and published by . This book was released on 1983 with total page 98 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt:
Download or read book Water Quality in Montana 1980 written by Montana. Water Quality Bureau and published by . This book was released on 1980 with total page 272 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt:
Download or read book Effects of Surface Configuration in Water Pollution Control on Semiarid Mined Lands written by D. J. Dollhopf and published by . This book was released on 1977 with total page 179 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: A system of intensively monitored micro-watersheds was constructed to demonstrate the effects of several specific soil surface manipulation treatments on control of runoff, chemistry of runoff, soil water flow, aquifer characteristics and vegetation establishment at five active coal strip mine areas within th etri-state region of Montana, North Dakota and Wyoming. Surface treatments were chiseling and gouging with and without topsoiling practices, and dozer basins with topsoiling. Without exception, topsoiled watersheds underwent less runoff than similar nontopsoiled watersheds. The total amount (depth) of surface urnoff at the Montana and North Dakota Demonstrations was 1.63 cm for topsoil-dozer basins, 2.32 cm for topsoil-gouged, 4.76 cm for topsoil-chiseled, 13.74 cm for nontopsoil-gouged, and 16.70 cm for nontopsoil-chiseled. Quantities of eroded soil material per treatment watershed resulting in gullies at the Montana Demonstration Areas were 2.7 m^3 for topsoil-dozer basins, 8.1 m^3 for topsoil-gouged, 23.7 m^3 for nontopsoil-gouged, 26.5 m^3 for topsoil-chiseled, and 43.1 m^3 for nontopsoil-chiseled. Thus the fundamental principles of less runoff - less erosion was substantiated on these spoil watersheds. The in situ hydrologic balance of the spoil biosphere was determined using weighing lysimeters and neutron probe techniques. Deep percolation characteristics were measured during precipitation periods. Most watersheds eventually lost this deep percolated water through the evapotranspiration process measured on a hydrologic year basis. A minority of watersheds underwent a net loss of 10 to 20 cm of water as deep percolation for the hydrologic year. Levels of NO3-N, Mg, Ca, soluble salts and most trace elements were found in low concentrations in watershed runoff water. Exceptions were Mn and Fe, where concentrations in runoff waters at all Demonstrations often exceeded federal standards for drinking water. Occasional samples contained Cd, Pb and PO4-P levels which exceeded desirable standards. Surface spoil hydrology and aquifer characteristics interrelationships are discussed, and the aquifer chemical quality presented. Manganese was the only trace element in the ground water which consistently exceeded federal standards for human consumption. A comparison of ground-water quality amound the Demonstration Areas indicates that the highest concentrations for most of the observed parameters were in the developing spoils aquifer at the the North Dakota site. This interim report is submitted in partial fulfillment of Contract No. R-803079-01-0 by the Montana Agricultural Experiment Station under the sponsorship of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. This report concentrates most directly on data collected during the period May, 1974 to May, 1976. Work is expected to be completed in September, 1978.
Download or read book Water Quality of Streams and Springs Green River Basin Wyoming written by Lewis L. DeLong and published by . This book was released on 1986 with total page 116 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt:
Download or read book Water Resources Programs Conducted by Government Agencies in Montana written by Montana Water Resources Board and published by . This book was released on 1969 with total page 74 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt:
Download or read book Watershed Assessment of the Cottonwood and Whitewater Watersheds written by Katherine Vance and published by . This book was released on 2005 with total page pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: The Cottonwood and Whitewater 4th-code watersheds are located in Blaine and Phillips County, near the boundary of the Northern Great Plains prairie pothole region in north-central Montana. In 2003, the Montana Heritage Program completed an assessment of the Whitewater watershed (Crowe and Kudray 2003). Under agreement with the BLM, that work was extended to the Cottonwood watershed, and the original study data was reanalyzed and updated so that 5th-code watersheds within the two larger 4th-code watersheds (plus portions of the Middle Milk) could be compared. The study area encompasses 1,139,021 acres, of which 4.7% (53,488 acres) are wetlands. Uplands comprise almost 95% of the watershed (1,085,533 acres). There are 1,286 miles of perennial and intermittent streams. Slightly over 40% of the study area is publicly owned or managed, with 78.6% of public land under BLM administration. Most of the land area is grassland, and both public and private grasslands are used primarily for cattle grazing. Approximately 35% of the study area is in agricultural use (hay, small grains, row crops, or fallow). Twenty-seven percent of the land within 100 meters of lentic wetlands and 9% of the land surrounding perennial and intermittent streams is in agriculture. Across the watershed, 46.1% of lacustrine wetland acres and 7.9% of palustrine wetland acres have been hydrologically modified. Slightly over 6% of palustrine wetlands in the study area are impounded. Our methodology included both broad-scale GIS and fine-scale field assessments. The GIS analysis examined underlying diversity, measured current conditions, and evaluated potential threats. Field sampling included proper functioning condition determinations, intensive riparian assessments, and aquatic community inventories. In our GIS assessment, we characterized underlying diversity within 5th code watersheds on the basis of soilbased ecosites, topography, and wetland type/ distribution. When the three measures of diversity were combined into a Composite Diversity Index, Woody Island Coulee ranked highest overall, and Buckley Creek lowest. To assess wetland and watershed condition, we gathered and analyzed data on land cover and land use, natural vegetation communities, land stewardship, water diversion, and wetland/riparian disturbance. We calculated a Composite Wetland Condition Index from seven sub-indices. Whitewater watershed had the highest condition ranking, and Murray Coulee the lowest. We then used a Composite Wetland Threat Index to evaluate ongoing threats from grazing and agriculture, and to assess the potential threats from agricultural conversion and protracted drought. For most of the watersheds, grazing and drought were the major threats. Murray Coulee and Sneider Coulee watersheds were the most threatened of the 5th-code HUCs. Several key facts emerged from the GIS data analysis: 1. Based on cadastral data and allotment boundaries, between 81% and 98% of the land in natural cover is grazed. 2. Comparisons between expected natural communities and current land cover indicate that the greatest loss of community type has occurred in shrub/evergreen communities. 3. More than a third of the wetlands across the study area have some direct disturbance as a result of hydrological alteration or stockwatering activities. 4. Surface water is a highly manipulated resource throughout the study area, and free-flowing channels are probably rare. In the Whitewater watershed, for example, there are over 27 dams and diversions per mile of perennial and intermittent stream. 5. Fifty percent or more of the streams in every watershed except Black Coulee are within 50 meters of a road. As part of the fine-scale assessment, we surveyed 161 potholes and wetlands across the study area. PFC assessments were done at 97 sites (some sites had more than one pothole). Of the 97 sites surveyed, 30, or 31%, were considered to be functioning at risk. We also carried out intensive riparian assessments at 17 sites and calculated an overall Floristic Quality Index, the percentage of non-native species, the total percentage of species that are tolerant to disturbance, and the percentage of species that are intolerant to disturbance. Almost all sites exhibited a high percentage of disturbance tolerant species, with values as high as 0.0% to 69.4% for woody species, and 68.2% for herbaceous species. Non-native herbaceous species were common throughout the riparian area. During our aquatic condition inventories, we found that most of the unconnected streams were dry, and many 2nd order streams contained no water or only interrupted pools. The mainstem of Cottonwood Creek is severely incised and continually downgrading its channel, and contains few of the expected fish species for a stream this size. Woody Island Coulee contained the most intact fish community, and has many stream reaches with high biological integrity. Assiniboine Creek (in Stinky Creek watershed) had a full complement of expected species. We did not find clear relationships between the broad-scale and fine-scale assessments. Broadscale assessments look at impacts, i.e. the activities and events that change natural conditions, while fine-scale assessments examine the results of those impacts. Impacts may occur at a significance distance from their effects. Localized impacts may also override watershed-level ones. In our visits to wetlands in the study area, we observed that the most significant effects on plant community composition and proper functioning condition corresponded to local impacts of grazing and/or hydrologic alteration. The value of watershed-level assessments lies in identifying areas where impacts are currently occurring, rather than merely seeking out effects that have already occurred. Based on both levels of assessment, we identified several management opportunities that would support wetland and watershed health: 1. Placement of stockwatering tanks, nutrient feeders and salt blocks in places with a low concentration of wetlands; exploration of rotational grazing to protect breeding waterfowl in spring and to limit trampling of potholes in late summer; increased range condition monitoring; and protection of high quality wetlands with physical barriers. 2. Avoiding direct encroachments by oil and gas pipelines in wetlands, and planning associated roads to minimize impacts from dust, traffic, and erosion. 3. Continuing to monitor for noxious weeds. The study area is unusually free of noxious weeds. 4. Management of lands around Woody Island Coulee to protect the aquatic resource. In general, the study area has not suffered the same level of impacts as many parts of the Northern Great Plains Prairie Pothole Region, and a high percentage of its wetlands are still functioning and intact. However, increased oil and gas development, drought, overgrazing and noxious weeds all represent significant threats.
Download or read book Montana Water Pollution Control Program Plan written by Montana. Water Quality Bureau and published by . This book was released on 1973 with total page 86 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt:
Download or read book The Adequacy of Montana s Regulatory Framework for Water Quality Control written by Mona Jamison and published by . This book was released on 1978 with total page 79 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt:
Download or read book Literature Review and Estimation of Municipal and Agricultural Values of Groundwater Use in the Upper Clark Fork River Drainage Report to the Montana written by Inc Bioeconomics and published by Palala Press. This book was released on 2018-03-02 with total page 70 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: This work has been selected by scholars as being culturally important, and is part of the knowledge base of civilization as we know it. This work was reproduced from the original artifact, and remains as true to the original work as possible. Therefore, you will see the original copyright references, library stamps (as most of these works have been housed in our most important libraries around the world), and other notations in the work. This work is in the public domain in the United States of America, and possibly other nations. Within the United States, you may freely copy and distribute this work, as no entity (individual or corporate) has a copyright on the body of the work. As a reproduction of a historical artifact, this work may contain missing or blurred pages, poor pictures, errant marks, etc. Scholars believe, and we concur, that this work is important enough to be preserved, reproduced, and made generally available to the public. We appreciate your support of the preservation process, and thank you for being an important part of keeping this knowledge alive and relevant.
Download or read book The Effect of Altered Streamflow on Water based Recreation in the Yellowstone River Basin Montana written by Max L. Erickson and published by . This book was released on 1977 with total page 138 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt:
Download or read book Water Resource Development Impacts in the Green River Drainage of Wyoming written by Douglas Richard Franklin and published by . This book was released on 1983 with total page 42 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Extract: This project focuses on the substitution of capital for water within and between the agricultural and energy sectors of the Green River drainage basin economy in Wyoming. The substitution process is analyzed both with the imposition of a salinity regulation and without the regulation. This study compares alternative courses of action to achieve economic growth in the basin.
Download or read book A Study to Evaluate the Potential Physical Biological and Water Use Impacts of Water Withdrawals and Water Development on the Middle and Lower Portio written by Old West Regional Commission and published by Palala Press. This book was released on 2018-02-20 with total page 90 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: This work has been selected by scholars as being culturally important, and is part of the knowledge base of civilization as we know it. This work was reproduced from the original artifact, and remains as true to the original work as possible. Therefore, you will see the original copyright references, library stamps (as most of these works have been housed in our most important libraries around the world), and other notations in the work. This work is in the public domain in the United States of America, and possibly other nations. Within the United States, you may freely copy and distribute this work, as no entity (individual or corporate) has a copyright on the body of the work. As a reproduction of a historical artifact, this work may contain missing or blurred pages, poor pictures, errant marks, etc. Scholars believe, and we concur, that this work is important enough to be preserved, reproduced, and made generally available to the public. We appreciate your support of the preservation process, and thank you for being an important part of keeping this knowledge alive and relevant.
