The Wyoming State Geological Survey (WSGS) has published a new report that examines groundwater in Northeast Wyoming. The study looks at groundwater resources that include the Powder, Tongue and Northeast River Basins.
Karl Taboga, a WSGS hydrogeologist, said the report compiles data from state and federal agencies and makes the information easily accessible to everyone.
Taboga said groundwater sources are especially important in the northeast since the river basins supply water to more than 100,000 people, or around 17 percent of the state's population.
"For instance, you will find that, to stock growers throughout the region, it's the primary source to water livestock. And it's really important to many of the communities and of course the rural users throughout the region," he said.
He said groundwater is also used in irrigation in the Niobrara and Tongue River Basins.
The report identifies the physical and chemical characteristics of the water. That information will be valuable to people like local water managers.
"The real value of this study is that it's compiled data from numerous state and federal agencies into a single report that's available to everyone," Taboga said.
The report was funded by the Wyoming Water Development Commission and is now available for free. It's the last in a series of river basin reports from the state Geological survey.
Have a question about this story? Contact the reporter, Catherine Wheeler, at cwheel11@uwyo.edu.
