Assessment of Aquatic Communities in Northeastern Wyoming and Southeastern Montana

Introduction

The Powder River Structural Basin (PRB) in northeastern Wyoming and southeastern Montana is an important source of energy resources for the United States. Resources developed from the basin include coal, oil, uranium, conventional natural gas, and within the last decade coal-bed natural gas (CBNG) which often is referred to as coal-bed methane. As of 2004, more than 10,000 CBNG wells had been drilled in northeastern Wyoming (Wyoming Oil and Gas Conservation Commission, 2005). An estimated 50,000 to 60,000 CBNG wells could be drilled and put into production in the PRB by 2012. Throughout the PRB large volumes of ground­water are removed from coal-bed aquifers and discharged on the surface in order to recover CBNG. This ground water, which can be slightly to moderately saline, is discharged to perennial, intermittent and ephemeral streams as well surface impoundments. It is currently unknown what potential impacts these discharges will have on aquatic communities (fish, macroinvertebrates, and algae) and their habitats.

Data Availability

Data collected as part of Water Task Group surface-water-monitoring plan are stored electronically in the USGS National Water Information System. Continuous streamflow and water-quality data are available to the public at URL: http://waterdata.usgs.gov/nwis/. Other USGS data for Montana and Wyoming can be accessed at http://mt.water.usgs.gov/, http://tonguerivermonitoring.cr.usgs.gov/, and http://wy.water.usgs.gov/.

Information Products

A fact sheet has been published and is available at http://pubs.water.usgs.gov/fs2006-3047.

Map of the Powder River Structural basin in Wyoming and Montana.

Powder River above Salt Creek, Wyoming.

U.S. Department of the Interior | U.S. Geological Survey
URL: http://wy.water.usgs.gov/projects/atg/index.htm
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Page Last Modified: June 8, 2006