| News
Release U.S. Department of the Interior U.S. Geological Survey
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Address 2617 E. Lincolnway, Suite B Cheyenne, Wyoming 82001 |
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| Release August 2, 2001 |
Contact Kirk Miller Cheryl Miller Myron Brooks |
Phone (307) 778-2931 |
Fax (307) 778-2764 |
Data in this release are preliminary. Final data will be published in the yearly publication, WATER RESOURCES DATA, WYOMING
NOTES TO EDITOR: (1) ft3/sec is an abbreviation for cubic feet per second which is the rate of discharge representing a volume of a cubic foot of water passing a given point during one second and is equivalent to 7.48 gallons per second or 448.8 gallons per minute.
Hydrologic Drought Conditions Persist During July in Western Wyoming
Streamflow data collected during July clearly show the persistence of a hydrologic drought throughout the western two-thirds of Wyoming. Streamflows were much less than normal at four U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) streamflow-gaging stations, where average monthly discharges were 15 to 32 percent of the 30-year average. According to USGS Hydrologist Kirk Miller, "We have seen two of the four streamflow-gaging sites set new record lows for the July average. The record stood for 71 years on the Tongue River and 48 years on the Fontenelle Creek." In Wyoming, since the early 1900's, four hydrologic droughts of note have occurred, each one lasting from 6 to 14 years.
| USGS streamflow gaging station | July 2001 monthly mean discharge (ft3/sec) | 1961-90 average monthly discharge (ft3/sec) | Percent of 1961-90 average discharge | Record minimum monthly mean discharge (ft3/sec) | Year of record minimum monthly mean discharge | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Number | Name | |||||
| 06280300 | South Fork Shoshone River, near Valley, WY | 368 | 1140 | 32 | 308 | 1988
(44 years of record) |
| 06298000 | Tongue River near Dayton, WY | 63.0 | 253 | 25 | 81.1 | 1919
(71 years of record) |
| 06630000 | North Platte River above Seminoe Reservoir, near Sinclair, WY | 367 | 1,660 | 22 | 204 | 1939
(61 years of record) |
| 09210500 | Fontenelle Creek near Herschler Ranch, near Fontenelle, WY | 11.7 | 78 | 15 | 17.2 | 1951
(48 years of record) |
In addition to much lower than normal monthly streamflows, new record low daily streamflows were recorded during most of July at the streamflow-gaging stations on the Tongue River near Dayton and Fontenelle Creek near Herschler Ranch near Fontenelle. Web users are able to access daily updated information on the drought in Wyoming at the USGS Wyoming Drought Water web site (http://wy.water.usgs.gov/projects/drought).
Since 1895, the USGS has collected streamflow data at more than 2,000 sites
throughout Wyoming. About 150 streamflow data collection stations currently are in operation. The data are collected in cooperation with many local, State, and Federal agencies.
The USGS works in cooperation with more than 2,000 organizations across the country to provide reliable, impartial, scientific information to
resource managers, planners, and other customers. This information is gathered in every state
by USGS scientists to minimize the loss of life and property from natural disaster; contribute to the sound conservation, economic and physical development of the nation's natural resources; and to
enhance the quality of life by monitoring water, biological, energy, and mineral resources.
Additional information, including current streamflow conditions in Wyoming, can be found by accessing the Water Resources of Wyoming on the
World Wide Web at: http://wy.water.usgs.gov/
Or contact:
USGS Wyoming State Representative
2617 E. Lincolnway, Suite B
Cheyenne, WY 82001-5662
Phone: (307) 778-2931
FAX: (307) 778-2764
Email: state_rep_wy@usgs.gov
The URL for this page is: http://wy.water.usgs.gov/news/html/080201.htm