VOLUME I-A
OCCURRENCE AND CHARACTERISTICS OF
GROUND WATER IN THE
POWDER RIVER BASIN, WYOMING
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VOLUME I-A
OCCURRENCE AND CHARACTERISTICS OF
GROUND WATER IN THE
POWDER RIVER BASIN, WYOMING
by
Kenneth R. Feathers, Robert Libra, and Thomas R. Stephenson
Project Manager
Craig Eisen
Water Resources Research Institute
University of Wyoming
Report to
U.S. Environmental Protection Agency
Contract Number G-008269-79
Project Officer
Paul Osborne
June, 1981
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INTRODUCTION
This report is the first of a series of hydrogeologic basin reports
that define the occurrence and chemical quality of ground water within
Wyoming. Information presented in this report has been obtained from
several sources including available U.S. Geological Survey publications,
the Wyoming State Engineer's Office, the Wyoming Oil and Gas Commission,
the Wyoming State Department of Enviromental Quality, and the Wyoming
Geological Survey.
This study was funded by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency
under Contract no. G-008269-79, to provide background information
for implementation of the Underground Injection Control Program (UIC).
The UIC program, authorized by the Safe Drinking Water Act (P.L. 93-523),
is designed to improve the protection of ground-water resources from
possible contamination cauded by injection of waste brines, sewage,
and other fluids. This report identifies the stratigraphic limits,
hydraulic properties, chemical quality, and use of the major water-
bearing units within the Powder River basin, and can therefore be
used to assist identification of the aquifers in need of protection.
This report will also help identify the current extent of knowledge
and where future research emphasis is needed within the Powder River
basin.
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ACKNOWLEDGMENTS
We wish to thank several individuals who greatly aided the com-
pletion of this report series. The staffs of the Wyoming State Engineer's
Office, the Oil and Gas Commission, the Wyoming Geological Survey, and the
U.S. Geological Survey were especially helpful during the data acquisition
phases of the project. Marlin Lowry, of the U.S. Geological Survey, re-
viewed the first report in the series; his comments and criticisms were
greatly appreciated. WRRI technical editor Jane Reverand reviewed all
manuscripts, and contributed many useful comments concerning report or-
ganization and format. JoAnn Foster typed the report series; we are
grateful for her diligence, and especially her patience.
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TABLE OF CONTENTS
Chapter Page
I. SUMMARY OF FINDINGS 1
II. GEOGRAPHIC AND GEOLOGIC SETTING 11
PHYSIOGRAPHY 14
Topography 14
Surface Drainage 15
Climate 15
HUMAN GEOGRAPHY 17
Population and Employment 17
Land Use and Ownership 17
GEOLOGY 19
Stratigraphy 19
Structure 21
Hydrostratigraphy 23
III. GROUND-WATER USE 29
DOMESTIC GROUND-WATER USE 32
Community Systems 35
Non-Community Systems and Private Domestic Wells . . 38
INDUSTRIAL WATER USE 38
Petroleum Industry 38
Coal Industry 41
Uranium Industry 44
AGRICULTURAL WATER USE 44
Irrigation 44
Livestock 47
IV. HYDROGEOLOGY 49
MADISON AQUIFER SYSTEM 50
Hydrologic Properties 62
Ground-Water Movement 75
PERMO-TRIASSIC AQUIFERS 80
SUNDANCE AQUIFER 81
DAKOTA AQUIFER SYSTEM 82
Hydrologic Properties 85
Ground-Water Movement 93
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ISOLATED UPPER CRETACEOUS SANDSTONE AQUIFERS 95
FOX HILLS/LANCE AQUIFER SYSTEM 99
Hydrologic Properties 100
Ground-Water Movement 106
WASATCH/FORT UNION AQUIFER SYSTEM 108
Hydrologic Properties 109
Ground-Water Movement 116
MIDDLE TERTIARY AQUIFERS 119
QUATERNARY AQUIFERS . . . 123
V. WATER QUALITY 125
GENERAL WATER QUALITY 127
Madison Aquifer System 127
Permo-Triassic Aquifers 134
Sundance Aquifer 135
Dakota Aquifer System 135
Upper Cretaceous Aquifers 138
Fox Hills/Lance Aquifer System 140
Wasatch/Fort Union Aquifer System 141
Middle Tertiary Aquifers 145
Quaternary Aquifers 145
DRINKING WATER STANDARDS 145
Primary Standards 145
Secondary Standards 150
Radionuclear Species 154
VI. REFERENCES 159
APPENDIX A: GROUND-WATER USE FOR COMMUNITY DRINKING
WATER SUPPLY AND BY INDUSTRY IN THE POWDER RIVER
BASIN, WYOMING A-l
APPENDIX B: STRATIGRAPHIC VARIATIONS OF WATER-BEARING
BEDROCK UNITS IN THE POWDER RIVER BASIN B-l
APPENDIX C: CHEMICAL ANALYSES OF POWDER RIVER BASIN
GROUND WATERS SAMPLED BY TORI C-l
APPENDIX D: LOCATION-NUMBERING SYSTEM D-l
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LIST OF FIGURES
Figure Page
II-l Geography of che Powder River structural basin, Wyoming 13
II-2 Diagrammatic stritigraphy of rocks in the Powder River
basin 20
II-3 Tectonic sketch map of Powder River Basin, Wyoming and
vicinity 22
II-4 Diagrammatic hydrostratigraphy of the Powder River basin 24
III-l Location of public drinking water supplies inventoried
by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency in the
Powder River basin 34
IV-1 Potentiometric surface in the Madison aquifer 77
IV-2 Potentiometric surface in the Dakota aquifer system . . 94
IV-3 Contours on water levels in wells finished in the Fox
Hills Sandstone, Lance Formation, and lower part of
Fort Union Formation in the Gillette area 107
IV-4 Water levels and direction of horizontal movement of
ground water in the Fort Union and Wasatch formations
in the Gillette area 117
V-l Trilinear plot of representative Madison aquifer waters,
eastern Powder River basin 128
V-2 Trilinear plot of representative Madison aquifer waters,
western Powder River basin 130
V-3 Trilinear plot of representative Minnelusa aquifer
waters, eastern Powder River basin 131
V-4 Trilinear plot of representative Tensleep (Minnelusa)
aquifer waters, western Powder River basin 133
V-5 Major ion composition of Dakota aquifer system water,
eastern Powder River basin 137
V-6 Trilinear plot of representative Wasatch/Fort Union
aquifer system waters, Powder River basin 143
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Figure Page
V-7 Trilinear plot of representative Wasatch/Fort Union
aquifer system waters, Powder River basin, indicating
general trend of composition with depth 144
V-8 Location of reported high selenium and fluoride in
Powder River basin ground waters 149
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LIST OF TABLES
Table Page
II-l Selected Missouri River System tributaries present
in the report area, listed by tributary, giving
selected drainage basin areas included in the
study area 16
II-2 Population distribution and change in Powder River
Basin counties and places within counties 18
III-l Estimated annual use of ground water in the Powder
River basin, by economic sector, indicating principal
sources 31
III-2 Public water supply systems in the Powder River basin . . 33
III-3 Sources of water for municipal, community, non-community
public, and private domestic supplies within the Powder
River basin 36
III-4 1979 ground-water use by the petroleum industry in the
Powder River basin, by county. Refinery use is
excluded 40
III-5 Acreage permitted for irrigation by ground water in the
Powder River basin, by county 46
IV-1 Lithologic and hydrologic characteristics of bedrock
units exposed on the east flank of the Powder River
basin 51
IV-2 Lithologic and hydrologic characteristics of bedrock
units exposed on the west flank of the Powder River
basin 55
IV-3 Lithologic and hydrologic characteristics of "shallow"
geologic units of the central Powder River basin 58
IV-4 Calculated specific capacities of Madison aquifer wells,
Powder River basin 63
IV-5 Hydrologic properties of Permo-Pennsylvanian rocks of
the Madison aquifer system, Powder River basin, deter-
mined from oil field data 70
IV-6 Reported transmissivities and storage coefficients for
the Madison aquifer in the Powder River basin 73
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Table Page
IV-7 Hydrologic properties of the Sundance aquifer in the
Powder River basin, determined from oil field data ... 83
IV-8 Reported specific capacities of wells in the Dakota
aquifer system, Powder River basin 86
IV-9 Hydrologic properties of Lower Cretaceous rocks of the
Dakota aquifer system, Powder River basin, determined
from oil field data 89
IV-10 Hydrologic properties of sandstone aquifers within the
Upper Cretaceous shale sequence, Powder River basin,
determined from oil field data 97
IV-11 Reported specific capacities of wells in the Fox Hills/
Lance aquifer system, Powder River basin 101
IV-12 Reported transmissivities and permeabilities for wells
in the Fox Hills/Lance aquifer system, Powder River
basin 105
IV-13 Transmissivities of the Wasatch/Fort Union aquifer
system, Powder River basin Ill
IV-14 Specific capacities of wells completed in Middle
Tertiary aquifers of the Powder River basin 120
V-l Drinking water quality standards 146
V-2 Concentration ranges of sulfate, chloride, and iron in
waters of major aquifer systems, Powder River basin, by
county 152
V-3 Ranges of total dissolved solids, sulfate, chloride, and
iron concentrations in waters from minor aquifers,
Powder River basin 153
V-A Radionuclear analyses of ground waters, Powder River
basin 155
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LIST OF PLATES*
Plate
1 Structural contour map of the Dakota Formation, showing oil
field locations, Powder River basin, Wyoming.
2 Permitted domestic wells, Powder River basin, Wyoming.
3 Structural contour map of the Madison Limestone, Powder River
basin, Wyoming.
4 Dissolved solids map of Madison aquifer water, Madison aquifer
system, Powder River basin, Wyoming.
5 Dissolved solids map of Minnelusa/Tensleep aquifer water,
Madison aquifer system, Powder River basin, Wyoming.
6 Dissolved solids map of Dakota aquifer system water, Powder
River basin, Wyoming.
7 Dissolved solids map of Fox Hills/Lance aquifer system water,
Powder River basin, Wyoming.
8 Dissolved solids map of Wasatch/Fort Union aquifer system
water, Powder River basin, Wyoming.
*Plates contained in Volume I-B.
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I. SUMMARY OF FINDINGS
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I. SUMMARY OF FINDINGS
1. Four major bedrock aquifer systems have been identified within
the Powder River basin. These are the Paleozoic Madison, Lower
Cretaceous Dakota, Upper Cretaceous Fox Hills/Lance, and Lower Tertiary
Wasatch/Fort Union aquifer systems. Additionally, several minor or
local aquifers have been identified, including Permo-Triassic aquifers
and the Jurassic Sundance aquifer in the northeastern part, Upper
Cretaceous aquifers in the western part, Middle Tertiary aquifers
in the southeastern part and unconsolidated Quaternary alluvial aquifers
throughout the basin. Aquifer recharge rates, ground-water flow paths,
and the extent of interformational mixing are poorly known. Data
concerning hydrologic and hydrochemical properties are sparse, especially
for pre-Tertiary strata in the central basin.
2. The Paleozoic Madison aquifer system has excellent potential
for producing large quantities of good quality water, and has been
extensively investigated as a result of pending additional developments.
The Madison Limestone is the most extensively exploited aquifer of
the system, although the Minnelusa/Tensleep and Bighorn/Red River
formations also have good development potential. Water from the aquifer
system is currently utilized mainly for municipal supply and secondary
oil recovery, but proposed future uses also include slurry transport
of coal and the synthetic fuels industry. The upper Minnelusa is
extensively developed for production of oil and gas through primary
and secondary recovery methods.
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Aquifer properties are highly variable, are dependent upon secondary
permeability, and, with the exception of the Madison aquifer, are
very poorly known. Madison Formation transmissivities generally vary
from 1,000 to 60,000 gpd/ft, but may exceed 300,000 gpd/ft locally.
Specific capacities range from 0.5 to over 50 gpm/ft of drawdown, and
are highly yield dependent. Yields generally vary from 600 to 1,20P
gallons per minute, but may locally be higher. High-yield wells are
often accompanied by several hundred feet of drawdown.
The principal recharge mechanism is outcrop infiltration, and
recharge rate estimates for the Madison aquifer of the system range
from 8,000 to over 100,000 acre-feet/yr. Although the basal Minnelusa
and Madison aquifers are hydraulically connected, little interforma-
tional mixing occurs between other aquifers comprising the system,
except along structurally disturbed zones.
Near outcrop Madison aquifer waters contain less than 600 mg/1
total dissolved solids (TDS) and are primarily calcium-magnesium
bicarbonate. Basinward, TDS increases to over 3,000 mg/1 with sodium
sulfate-chloride predominating. Near outcrop Minnelusa aquifer waters
are generally similar to Madison aquifer waters, although some waters
in the east part of the basin show higher (up to 3,000 mg/1) TDS and
calcium sulfate enrichment. Deep basin Minnelusa waters contain greater
than 10,000 mg/1 TDS and are primarily sodium chloride. Objectionably
high concentrations of fluoride are often present. Chemical data
for other aquifers of the system are sparse, but indicate somewhat
similar chemistry.
3. The Lower Cretaceous Dakota aquifer system is a potentially
important shallow water source in the northeastern part of the basin.
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The thick sedimentary sequence can produce large amounts of water
at the expense of hundreds of feet of drawdown. Current interest in
the aquifer system is limited because in the same area the Madison
system is at an economically attractive drilling depth.
The Fall River and Newcastle ("Muddy") formations of the system
are significant oil producers through primary and secondary recovery
methods. The Lakota and Fall River formations contain important uranium
deposits in the Black Hills region.
The lenticular nature of sandstone bodies results in spatially
variable aquifer properties. Transmissivity values are poorly known,
but are typically estimated between several hundred and several thousand
gpd/ft. Specific capacities generally range from 0.1 to 1 gpm/ft.
Existing yields are generally under 50 gpm. Higher yields are associ-
ated with large drawdowns.
Recharge is primarily through infiltration in outcrop areas.
Upper Cretaceous shales (e.g., Pierre) effectively isolate the system
from shallow aquifers.
Outcrop waters contain from 277 to 3,300 mg/1 TDS. Major ion
composition changes basinward from calcium-magnesium sulfate at the
outcrop to sodium sulfate to sodium bicarbonate. Deep basin waters
contain greater than 10,000 mg/1 TDS and are enriched in sodium chloride.
4. The uppermost Cretaceous Fox Hills/Lance aquifer system is
utilized for industrial applications in the northeast part of the
basin and for municipal supplies in the southwest and northeast.
Aquifer properties are poorly known. Transmissivities vary from
about 100 to 2,000 gpd/ft. Specific capacities are generally between
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0.05 and 2 gpm/ft. Well yields up to 350 gpm occur, but are associated
with long perforated intervals and large drawdowns.
Recharge occurs principally through downward leakage from over-
lying aquifers, supplemented locally by outcrop infiltration. Discharge
is through subsurface flow to the north, and also to some principal
stream valleys.
Outcrop waters contain from 350 to 3,500 mg/1 TDS, and show a
variable major ion composition. Central basin waters contain 1,000
to 3,500 mg/1 TDS, and are sodium bicarbonate-sulfate in character.
East basin waters often contain objectionable amounts of fluoride.
5. In the central part of the basin the Tertiary Wasatch/Fort
Union aquifer system is the most important source of ground water.
It is developed extensively by shallow domestic and stock wells and
also serves as a water source for several municipalities. The Fort
Union Formation contains most of the Powder River basin coal reserves
and the Wasatch Formation includes extensive uranium deposits.
Aquifer properties are locally unpredictable due to the widely
varying lithologies. Transmissivities vary from 1 to 5,000 gpd/ft
but locally clinker values are much higher, ranging up to 3,000,000
gpd/ft. Coal and clinker beds generally have higher transmissivities
than sandstones. Specific capacities vary from less than 0.1 to 2
gpm/ft, although clinker wells with over 2,000 gpm/ft are reported.
Yields of up to 250 gpm have been attained, but are associated with
several hundred feet of drawdown or local recharge. Clinker wells
may yield several thousand gpm.
Recharge occurs principally through outcrop infiltration but
downward water leakage may also occur. Topographic valleys are important
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discharge points. Although shallow water circulation is under topog-
raphically controlled water table conditions, deeper strata have
dominantly stratigraphically controlled horizontal flow. Hydrologic
conditions vary from water table to fully confined between and within
individual water-bearing zones.
TDS content shows some apparent spatial distribution, ranging
from 250 to 6,500 mg/1. Major ion composition varies widely, but
deeper zones generally produce waters relatively enriched in sodium
bicarbonate. Good quality water is obtainable from water-bearing
zones associated with recharge zones.
6. Minor aquifers (Permo-Triassic, Sundance, and Upper Cretaceous
aquifers) produce adequate amounts of water for many purposes, but
water is of marginal to poor quality for domestic use. The aquifers
are only locally exploited, with the Permo-Triassic and Sundance aquifers
important in the northeastern part of the basin, and the Upper
Cretaceous aquifers important in the southwest. The Sundance and
Upper Cretaceous formations are significant oil producers through
primary and secondary recovery methods.
Little hydrologic data for these aquifers are available, with
the exception of oil field data. Reported water yields are generally
small. Recharge is through outcrop infiltration of precipitation,
but water circulation through the central part of the basin is likely
restricted.
Total dissolved solids often exceed 1,000 mg/1; dissolved sodium
sulfate or bicarbonate predominate near the outcrops, and sodium
chloride brines in the central part of the basin. Objectionable levels
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of selenium and fluoride are often present in water from the Upper
Cretaceous aquifers.
7. Middle Tertiary aquifers and Quaternary alluvial aquifers
are locally important water sources where present in the southeast
and in the west and south parts of the basin, respectively, where
they provide municipal water supplies.
Reported yields of wells in the Middle Tertiary aquifers exceed
1,000 gpm southeast of the study area; within the area investigated,
specific capacities typically range from 0.2 to 4 gpm/ft but can
exceed 200 gpm/ft. Precipitation infiltration through outcrops is
the principal recharge mechanism.
Wells completed in the Quaternary alluvial aquifers can yield
over 1,000 gpm, although much of the yield may be induced recharge
from adjacent rivers. Transmissivity of alluvial aquifers is dependent
on saturated thickness and sediment size; reported values range from
15 to 64,000 gpd/ft.
Water from the Middle Tertiary aquifers generally has less than
500 mg/1 TDS, with dissolved sodium bicarbonate dominant.
Alluvial aquifers often contain water with over 1,000 mg/1 TDS,
but in places adjacent to the North Platte River TDS concentrations
are lower, reflecting the influence of surface water. Alluvial aquifer
waters vary in composition, containing sodium, calcium, bicarbonate,
and sulfate.
8. Within the Powder River basin, concentrations of water quality
parameters that exceed U.S. Environmental Protection Agency primary
drinking water standards include selenium, fluoride, radium-226, gross
alpha radiation, and occasionally nitrate, mercury, and lead.
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Selenium concentrations in excess of 0.01 mg/1 Se are geographically
confined to the far southwestern part of the basin, and are produced
from wells completed in isolated Upper Cretaceous aquifers or associated
alluvial aquifers. Fluoride'concentrations in excess of 2.4 mg/1 F
were measured in ground water from a number of geologic formations and
many geographic areas within the basin. The Madison system throughout
much of the basin, the Fox Hills/Lance in the eastern basin, and
isolated Upper Cretaceous aquifers in the southwestern part of the
basin typically produce waters with high concentrations of fluoride.
Concentrations of radium-226 greater than the drinking water
standard (5 pCi/1) were measured at two Madison aquifer wells, as well
as numerous Wasatch/Fort Union wells located near uranium ore zones.
Gross alpha radiation in excess of the drinking water standard (15
pCi/1) was measured in two wells from each major pre-Tertiary aquifer
system as well as numerous Wasatch/Fort Union wells in uranium ore
zones.
Mercury and lead concentrations greater than drinking water standards
(0.002 mg/1 Hg and 0.05 mg/1 Pb) were measured at one mine site in
the southwestern portion of the basin in Wasatch Formation ground water.
Nitrate levels which exceed the drinking water standard (10.0 mg/1 N)
are found sporadically in water from shallow wells in several aquifers.
The secondary standards for sulfate (250 mg/1 SO^) and TDS concen-
trations (500 mg/1) are exceeded throughout much of the basin in all
water-bearing units. Waters with less than 500 mg/1 TDS concentration
are generally restricted to the Madison aquifer system near the basin
flanks, to parts of the Wasatch/Fort Union system, and to the Middle
Tertiary aquifers and Quaternary alluvial aquifers. Although recommended
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standards are exceeded, the sulfate-rich shallow ground waters of
the basin are used by many of its residents.
9. A precise tabulation of ground-water use by economic sector
and source aquifer is impossible until more actual withdrawal data
are available. Approximately 128,000 to 148,000 acre-feet of ground
water are used each year in the Powder River basin, accounting for
roughly one-third of all water used within the basin. Estimates identify
the petroleum industry as withdrawing the greatest amounts of ground
water, followed by irrigation users and public and private domestic
drinking water supplies.
Industry uses roughly 66,000 to 73,000 acre-feet of water within
the Powder River basin. Most is ground water withdrawn by the petroleum
industry during oil production.
Overall agricultural water use in the Powder River basin is roughly
250,000 to 300,000 acre-feet/yr, of which about 33,000 to 45,000 or
more acre-feet/yr is ground water. Irrigation of 37,272 acres accounts
for 66 to 76 percent or more (22,000 to 34,000+ acre-feet/yr) of the
estimated amount of agricultural ground water used. Stock watering
uses about 11,000 acre-feet/yr, derived from the shallowest aquifers
in any given area through low-yield intermittent production wells.
Public and private domestic drinking water use totals about 33,200
acre-feet/yr and ground water represents slightly more than three-
quarters of the total (25,500 acre-feet/yr). Community supply systems
account for 79 percent of the total domestic use. They use 71 percent
ground water (18,455 acre-feet/yr), principally from the Madison and
Wasatch/Fort Union aquifer systems in the east and central parts of
the basin, respectively, and Quaternary alluvial aquifers in the southwest
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part of the basin. Municipalities in the northwest part of the basin
use surface water, while other community systems nearby tap the
Wasatch/Fort Union aquifer system. Noncommunity public and private
domestic water needs are met by numerous shallow, low-yield, inter-
mittently producing wells at the point of use, and aggregate water
use is about 7,000 acre-feet/yr.
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II. GEOGRAPHIC AND GEOLOGIC
SETTING
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II. GEOGRAPHIC AND GEOLOGIC
SETTING
The Powder River basin of Wyoming, sparsely populated and lying
far from any large metropolitan areas, is fast becoming a region of
major importance, not only to the state of Wyoming but to the nation
as well. The cause of this rising interest may be summarized in three
words: coal, petroleum, and uranium. With low-sulfur coal reserves
in excess of 90 billion tons, annual oil production in excess of 35
million barrels, and one of the nation's largest and most easily exploit-
able reserves of uranium, the Powder River basin represents one of
the greatest energy sources in the United States. Development, utiliza-
tion, and transport of these resources will require large volumes
of water, and place further demands on potable water supplies from
the population boom associated with resource exploitation. Projected
water needs exceed available surface supplies, indicating increased
demands will be placed on ground-water resources.
Within the state of Wyoming the Powder River structural basin
(Figure II-l) extends from T. 58 N., at the Wyoming-Montana state
boundary southward to roughly T. 27^W^, a distance of about 190 miles,
and from R. 60 W. at the Wyoming-South Dakota state boundary westward
as far as R. 89 W., a distance of about 180 miles. The basin is bounded
on the west by the Bighorn Mountains, on the southwest by the Casper
arch, on the south by the Laramie Mountains, and on the southeast
by the Hartville uplift. For purposes of this study the northern
and eastern boundaries of the area are taken to be the Wyoming-Montana
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Figure II-l. Geography of the Powder River structural basin, Wyoming.
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and the Wyoming-South Dakota state boundaries, respectively. As thus
defined and outlined on Figure II-l, the Powder River structural basin
has an areal extent of about 25,000 square miles, and includes all
of Crook, Weston, and Campbell counties; most of Sheridan, Johnson,
and Converse counties; and significant parts of Natrona and Niobrara
counties.
PHYSIOGRAPHY
Topography
The topographic basin is typically hilly to rugged upland plains
into which meandering streams have incised broad terrace-flanked valleys.
Elevation of the basin surface varies from roughly 5,000 feet near
the western margin to about 3,100 feet in the east, where the Belle
Fourche River crosses the state boundary; locally relief may exceed
400 feet where badlands have formed.
The western margin of the study area lies in the Bighorn Mountains
and has a fairly uniform regional elevation of 8,000 to 9,000 feet.
West of the area the higher peaks of the Bighorns rise several thousand
feet above this level, reaching a maximum elevation of 13,165 feet
at the summit of Cloud Peak. The east front of the Bighorns rises
abruptly from a narrow band of foothills, which in turn stand 1,000
to 2,000 feet above the adjacent basin.
A part of the Black Hills lies within the study area and forms
the eastern margin of the Powder River topographic basin. The Black
/
Hills area is characterized by tree- and grass-covered crests and
dissected plateaus with local relief up to 1,650 feet. Elevations
in the Wyoming part of the Hills, up to 6,500 feet, generally decrease
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to the west, where a band of hogback ridges marks the Hills/basin
boundary.
The northern Laramie Mountains occupy the southern margin of
the area. Crestal elevations are commonly about 9,000 feet but rise
to a high of 10,272 feet at Laramie Peak.
Surface Drainage
The Powder River structural basin lies within the Missouri River
drainage system. The western part of the basin is drained by tributaries
of the Yellowstone River, including the Powder and Tongue rivers.
The eastern part is drained by the Belle Fourche, Little Missouri,
and Cheyenne rivers. The southern edge of the basin is drained by
the North Platte River. The area of each drainage basin, within the
limits of the present study, is given in Table II-l.
Climate
The climate of the Powder River basin is semi-arid continental,
marked by extreme and abrupt variations in temperature and precipitation.
Elevation and topography have a strong influence on local climatic
conditions. Annual precipitation averages 12 to 16 inches over most
of the lowlands, decreasing to as little as 7 inches per year in the
southwest part. Over half of the basin precipitation occurs between
April and June. Precipitation is greater at higher elevations, reaching
20 inches per year over the Black Hills and as much as 40 inches per
year in portions of the Bighorn Mountains. A significant part of
the mountain precipitation is snowfall which contributes to spring
runoff.
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Table II-l. Selected Missouri River system tributaries present in the
report area, listed by tributary rank (shown by indentation),
giving selected drainage basin areas included in the study
area.
Tributary
Approximate Area Percent of
(sq. mi.) Total Area
(Yellowstone River drainage)
(Bighorn River drainage)
Little Bighorn Rivera
Tongue River
Goose Creek
Prairie Dog Creek
Powder River
Middle Fork
North Fork
South Fork
Salt Creek
Dry Fork
Crazy Woman Creek
Clear Creek
Little Powder River
Little Missouri River
Cheyenne River
Antelope Creek
Dry Fork
Black Thunder Creek
Lodgepole Creek
Lance Creek
Lightning Creek
Beaver Creek
Stockade Beaver Creek
c
Belle Fourche River
Caballo Creek
Buffalo Creek
Donkey Creek
Inyan Kara Creek
Redwater Creek^
10,420
41
140
1,440
8,840
720
10,810
3
43
1,054
473
535
534
2,070
1,330
3,740
Niobrara River
(Platte River drainage)
North Platte River
70
3,300
<1
13
Extreme headwater area only.
'joins Powder River in Montana.
"Joins Cheyenne River in South Dakota.
Joins Belle Fourche River in South Dakota.
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The weighted annual temperature of the area is 44.8°F. Mean
monthly averages range from 70°F in July to 21.4°F in January, though
daily maximums greater than 110°F and minimums less than -40°F have
been recorded.
HUMAN GEOGRAPHY
Population and Employment
Most of the Powder River basin is sparsely populated. The 1970
U.S. Census showed 107,364 persons in the eight counties of the basin.
Preliminary 1980 Census data placed the eight county population at
157,052, indicating a 46 percent increase in 10 years. Population
distribution is summarized in Table II-2. The three largest municipal-
ities, Casper, Sheridan, and Gillette, account for approximately 50
percent of the total population. About 60,000 persons, representing
38 percent of the total population, reside in rural areas or towns
with fewer than 2,500 people.
Agriculture and energy production are the area's major primary
industries. Agriculture is dominated by cattle and sheep raising. Oil,
uranium, and coal are all contributory to the energy industry, both
in extractive and processing stages. In addition, significant employ-
ment is provided by government and the trade and service industries.
The "boom-town" character and rapid industrial growth of the area
have also made the construction industry important.
Land Use and Ownership
Agricultural activities account for about 89 percent of the land
use in the basin. While most of this land is range, three percent
is utilized as cropland. Mining and petroleum operations, human
17
-------
Table II-2. Population distribution and change in Powder River basin
counties and places within counties.
Area
I9603
19703
1980b
Campbell County
5,861
12,957
24,363
Gillette
3,580
7,194
12,125
Converse County
6,366
5,938
14,025
Douglas
2,822
2,677
6,009
Glenrock
1,584
1,515
2,738
Crook County
4,691
4,535
5,303
Hulett
-
318
291
Moorcroft
826
981
1,011
Sundance
908
1,056
1,085
Johnson County
5,475
5,587
6,714
Buffalo
2,907
3,394
3,798
Kaycee
-
272
272
Natrona Countyc
49,623
51,264
71,589
Casper
38,930
39,361
50,704
Edgerton
512
350
505
Evansville
678
832
2,648
Midwest
-
604
635
Mills
1,477
1,724
2,152
Mountain View
1,721
1,641
-
Paradise Valley
-
1,764
-
Niobrara County^
3,750
2,924
2,928
Lusk
1,890
1,495
1,654
Sheridan County
18,989
17,852
25,025
Clearmont
154
141
191
Dayton
333
396
687
Ranchester
235
208
655
Sheridan
11,651
10,856
15,136
Weston County
7,929
6,307
7,105
Newcastle
4,345
3,492
3,584
Upton
1,224
987
1,206
8 County Region
102,684
107,364
157,052
State
330,066
332,416
468,954
U.S. Census Data summarized in U.S. Department of the Interior, 1974.
1980 Census of Population and Housing Preliminary Report, U.S.
Department of Commerce, Bureau of the Census, October 1980.
c50 percent of county area, predominantly rural, is not within the
study area.
d30 percent of county area, including Lusk, is not within the study
area.
18
-------
habitations, and recreation areas occupy the majority of the nonagri-
cultural lands in the basin center. Much of the basin margin land
reported as non-farm is part of the Bighorn or Black Hills national
forests, managed for multiple uses.
The major portion (67 percent) of basin land is privately owned,
although state and federally owned lands are also present. Federally
owned land is principally under the jurisdiction of the Bureau of
Land Management (central basin) or the U.S. Forest Service (Thunder
Basin National Grassland in the east-central basin, Bighorn and Black
Hills national forests along the uplifts).
GEOLOGY
Stratigraphy
The Powder River basin has over 16,000 feet of sedimentary strata
(Figure II-2), divisible into about 11,000 feet of Cambrian to Cretaceous
pretectonic deposits and up to 5,000 feet of Tertiary deposits, asso-
ciated with regional deformation. The older sequence, exposed only
on the basin margins, is economically important for its oil production
(see Figure II-2), while Tertiary deposits in the central area contain
significant coal reserves. Both the Lower Cretaceous Fall River Forma-
tion and the Lower Tertiary Wasatch Formation contain uranium deposits
in the Black Hills and central basin, respectively.
Paleozoic rocks are generally marine limestone or sandstones
and are relatively uniform in composition and thickness throughout
the area. Mesozoic rocks may be divided into three general lithologic
sequences. The lowest consists of continental and shallow marine
rocks of Triassic to early Cretaceous age, typically shale and claystone.
19
-------
Figure II-2. Diagrammatic stratigraphy of rocks in the Powder River basin,
Wyoming, indicating lithologies and thicknesses (from Wyoming
Geological Association, 1964). Cross-hatching indicates oil
producing zones.
20
-------
The several recognized sandstone formations are irregular fluvial
and deltaic deposits. The middle lithologic unit is a thick marine
shale sequence of Upper Cretaceous age which intertongues with several
sandstones in the western part of the basin. The uppermost Mesozoic
rocks reflect retreat of the Cretaceous sea and include the marine
Fox Hills Sandstone and sandy non-marine Lance Formation. Lower Tertiary-
strata are a thick sequence of variable basin-filling continental
rocks that were generally deposited concurrently with uplift of the
surrounding mountains. Locally, post-tectonic Tertiary continental
rocks reflect the last phase of basin filling. Quaternary deposits
include aeolian sands, landslide and slope deposits, and alluvial
valley fills and terraces along major streams. Stratigraphic variations
of water-bearing bedrock formations are discussed in more detail in
Appendix B.
Structure
The Powder River structural basin (Figure 11-3), a Laramide feature,
is a broad, northwest-trending asymmetric syncline with up to 24,000
feet of structural relief, similar in structural style to intermontane
basins to the west. Surrounding tectonic elements are broad uplifted
blocks of two types. Mountain uplifts, typically broad asymmetric
doubly-plunging anticlines with exposed Precambrian cores, include
the Black Hills, Laramie Mountains, and Bighorn Mountains on the east,
south, and west, respectively. Broad uplifts of lesser magnitude
include the Hartville uplift to the southeast and the Casper arch
to the southwest. These major elements are separated from the basin
by narrow zones of large vertical relief. These zones include the
21
-------
107° 106° 105° 104°
I I I I
monocline
anticline
syncline
, M 2. D ^ ^
¦» surface exposure of
' Precambrian rocks
CASPER major tectonic block
ARCH
Figure II-3. Tectonic sketch map of Powder River basin, Wyoming and vicinity.
Major tectonic blocks shown are: Black Hills uplift (BH),
Bighorn Mountains (BM), Laramie Mountains (LM), Casper arch (CA),
Hartville uplift (HU), Powder River basin (PRE), Bighorn basin
(BHB), Wind River basin (WRB), Shirley basin (SB), and Denver-
Julesberg basin (DJB). Structural features shown and named are
the Black Hills monocline (bhm), the Fanny Peak lineament (fpl),
and the basin axis (ba).
22
-------
Fanny Peak lineament of Shapiro (1971), on the southeast with up to
2,000 feet displacement (Huntoon and Womack, 1975); the unfaulted
Black Hills monocline, on the east; and unnamed structures on the
south and west, with fault displacement of up to 4,000 feet (Blackstone,
1980). Subsidiary Laramide structures (see Plate 1) include folds
parallel to the major trends, such as the Old Woman and Salt Creek
structures, and folds and faults transverse to principal trends, such
as those subdividing the Bighorn block.
Hydrostratigraphy
Virtually all geologic formations present within the Powder River
basin locally yield water to shallow wells, although many of these
formations are not considered "desirable" aquifers due to low yield,
poor water quality, or both. Relatively few geologic formations are
considered principal aquifers in previous basin-wide studies (Dana,
1962; Hodson and others, 1973), but several additional formations
are considered minor water sources in parts of the Powder River basin
(Dana, 1962; Whitcomb and Morris, 1964; Whitcomb and others, 1966;
Crist and Lowry, 1972; Hodson and others, 1973). Deep burial in parts
of the basin has in the past economically precluded development of
many "desirable" aquifers.
Figure II-4 identifies the stratigraphic relationships of the
principal aquifers, minor or local aquifers, and confining beds within
the Powder River basin stratigraphic section. Aquifer systems indicated
on Figure II-4 are defined as sequences of geologically similar water-
bearing stratigraphic units, bounded by regional confining beds, which
have similar recharge and discharge areas and therefore similar ground-
23
-------
T1
H-
OQ
C
i-i
fD
<
cr
UJ
i-
co
>-
1/5
CO
UJ
q:
LlI
to
GEOLOGIC FORMATIONS
HYDROGEOLOGIC ROLE
o
o
NJ
o
QUATERNARY
in
o
UJ
o
IE
(J
Flood plain alluvium, terrace
deposits and aeolian deposits
LOCALLY
PRESENT
AQUIFERS
PALEO
CENE
Fort Union Fm.
Tongue R Mbr
Lebo Mbr.
Tullock Mbr.
WASATCH/
FORT UNION
AQUIFER SYS
Lance Fm.
Fox Hills Ss.
FOX HILLS/
LANCE
AQUIFER SYS.
Bearpaw or Lewis Sh
Teapot Ss
Mesaverde
Fm
ParKrnan Ss.
a:
UJ
a_
a.
=)
Sussex Ss.
Shanon Ss.
Steele Sh.
Niobrara Sh.
Carlile Sh
Wall CM. Ss.
Cody
Sh.
Frontier Fm.
Pierre Sh
Niobrara Sh
PRINCIPAL
REGIONAL
AQUITARD
Turner Ss.
Carlile Sh.
Greenhorn Ls.
Belle Fourche Sh.
Quaternary aquifers
Wasatch aquifers
upper Fort Union aquifers
leaky confining layer
lower Fort Union aquifers
Fox Hills and Lance aquifers
Mesaverde
aquifer
aquifers
>
aquitard
Frontier aquifer
-------
o
o
o
w>
o
UJ
<
CL
$
o
JURASSIC
TRIASSIC
PERMIAN
Mowry Sh.
Muddy Ss.
Thermopolis Sh
Cloverly Fm.
Newcastle Ss.
Skull Creek Sh
Fall R Fm.
Fuson Sh
Lakota Fm.
Morrison Fm.
Inyan
Kara
Gp.
Sundance Fm
Hulett Ss.
Gypsum Spring Fm.
H
Chugwater Fm.
Goose Egg Fm.
AW
PENNSYL-
VANIAN
MISSISSIPPI AN
DEVONIAN
SILURIAN
ORDOVICIAN
CAMBRIAN
PREC AMBIAN
Tensleep Ss
Amsden Fm.
- Madison Ls.
Jefferson Fm.
EEE1EEIE11J
Bighorn Dol.
iilililil
Gallatin Fm.
Gros Ventre Fm.
Spearfish Fm.
Minnekahta Ls
jjjiuimLuimiuuiu
Converse Ss
Leo Ss.
Minnelusa Fm.
Bell Ss
Pahasapa Ls.
Englewood Ls.
Whitewood Dol.
Winnipeg Fm.
Deadwood Fm.
Flathead Ss.
Precambrian Rocks
DAKOTA
AQUIFER
SYSTEM
REGIONAL
AQUITARD
MADISON
AQUIFER
SYSTEM
aquitard
Newcastle/Muddy aquifer
aquitard
Fall River aquifer
leaky confining layer
Lakota/Cloverly aquifer
aquitard
Sundance aquifer
Permo-Tnassic aquifers
aquitard
Tensleep aquifer
upper Minn, aq
leaky confining layer
leaky confining loyer
Madison aquifer
iiiiiil
Ordovician aquifer
aquitard
Flathead aquifer
Deadwood aquifer
aquitard
-------
water flow paths. Aquifer systems may be locally subdivided by low-
permeability units which inhibit hydraulic intercommunication of the
aquifers comprising the system. Additionally, aquifers (either local
or regional) are defined herein to include district hydrologic units
that have recognizable geologic boundaries, and are typically capable
of producing adequate amounts of water for exploitation.
For this report, four regionally important bedrock aquifer systems
are identified in the Powder River basin. These are the Upper Paleozoic
Madison, Lower Cretaceous Dakota, Uppermost Cretaceous Fox Hills/Lance,
and Lower Tertiary Wasatch/Fort Union aquifer systems. This four-
fold division is similar to regional ground-water concepts of the
U.S. Geological Survey (Northern Great Plains Resource Program, 1974;
U.S. Geological Survey, 1975, 1979).
Isolated sandstones within the Lower and Middle Mesozoic and
Upper Cretaceous shale sequences are locally exploited as aquifers,
although their areal importance is currently limited to zones near
the outcrops. These sandstones include units in the Sundance and
Spearfish formations in the eastern part of the basin (Dana, 1962;
Whitcomb and Morris, 1964) and sandstones within the Cody Shale, Mesa-
verde, Frontier, and Chugwater formations in the western part of the
basin (Hodson and others, 1973; Crist and Lowry, 1972; Whitcomb and
others, 1966). The Minnekahta Limestone also has water-bearing potential
in the northeastern part of the study area.
In the southeastern part of the basin the Middle Tertiary Arikaree
and White River formations are exploited, where present, by shallow
wells with low yields. These local aquifers have only limited importance
due to their small areal extent within the basin.
26
-------
Unconsolidated Quaternary alluvial and terrace deposits are only
present along major stream valleys but, where near population concen-
trations, have been extensively exploited as water sources.
The principal regional aquitard in the Powder River basin is
the thick Upper Cretaceous shale sequence (including the Pierre and
its equivalents), which is an effective barrier to ground-water flow
and divides the deep (Madison and Dakota) and shallow (Fox Hills/
Lance and Wasatch/Fort Union) aquifer systems of the basin (Northern
Great Plains Resource Program, 1974). Aquifers below the Pierre Shale
are exposed only on the basin margins and have been deformed in the
peripheral zones of structural disturbance. The regional flow patterns
and geochemical trends of waters in these aquifers indicate principal
recharge from the basin margin outcrops and also show discontinuities
across intensely deformed zones. In contrast, aquifers above the
Pierre occupy the less deformed basin center and are often exposed
over large areas. The shallower flow patterns are more localized
and reflect outcrop recharge and discharge, and also vertical leakage
between aquifers. Geochemical trends are less well defined, and reported
trends are often related to well depth, as an indicator of flow path
length.
27
-------
III. GROUND-WATER USE
-------
III. GROUND-WATER USE
Ground water is utilized for domestic, municipal, industrial,
and agricultural purposes within the Powder River basin. Lack of
accurate records prevents precise quantification of the amounts of
ground water used; this chapter reports estimated consumption by
economic sector and also identifies the principal source aquifers.
Appendix A details more fully community and industrial water use.
Approximately 128,000 to 148,000 acre-feet of ground water are
used annually in the Powder River basin. Table III-l summarizes
amounts used by economic sector and source aquifers. Although the
largest number of wells are permitted for private domestic and/or
stock use, irrigation, municipalities, and the petroleum industry
use the largest amounts of ground water. The principal sources of
ground-water withdrawals in the basin are the Madison and Wasatch/
Fort Union aquifer systems and Quaternary alluvial aquifers. Ground
water accounts for roughly one-third of all water used within the
basin, and over three-quarters of the non-irrigation water use.
Increased energy resource development, coupled with population
growth, is placing new and large demands on sources of water for
industrial and municipal use. Planned coal transport by slurry pipe-
line and synthetic fuel production indicate future additional
water needs within the basin. Water consumption in the year 2020
is projected to be more than double present usage (Wyoming Water
Planning Program, 1973).
30
-------
Table III-l. Estimated annual use of ground water in the Powder River basin, Wyoming, by economic
sector, indicating principal sources.
Economic Sector
Annual Water Use
(acre-feet)
Principal Water Source
Domestic Use
Municipal
Non-Municipal Community
Non-Community
Private
Industry
Petroleum by-product water
Petroleum secondary recovery
fresh (make-up) water
Petroleum Refining
Coal Mining
Power Generation
Uranium Mining
Agriculture
Stock Watering
Irrigation
16,378
2,077
559
6,500
59,645
4,414+
65+
1,200 - 7,400
1,147
2,860 - 5,310
<11,000
22,000 - 34,000+
Madison and Wasatch/Fort Union aquifer
systems, Quaternary alluvial aquifers.
Wasatch/Fort Union aquifer system.
All shallow aquifers.
All shallow aquifers.
All deep aquifers.
Madison and Fox Hills/Lance aquifer systems,
Madison aquifer.
Wasatch/Fort Union aquifer system.
Madison and Wasatch/Fort Union aquifer
sys terns.
Wasatch/Fort Union aquifer system.
All shallow aquifers.
Quaternary alluvial aquifers, Madison
aquifer system, Middle Tertiary aquifers.
TOTAL:
<127,845 - 148,495+
Source: Compiled from various sources; see tables in Appendix A.
-------
Further development potential of surface water is limited, and
estimated at about 224,000 acre-feet/yr (Wyoming Water Planning Program,
1973). The Little Missouri and Cheyenne rivers have little additional
dependable water available. A court decree limits development of
additional supplies from the North Platte River. Interstate compacts
govern development of the Tongue, Belle Fourche, and Powder rivers,
and withdrawal of additional water from these drainages would entail
construction of storage facilities.
Full development of surface water within the next thirty years
is unlikely; therefore, deficit water requirements must be met by
either transbasin diversions of surface water or additional development
of the ground-water resources of the basin. Most present development
pressure is on the Madison aquifer system because it is perceived
as the least expensive source of large quantities of good quality
water for municipal and industrial use (see, for example, Wyoming
Water Planning Program, 1977, p. 37-51).
DOMESTIC GROUND-WATER USE
Drinking water supplies can be divided into public and private
systems. Public systems are further divided into community supplies
(more than 25 permanent residents served), which may be municipally
or privately owned, and non-community supplies (less than 25 permament
residents but a transient population of greater than 25 served). Within
the basin 21 municipal, 75 non-municipal community, and 99 non-community
systems are inventoried by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency
(see Table III-2 and Figure III-l).
32
-------
Table TTI-2. Public water supply systems in the Powder River basin, Wyoming.
County
Community
Supplies
Non-Cominunity Supplies
Population
Served
Number of
Systems3
Average
P roduc t ion^
Popu1 a tIon
Served
Number of
Sys terns
Average Production'
gal/day
AI'/yr
ga L/day
AF/vr
Campbell
19,270
1/35
1,732,200
I ,942
1,485
10
62,325
70
c
Conve rse
10,849
2/7
2,054,975
2,303
3,800
19
192,325
216
Crook
2,920
3/3
415,075
465
1 ,135
12
14,825
17
Johnson*
5,080
2/3
629,J00
705
1,020
11
25,100
28
r
Natrona
62,529
5/14
12,261,300C'
13,744d
17,670e
18
15 5,100d
1 7 411
Niobrara
234
1/2
64,450
72
75
1
750d
0.8d
Platte
450
1/0
20,000
22
670
7
17,625
20
r
Sheridan
15,550
4/8
5,375,030d
6,025d
] ,610
18
27,420d
31d
Weston
6,870
2/3
781,200d
876d
135
3
2,800
3. 1
TOTALC
123,752
21/75
23,333 ,330''
26, 155d
27,600°
99
498,2 70d
559d
1'irsl number is municipal systems, second 1=? nonmun Lcipal systems; municipal systems account for majority of population and
produc t ion.
Includes some water used for industrial or agricultural purposes.
Some community supplies are wholLy or partly surface water (see Table A-l, Appendix A).
I
Includes water purchased from other systems; it is unknown if amount is included in seller's production.
Includes a boLtled water company reported to be serving 15,000 people.
Source: U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, 1979.
-------
23 0 23 '0 73 100 Midi
Figure III-l. Location of public drinking water supplies inventoried by the
U.S. Environmental Protection Agency in the Powder River basin
Wyoming. (Six non-community and eight community systems
included in the inventory are not precisely located; six are
trailer parks near Gillette.)
34
-------
The total number of permitted municipal and domestic water supply
wells in the basin is 5,375 (Wyoming State Engineer's Office, computer-
ized data base, February, 1980). The locations of these wells are
shown on Plate 2, which also identifies source aquifers. Table III-3
summarizes the aquifers most often exploited for municipal, non-municipal
community, non-community public, and private domestic water supplies.
Estimated public and private domestic drinking water use is about
33,200 acre-feet/yr, of which at least 7,700 acre-feet/yr is supplied
by surface water. Use figures include commercial, industrial, and
lawn watering applications, as well as water for direct human consumption.
Based on current total basin population and use of 180 gal/day per
capita, total domestic water use in the basin is estimated at 31,300
acre-feet/yr, in close agreement with the total derived from estimates
of use by each supply class.
Community Systems
Community water supply systems are divisible into municipally
and privately owned and operated systems and produce an average of
26,155 acre-feet/yr (Table III-2). Ground water supplies as much
as 71 percent (18,455 acre-feet/yr). Municipalities account for 92
percent of the total production, and all the surface water use.
Municipal Systems
Municipalities within the Powder River basin depend upon ground-
water sources for much of their water supply (see Appendix A, Table A-l).
Ground water is used exclusively as a water source by Clearmont, Edger-
ton, Gillette, Glendo, Hulett, Manville, Moorcroft, Newcastle, Sundance,
35
-------
Table 111-3. Sources of water for municipal, community, non-community public, and private domestic supplies within
the Powder River basin, Wyoming.
County
Municipal Supplies
Non-Mun i c i pa 1.
Community Supplies
Non-Community Public and
Private Domestic Supplies'
Campbe11
Converse
Crook
Johnson
Wasatch/Fort Union aquifer system
Fox Hills/Lance aquifer system
Madison aquifer*5
Madison aquifer system (spring)
Quaternary alluvial aquifers
Fox Hills/Lance aquifer system
surface water (N. Platte R. drainage)
Madison aquifer system
Fox Hills/Lance aquifer system
surface water (Powder River drainage)
Wasatch/Fort Union aquifer system
Middle Tertiary aquifers
Fort Union aquifers
M innelusa aquifer
Wasatch aquifers
Fox Hills/Lance aquifer system
Wasatch/Fort Union aquifer system
Fox Hills/Lance aquifer system
(north & east)
Middle Tertiary aquifers (south)
Wasatch/Fort Union aquifer system
Fox Hills/Lance .aquifer system (west)
Dakota aquifer system
Fox Hills/Lance aquifer system (southwest)
Sundance (llulett) aquifer (central)
Permo-Triassic aquifers (southeast)
Wasatch/Fort Union aquifer system
Upper Cretaceous aquifers (southwest)
Fox Hills/Lance aquifer system (southeast)
Nat rona
Quaternary alluvial aquifers
surface water (North Platte River)
Fox Hills/Lance aquifer system
purchased municipal water
Quaternary alluvial aquifers
Dakota aquifer system
Upper Cretaceous aquifers
Quaternary alluvial aquifers (south)
Fox Hills/Lance aquifer system (cast)
Niobrara
Platte
She ri dan
Wes ton
Middle Tertiary aquifers
Hartville aquifer (Madison aquifer system)
surface water (Tongue River drainage)
Wasatch/Fort Union aquifer system
Madison aquifer
Dakota aquifer system
Dakota aquifer system?
Quaternary alluvial aquifers?
Wasatch/Fort Union aquifer system?
Quaternary alluvial aquifers?
Madison aqui for
Middle Tertiary aquifers (south)
Fox Hills/Lance aquifer system (north)
Middle Tertiary aquifers
Wasatch/Fort Union aquifer system
Quaternary alluvial aquifers
Fox Hills/Lance aquifer system (west)
Dakota aquifer system (northeast)
'Parentheses indicate part of county where this aquifer is important.
^Beginninj; mid-1981, piped from we 1 I fie 1 d in Crook County.
-------
and Upton, while ground water is a substantial part of the water supply
for Casper, Douglas, Glenrock, and Mills.
Average water production of municipal systems is 24,078 acre-
feet/yr (see Table A-l), of which at least 7,700 acre-feet/yr is surface
water, leaving about 16,400 acre-feet/yr as ground water use.
The Madison and Wasatch/Fort Union aquifer systems are the most
extensively used sources of ground water for these municipalities.
Table A-2 (Appendix A) lists all permitted ground water sources for
municipalities, by well.
Non-Municipal Community Systems
Private community water systems within the basin include sub-
divisions, mobile home parks, and small communities; although not
administered through a municipal utility, they supply water to more
than 25 permanent users. These systems may be owned and operated
by an individual, a corporation, or a water users' association.
The largest numbers of private or association-held community
systems are concentrated near Casper, Gillette, and Sheridan (see
Figure III-l). Unincorporated communities with central supply systems
include Acme, Linch, Osage, and Wright. Table A-3 (Appendix A) lists
inventoried provate community water supply systems. Quaternary alluvial
aquifers and the Wasatch/Fort Union aquifer system are the most exten-
sively exploited sources of water for private community systems.
Non-municipal community water systems have an inventoried average
water production rate of 2,077 acre-feet/yr (see Table A-3).
37
-------
Non-Community Systems and Private Domestic Wells
All non-community public systems in the basin use exclusively
ground water for commercial, recreational, institutional, or industrial
purposes. Inventoried non-community public water use is 559 acre-
feet/yr (Table III-2).
Private household domestic wells are widely distributed throughout
the basin (see Plate 2), normally of low yield (less than 25 gpm),
and only pumped intermittently. Total water use is about 6,500 acre-
feet/yr, based on that portion of the population not served by community
systems, and a per capita consumption of 180 gallons per day.
Water availability at reasonable depths usually dictates which
aquifer is used for a non-community or household water supply; Table
III-3 lists the most frequently utilized aquifers in the basin.
INDUSTRIAL WATER USE
Petroleum Industry
The petroleum industry withdraws the largest amounts of ground
water in the Powder River basin, principally as a by-product of petroleum
production. Additional withdrawals are used for secondary recovery
techniques, such as waterflooding, and used in refining processes,
although much of the latter is surface water. The total volume of
ground water used by the petroleum industry annually is estimated as
64,124 acre-feet, most of which is ground water derived from almost
all of the pre-Tertiary aquifers in the basin.
Crude Oil Production
In 1967 an estimated 18,000 acre-feet of ground water were with-
drawn during petroleum production in all of eastern Wyoming (Wyoming
38
-------
Water Planning Program, 1971, 1972) and about nine-tenths of the oil
fields included in this estimate are within the study area. Since
1967 the number of discovered oil fields has almost doubled (to about
450) and the number of waterflood units has increased 133 percent,
although total oil production has not significantly changed.
In 1979 reported produced (by-product) water for the eight counties
of northeast Wyoming was 59,645 acre-feet (Table III-4) , representing
either a substantial increase in water withdrawals or better data than
used in previous estimates. Much of this produced water is injected
for secondary recovery purposes, the remainder is either injected
in disposal wells, evaporated, or discharged to surface drainages
under Wyoming Department of Environmental Quality permits. For more
detailed information on water disposal wells, refer to Collentine
and others (1981).
Produced water is derived from all oil-producing horizons. These
include the Minnelusa, Sundance, Fall River, and Newcastle (Muddy)
formations in the eastern part of the basin, and the Tensleep, Cloverly,
Muddy, Frontier, and Cody formations in the western part of the basin.
Secondary Petroleum Recovery
In 1979, 41,974 acre-feet of water were injected to enhance
petroleum recovery by waterflooding (Table III-4).
Fresh water used during injection for secondary petroleum recovery
in the Powder River basin is estimated to total at least 4,414 acre-
feet/yr. This estimate is based on the difference between reported
amounts of produced and injected water for oil fields with active
injection projects. It assumes all produced water is subsequently
39
-------
Table LIL-4. 1979 ground-water use by the petroleum industry in the Powder River basin, by county. Refinery use is excLuded.
Coun ty
Produced
(by-product) Water
Water
Injected for Secondary
Tertiary Recovery3
and
Calculated Minimum AmounL
of Make-Up Water
I n jec ted''
(bbl.)
Tola J
(bbl.)
Water Use
(ncre-feet)
II Fields 1
') Wells
Amount
(bbl.)
II Fields
II Units II Wells
Amount
(bbl.)
Campbel1
188
1,466
75,319,873
35
43 253
76,472,321
22,013,766
97,333,639
12,546
Converse
58
958
17,517,936
4
9 108
13,071,180
822,849
18,340,785
2 , J64
Crook
60
350
12,847,891
11
13 43
7,593,704
1,590,077
14,437,968
1 .861
Johnson
38
487
23,549,711
6
15 93
15,967,392
4,844,895
28,394,606
3,660
Natronac
62
2,052
297,239.125
9
13 672
198,784,000
537,932
297,777,057
38,383
Niobrara
33
255
25,947,049
3
3 4
477,577
0
25,947,049
3,345
Sheridan
7
37
1,070,532
1
1 8
641,291
417,152
1 ,487 .684
192
WesLon
42
1,150
9,229,580
8
29 34 7
12,620,892
4,017,220
1 3,246 ,800
1 , 708
TOTAI,
488
6,755
462,721,697
77
126 1,528
325,628,357
34,243,891
496,965,588
64 ,059
(59,645 AF)
(41,974 AF)
(4,414 AF)
a .
Active projects only.
^Calculated by subtracting reported produced water from reported injected water for each field (see Appendix A, TabJe A-4).
Q
Some oil fields included in produced water total are outside the Powder River basin.
Source: Calculated from files and compilations of the Wyoming Oil and Gas Commission.
-------
injected and all additional injected water is from other ground-water
sources. The field-by-field data are included in Appendix A (Table
A-4). At several oilfields produced water may not be recycled by
injection; as a result substantially more fresh water may be used,
especially from the Madison aquifer (see Appendix A).
For a more detailed compilation of secondary recovery ground-
water utilization data, refer to the Injection Well Inventory of Wyoming
(Collentine and others, 1981).
Major sources of fresh water used for secondary oil recovery
include the Madison, Dakota, and Fox Hills/Lance aquifer systems.
The Madison aquifer system has been the principal source of fresh
secondary recovery water utilized in oil fields in Converse, Johnson,
Natrona, and Weston counties, while the Fox Hills/Lance system is
the major fresh water source for secondary recovery purposes in Campbell
County.
Refining
Most water used by refineries within the report area is surface
water derived from the North Platte River (see Appendix A, Table A-5).
The Wyoming Refining Company of Newcastle and C and H Refinery of
Lusk use small amounts of ground water from the Madison and Arikaree
aquifers, respectively. Estimated annual ground-water use totals
about 65 acre-feet.
Coal Industry
Mining
Estimates of water used during the strip mining of coal in the
Powder River basin range from 0.3 acre-feet per mine per day (Rechard,
41
-------
1975) to 210 acre-feet per million tons of coal produced (Miller,
1974). This water is principally discharge resulting from pit dewater-
ing, which is comprised of both surface runoff and ground water from
the Wasatch/Fort Union aquifer system. Water used for domestic purposes
at mine sites is usually produced from wells completed within Fort
Union aquifers below the coal being mined, or is hauled in.
Using 1978 production figures from the 11 active mines in the
study area (Glass, 1980), and the estimates cited above, estimated
water use ranges from 1,200 to 7,400 acre-feet/yr. Table A-6 (Appendix A)
details overall water use of the active mines in the report area. Water
withdrawal estimates for the Wyoming part of the Powder River basin
in 1990 range from 3,700 to 27,600 acre-feet/yr, based on the above
estimates and 1990 tonnage forecasts for 34 active and proposed mines
(Glass, 1980).
Power Generation
Four coal-fired stem generated electric power plants with a combined
name plate generating capacity of 1,137.5 megawatts are presently
active within the study area. Approximately 10,747 acre-feet of water
were used for electricity generation by these plants in 1979 (see
Appendix A, Table A-7). Of the total water used in 1979, 9,600 acre-
feet were surface water and 1,147 acre-feet were ground water.
The Madison aquifer produces most ground water used directly
for electricity generation, although the Fort Union aquifer also produces
a small amount. The WYODAK //I plant indirectly utilizes ground water
from the Wasatch/Fort Union and Fox Hills/Lance aquifer systems, as
its source of water is sewage effluent from the city of Gillette. With
42
-------
the completion of the Gillette Madison Project, the WYODAK plant will
also indirectly utilize Madison aquifer water.
Synthetic Fuels Industry
Coal gasification and liquefaction plants within the Powder River
basin are currently in planning and development stages. Water require-
ments for plant production of synthetic fuels include those associated
with the mining of coal, plant conversion processes, cooling processes,
and solid waste disposal.
Although it is not within the scope of this report to determine
water use requirements for the synthetic fuels industry, some previous
estimates will be cited. In order to produce the equivalent of
1 x 106 barrels of crude oil, or the equivalent in other fuels of
12
5.8 x 10 BTU per day, water requirements have been estimated at
45,000 to 190,000 acre-feet/yr for gasification and 67,000 to 134,000
acre-feet/yr for liquefaction (Gold and Goldstein, 1976, p. 231).
The wide range of estimated water requirements is due to different
processing and cooling methods.
Slurry Transport of Coal
Energy Transportation Systems Inc. (ETSI) is currently (1981)
in the active planning stages for the construction of a coal slurry
pipeline from Wyoming to Arkansas. The pipeline will originate in
southeastern Campbell County and is projected to transport an estimated
25 million tons of coal per year. ETSI is tentatively planning to
pump water from the Madison aquifer in the eastern part of the basin
at the rate of 15,000 to 20,000 acre-feet/yr for use in this coal
slurry pipeline.
43
-------
Uranium Industry
As of January 1, 1980, three open-pit uranium mines, two mills,
one underground mine, and two commercial-scale solution mining operations
were active in the Powder River basin (Hausel and others, 1979; Collen-
tine and others, 1981). Seven mines, two mills, and two additional
commercial-scale solution mines are proposed or pending (Hausel and
others, 1979), and eleven other solution mining projects are in various
stages of research and development (Collentine and others, 1981).
Although most of the solution mining projects are for deposits in
the Wasatch or Fort Union formations, projects tapping the Fox Hills
Sandstone or the Teapot Sandstone of the Mesaverde Formation are among
those proposed.
Overall water use by active uranium mines and mills is given
in Table A-8 (Appendix A). Mining and milling operations utilize
both surface-water runoff and ground water from the Wasatch/Fort Union
aquifer system, generally derived as pit discharge. Based on the
range of reported pit discharges, total water use is from 2,860 to
5,310 acre-feet/yr.
Volumes of ground water withdrawn as a result of solution mining
are generally small, as much of the produced water is recycled through
injection. Post-mining restoration may use significant amounts of
ground water if a water sweep is employed (see Collentine and others,
1981).
AGRICULTURAL WATER USE
Irrigation
In 1969-1970 252,685 irrigated acres were inventoried within
the drainages of the Powder, Tongue, Belle Fourche, Cheyenne, and
44
-------
Niobrara rivers, and the Platte River between Pathfinder and Whalen
dams (Wyoming Water Planning Program, 1971, 1972). No more recent
tabulation of irrigated acreage has been made; however, no substantial
increases in irrigated acreage are known. In 1971, approximately
90 percent of this acreage was actually irrigated, using roughly 270,000
acre-feet of water (Wyoming Water Planning Program, 1971, 1972).
Approximately 165,000 acres of irrigated land in the area produced
harvested crops in 1979, and 90 percent of this irrigated acreage
produced hay (Wyoming Crop and Livestock Reporting Service, 1979).
Ground water is permitted as a water source for only about 15
percent of the inventoried irrigated acreage in the eight counties
of northeastern Wyoming, and almost half this acreage is outside the
basin boundary in southern Niobrara County. Table III-5 summarizes
the distribution of acreage permitted for irrigation by ground water,
by county.
Trelease and others (1970) determined annual irrigation water
requirements for grass, at 14 climate stations in the study area,
using the Blaney-Criddle method. The average was 20.24 inches of
water per acre per year. On the basis of this calculated water require-
ment and acreage permitted for ground-water irrigation, irrigation
uses about 34,000 acre-feet/yr of ground water in the basin, exclusive
of Niobrara County. An additional 29,000 acre-feet/yr, most outside
the study area, are used in Niobrara County. Assumptions incorporated
into this estimate include: (1) irrigation of 100 percent of the
acreage permitted for irrigation by ground water, (2) all of the irrigated
land is grass or has similar water needs, (3) 100 percent of the calcu-
lated water need is met, and (4) no excess water is applied and lost as
waste.
45
-------
Table III-5. Acreage permitted for irrigation by ground water in the Powder River basin, Wyoming,
by county.
County
Number of
Permitted
Wells
Permitted
Original
Supply
Acres Supplied by
Supplemental
Supply
Ground Water
Total
Campbell
26
4904.56
820.
5724.56
Converse
42
1962.87
699.8
2662.67
Crook
29
1070.28
975.92
2046.20
Johnson
42
937 .8
1601.91
2539.71
Natrona
102
2068.08
1823.8
3891.88
Niobrara *
161*
15783.77 *
1284.7-
17068.47*
Sheridan
22
241.73
744.8
986.53
Weston
17
2230.8
120.88
2351.68
TOTAL
441
29199.9
8071.8
37271.7
*Most irrigated acreage is outside the boundary of the Powder River basin.
Source: Compiled by Wyoming State Engineer, July, 1980.
-------
Based on total irrigated acreage and estimated water use from
1971 the average amount of irrigation water applied was about 14.3
inches per acre per year. Using this figure and an estimated actual
irrigated acreage of 90 percent, ground-water use values of 19,000
and 22,000 acre-feet/yr are calculated for all Niobrara County and
the rest of the basin, respectively.
Ground-water use for irrigation is not expected to increase within
the Powder River basin, due to competition for available water supplies
by municipal and industrial users.
Source aquifers for irrigation water within the basin are not
well identified, due to incomplete well information and unknown status
of many permitted projects. Eisen and others (1980, 1981) determined
that in the eastern part of the basin most wells permitted for irriga-
tion use tap Quaternary alluvial aquifers, or bedrock aquifers with
good quality water which are capable of high yields. Within the basin
the Madison aquifer system and the Middle Tertiary aquifers often
have yields adequate to support irrigation use and generally contain
water of good quality.
Livestock
Ground-water consumption by livestock within the basin is esti-
mated to be not more than 11,000 acre-feet/yr, based on 1979 livestock
populations of 492,000 cattle and 520,000 sheep within the eight-
county northeast Wyoming area (Wyoming Crop and Livestock Reporting
Service, 1979) and average daily consumption values of 15 and 3 gallons
per head for cattle and sheep, respectively (Wyoming Water Planning
Program, 1972). This estimate compares well with an earlier estimate
47
-------
(9,000 acre-feet/yr for the area, excluding the Powder River drainage;
Wyoming Water Planning Program, 1972). Additional water consumption
by swine, horses, and other types of livestock is estimated at not
more than 1,000 acre-feet/yr. All stock water is assumed to be from
underground sources.
Ground water from all aquifers within the area is used for live-
stock watering purposes. Most wells permitted for livestock or domestic/
livestock purposes have been completed within the shallowest aquifer
which provides adequate yield. The majority are in the Fox Hills/
Lance or Wasatch/Fort Union aquifer system. Municipal and industrial
ground-water supplies are also used locally for livestock watering.
The largest number of wells permitted within the study area is used
for stock watering purposes. Typical stock well yields are 10 to
15 gpm, but this amount is only intermittently produced.
48
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IV. HYDROGEOLOGY
-------
IV. HYDROGEOLOGY
Hydrologic properties and ground-water flow of the regional aquifer
systems and minor and local aquifers within the Powder River basin
are discussed in this section. Aquifer lithologies and hydrologic
properties are summarized in Tables IV-1 to IV-3, while Appendix B
describes in more detail the bedrock stratigraphic variations. The
Madison aquifer system has been discussed in greater detail than other
systems due to extensive interest in its exploitation and the many
investigations this interest has fostered.
MADISON AQUIFER SYSTEM
The Paleozoic Madison aquifer system contains adequate supplies
of good quality water, is already extensively utilized for municipal
and industrial supplies, and is currently being further developed
(Wyoming Water Planning Program, 1977; Montgomery, 1979; Bureau of
Land Management, 1980).
Composed of the Cambrian to Pennsylvanian age shallow marine
carbonate and sandstone sequence, the aquifer system's thickness varies
from less than 1,000 to about 3,000 feet, although some included forma-
tions are not considered economically viable aquifers. Its most
important and extensively developed aquifer is the Mississippian
Madison (Pahasapa) Limestone. The Ordovician Bighorn and Whitewood
dolomites, only present in the northern third of the basin, also have
potential for development (Hodson and others, 1973). The Pennsylvanian
Tensleep Sandstone and Permian sands of the Minnelusa Formation are
50
-------
Table IV-l. Lithologic and hydrologic characteristics of bedrock units exposed
numerous sources).
Thickness3
Era Litem Sy stem Geological Unit (ft)
MKS0Z01C Cretaceous Pierre Shale 2000i
2500-3100
Niobrara Fm. 150-225
100-250
Carlile Shale 500-700
460-540
Greenhorn Fm. 70-370
30-70
Belle Fourche Sh. 450-850
400-850
Mowry Shale 180-230
220±
Newcastle Ss. 0-60
0-100
Skul1 Creek Sh. 200-250
160-200
INYAN KARA GROUP:
Fa 1i River Fm.
95-150
35-85
on the east flank of the Powder River basin, Wyoming (compiled from
Lithologic Character
Shale with some bentonite, thin silt-
stones, lenticular carbonates and
sandstones. Contains Great Sandstone
bed (0-125 ft) in north.
Shale, calcareous shale and marl
with numerous thin bentonite beds.
Shale, locally sandy. Contains middle
Turner sandy member in north.
Shale, limey shale and marl with
thin limestone beds.
Shale, dark gray to black, contain-
ing iron and limestone concretions
and bentonite layers.
Siliceous shale with numerous
bentonite layers.
Sandstone, fine- to medium-grained,
locaily conglomeratic, lenticular,
with interbedded siltstone, shale
and claystone.
Shale, black, with iron concentra-
tions .
Hydro) og it: Cha r jc Le r^ *
Regional aquitard but some low-yield
wells in outcrop. Reporied yield,
none to 12 gpm; specific capacity,
<0.1 gpm/ft.
Aquitard but some low-yield wells
in ou tc rop.
Aquitard but. some low-yield wells in
outcrop. Oil field data: porosil\,
15%; permeability, 0.02 gpd/fL~;
transitu ssiv ity , 0.2-0.4 gpd/fi.
Aquitard; no published records of
wells. Oil field data: see
Carlile Shale.
Aquitard but some wells near out-
crop .
Aquitard but some wells near (Hit-
crop; fractures enhance yield.
Minor unit of Dakota aqu ifer system,
exploited near outcrop only; often
excessive pumping lift. Oil field
data: porosity, 5-27%; permeability,
<11 gpd/ft^; transmissivjiy, 0-140
gpd/fL.
Aquitard; no reports of we I Is.
Sandstone, fine- to coarse-grained,
with interbedded shale and silt-
stone .
Unit of Dakota aquifer system.
Flowing yield 1-10 gpm; wells ofLcn
also completed in l.akotn Fm.
Specific capacity, <0.5 gpm/ft.
Oil field daLa: porosiL>, 11-23%;
permeability, 0-36 gpd/ft ; trans-
missivity, 1-900 gpd/ft.
-------
Tabic IV-1
(con t inuctl)
Tli 1 ckness3
Erathem System CeoJogical Unit (ft)
Lakota Fm. 45-300
115-200
- Unconformity -
Jurassic Morrison Fm. 0-150
\ 50-220
Sundance Fm. 300-400
330-365
- Unconformity -
Gypsum Springs Fm. 0-125
absent
MES0Z0IC
and
PALEOZOIC
Triassic
and
Permian
- Unconformity -
Spearfish Fm.
450-825
550-600
PALEOZOIC
Permj an
Minnekahta Ls.
40 +
30-50
Opech Fm.
60-90
50-100
Lithologic Character
Hydro Logic Cha r.icLC
Sandstone, fine- to coarse-grained,
in places conglomeratic, very
lenticular, irregularly interbedded
with shale which becomes dominant
at top (Fuson Sh.).
Unit of Dakota aquifer system. Flow-
ing yield 1-10 gpm, up Lo 150 gpm.
Water well data: specific capacLlv,
0.01-1.4 gpm/ft; permeability, 2-1'*
gpd/ft^; transmlssLvity, 220-810
gpd/ft for 2 wells also i ti Fall River.
Varicolored claystone with thin beds
of limestone or sandstone; "locally
fine-grained sandstone predominant.
Sandy and silty shale with thin
1imestones and thin to thick sand-
stones (e.g., Hulett Mem., 55-90
ft).
Yields up to 10 gpm in outcrop are.i.
Water well data: specific cnpacji},
0.2 gpm/ft; permeability, 5 gpni/fi~;
transmissivity, 160 gpm/ft. Oil field
data: porosity, 11%; permeability,
0-74 gpd/ft^; transmisslvity, 0-260
gpd/f t.
Minor aquifer (Crook CounLy). Flow-
ing yields up to 5 gpm, pumped yields
up to 50 gpm in and near outcrop;
specific capacity, <0.1 gpm/ft. CHI
field data: porosity, 11-30%; perme-
ability, 0-23 gpd/ft"; transmissivily ,
<1250 gpd/fL.
Massive white gypsum with inter-
bedded red shale and cherty lime-
scone .
Not considered an aquifer but may
yield water to wells obtaining
major supply from Sundance Fm.
Red shale, siltstone and fine-
grained silty sandstone with lenses
of gypsum, increasing in lower part.
Minor aquifer (Crook County). YieLds
average 13 gpm Jn outcrop area. l.'ater
well data: specific capacity, O.fi
gpm/ft; permeability, 6-8 gpd/ft
transmissivity, 150-370 gpd/ft.
2 .
Fine-grained thinbedded limestone
and dolomitic limestone.
Minor aquifer (Crook County). Yields
average 7 gpm. USCS LesL: flowed
12 gpm; specific capacity, 0.1 gpm;
permeability, 33 gpd/ft^; transinls-
sivity, 330 gpd/ft.
Maroon sandstone, fine-grained, silty
and shaley, alternating with silt-
stone, shale, claystone, and gypsum.
Aquitard; no published record
we lis.
-------
Table IV-1. (continued)
Erathem
System
Geological Unit
Thickness
(to
Pennsy1vanian
and
Permian
- Unconformity -
Minnelusa Fm.
(Hartville Fm.)c
600-800
1000±
Missi ssi ppian
- Unconformity -
Pahasapa Ls.
(Madison Ls.)
(Guernsey Fm. , part)^
550-900
250±
Ui
LO
Devonian
Englewood Ls.
(Guernsey Fm., part)
30-60
0-50±
Ordovic ian
Unconformity -
Whitewood Do] .
50-60
absen t
Winnipeg Fm.
60-70
absen t
- Unconformity -
Lithologic Character
llydiologic Character^ ,C"
Sandstone, fine- to coarse-grained,
interbedded with limestone,
dolomite, and shale, localLy
gypsiferous, especially at top.
Upper part is unit of Madison
aquifer system, middle ls aquitard,
lower is minor aquifer in hydraul it-
connect ion with Madison. FlowLng
yields over 200 gpm possible; specific
capacity, 1-5 gpm/ft. Oil field data:
porosity, 6-25%; permeability, <0.1-
18 gpd/ft^; transmissivity, 2-900
gpd/ft.
Massive fine-grained limestone and
dolomitic limestone, locally cherty
or cavernous.
Thin-bedded limestone, locally
sha1ey.
Principal unit of Mad ison aqu l f e r
system. Flowing or pumped yields
up to 1000 gpm; specific capacity,
0.5-50+ gpm/ft, f J ow-dependen L;
Lrjnsmissivity, 1000-60,000 gpd/fL.
locally to 300,000+.
Minor unit of Madison aquifer
system; no published reports of
walcr wells. USGS Lest: porositv,
15-18%; permeability, -'O.l gpd/ft"
Massive bedded dolomite, locally
c he r ty.
Minor unit of Madison aquifer
system; the few existing wells also
produce from the Madison aquifer.
USGS test: porosity, 10-25%;
specific capacity, L5 gpm/ft; perme-
ability, <0.1-11 gpd/ft^; Lrans-
missivity, 6400 gpd/ft.
Clayey siltstone (Roughlock), Aquitard
shale and silty shale (Icebox),
fine- to medium-grained sandstone
near base (Aladdin).
-------
Table 1V-1. (continued)
Era Lhcm
Sy stent
Ordovici nn
a nd
Cambr inn
Geological Unit
Thickness'
(ft)
Lithologic Character
Deadwood Fm.
- Unconformity -
300-500 Sandstone, locally dolomitic or
0-50+(?) conglomeratic, with inLerbedded
shale, limestone, dolomite and
siltstone.
Hy d ro 1 og ic Clin r,i c I o r
b ,<
Unit of Madison aquifer sysLem but
deep bu r i a 1 limits u xp 1 o i l j L i * in .
USGS Lest: porosilv,
permeability, -20 gpd/ft".
PRKCAMHRI AN
Complex of igneous and metamorphic
rocks.
I.ocally yields wnLcr to shnllow
wells sind springs iii I'uLcr.'j)1-..
First thickness range refers to northeastern basin while second refers to southeastern basin.
^Oilfield (and USGS test) data are variously derived resulting in internal, inconsistencies in this compilation. Permeabilities are measured on cures
or derived from other data and transmissivities are from drill stem tests or calculated from permeability. Test data are usually for limited horizons
of hLgli anticipated yields and are not therefore representative of the formation as a whole.
CReporied yields may reflect development: needs rather than aquifer capability; higher yields can sometimes be expected, with corresponding drawdown
js increases. Reported water well transmissivities or permeabilities may be for wells completed in two aquifers or screened in only part of .1 single
aquifer.
^Nomenclature for equivalent strata exposed in the Hartville uplift on the southeastern basin flank.
-------
Table rV-2. LithologLc and hydrulogic characteristics of bedrock units exposed on the west flank of the Powder River basin, Wyoming (compiled from
numerous sources).
Kraihem
S v s I e m
MKS0ZOLC
Cretaceous
Geological Unit
Th ickness'
(ft)
Lewis Shale
(Bearpaw Shale)
Lithologic Character
11 vdiolog i_l ( li.ir.u it.
200-900i Grey marine shale with sandy shaLe
4 70 and thin lenses of fine-drained
sandstone (Teckla).
Rcgion.i! aqu i La rd bu l
wells near outcrop.
1.",-, io Id
Mesaverde Fm.
355
900±
Fine- to medium-grained sandstone
with interbedded grey marine shale.
Upper part is Teapot Ss. (50 ft)
in south, Lower part is Parkman Ss.
(500±).
Minor aqui f er (entire basin I lank1*.
Flowing yields up to 4 r.piu; pumped
vields up to 120 t;pm imported in
N.itron.i Co . ; spec i f i c » apac i l\ . 0.1
0.2 gpm/fl. (Ill field data:
porosilv, 15-21%; permoahj I i i \ . ~>
Spd/f I2; L ran sin i ss i v i L \ , 1 20 i^pd ' i
Ln
Ln
Cody Shale
(Steele Shale is
upper part)
Frontier Fm.
37001
3000-5000
51 5±
900
Dark grey shale, limey near base
with some bentonitic beds and inter-
bedded, lenticular fine-grained
often shaley sandstones (Shannon,
200 ft; Sussex, 200-500 ft).
Dark grey to black marine shale
with interbedded thin to massive
bedded fine- to medium-grained
sandstones (Wall Creek sands).
Aqultard buL s«inilslnuo I en si.",
low-yield f lowing and pumped \.v I 1 '
near outcrop. Oil field data
porosity, 12-252; pe rmealu I 11 \ . *
gpd/ft^; iransmissivity. S5 r,pd/;l.
Minor aqui 1 er (soulhwesl basin).
Flowing yields 1-10 gpm (N.itron.i
Co.); specific capacity. 0.0.' iipi./i
(Sheridan Co . ) . Oil field d. t l .
poros ily, 1 2 -26% ; pernio.ih11 i i \ . ".()«>
gpd/ft^, transmissivity. 150 u p t1 / f J
Mowry Shale
525±
200-300
Grey weathering siliceous shale
with bentonitic beds, non-
siliceous black shale at base.
In Natrona Co., flowing
2 gpm; pumped yields up
\ i e 11 i
lM |()
Muddy Ss.
(NewcastIe Ss.)
Thermopo1 is Sh.
(Sku11 Creek Sh.)
Cloverly Fm.
0-40±
6 ±
1 7 5±
200
1 50
140
Light grey, fine-grained, lenticular
sandstone and siLtstone often
termed a member of Thermopolis
sha1e.
Black marine shale with some
siltstonc partings in north.
Interbedded dark shale and brown
siltstonc with 15-45 feet of basal
fine- to coarse-grained well sorted
sandstone.
Minor unit of Dakot
Oil field da L,
pcrmeability
missivilv ,
poros i l^y
, '7 gpd/fL";
150 gpd/ft.
aqujfer <
20 ,
Aquitard; no published record <>)
we 1 Is.
Lower part is uniL of Dakota
system. Flowing yields of 1-40 unm,
up to 250 gpm reported lor pumped
wells; specific capacity, 0.2 upm/Il
Oi 1 field da La : poros LL> , 1 "j- I H ;
perinea b i I i Ly , 0.4-4 gpcl/ll^; I imiis-
missivity, 7-230 gpd/fL.
-------
Tabic LV-2. (continued)
Thickness^
Erathem System Geological Unit (ft)
- Unconformity -
Jurassic Morrison Fm. 185
130-220
Sundance Fm. 280
300
- Unconformity -
Gypsum Spring Fm. L 20185
absen t
Unconformity -
Chugwater Fm. 750-800
700-800
ON
Triassic
MES0Z0LC
and
PALEOZOIC
Triassic
and
Permian
Goose Egg Fm.
180-250
380
PALEOZOIC
Pe rm lan
and
PennsyI vanian
Unconformity
Tensleep Ss.
50-250
<500
Pennsy Lvan inn
Amsden Fm.
J 50-300
0-200
Unconformity
Mississippian
Madison Ls.
1 L00±
200-400
Lithologic Character
Hydro 1 ug ic Ch«> r.ic tor '
Variegated shale and claystone with
some lenticular fine-grained sand-
stones.
No published record of we I I;
Shale, greenish grey, sometimes
calcareous, sandier at top and
base.
A few water wells, some flowing
up to 2 gpm. Oil field data:
porosity, 14-20%; permeabi I j t v ,
gpd/ftw; transmlssivit\ , 8-1 *2
g|id/f L.
Red shale and claystone with thin
bedded limestone and gypsum.
Not generally considered an
aquifer and no published record
of wells.
Red siltstone, claystone and fine-
grained sandstone with thin lime-
stones.
Aquitard but a few wells, some
flowinj; several gpm.
Interbedded red shale and silt-
stone with thin limestone and
gypsum beds.
Aquitard but a few wells near
ou tc rop.
Fine- to medium-grained, massive,
crossbedded sandstone with
occasional thin dolomite beds.
Unit of Mad i son aquifer sy stem .
Flowing yields up to 400 j;pin;
specific capacity, 1 ^pm/ft.
Oil field data: porosity, 0-24
permeability, 0-21 gpd/ft-;
transmissivity , 0-1900 gpd/ft.
Red and purple shale with some sand-
stone, cherty dolomite and
limestone.
Aquitard unless fractured.
Limestone, dolomitic limestone and
dolomite sandy at base.
Principal unit of Mad ison . iqu i f o r
sy stem. Flowing yields over '>000
gpm but highly variable; spec ific
capacity, <1 to 50 but js flow-
dependent; t rrinsfiiiss ivj Ly , r)i)0-
90,000 gpd/ft or hip,her and )iij;li)
varinbIe.
-------
Table lV-2. (continued)
Thickness*" ^
Erathem System Geological Unit (ft) Lithologic Character Hydrologic Character
Ordovic ian
Cambrinn
- Unconformity -
Bighorn Dolomite
- Unconformity -
Gallatin and
Gros Ventre Fms.,
und1vided
400-500
absent
6451
0-500
Massive doiomite, becoming thin-
bedded at top and sandy at base.
Upper limestone, limestone conglom-
erate, interbedded with middle
micaceous shale and a basal, brown,
medium- to coarse-grained sandstone.
Unit of Madison aquifer systen
Local outcrop wells only.
Aquitard; no published reporLs of
we 11s.
Flathead Ss.
345 +
90
Tan to reddish sandstone, locally
conglomeratic, interbedded with
green shale and siltstone.
Minor unit of Madison aquifor
system. Not exploited duo tu deep
burial but a few wells yield water
near outcrops.
- Unconformity
PKKCAMBRIAN
Complex of igneous and metamorphic
rocks.
Locally yields small nmounLs of
water to shallow, outcrop wells.
aFirst thickness range refers to northwestern basin, second refers to southwestern basin.
^Oilfield data are variously derived resulting in internal inconsistencies in this compilation. Permeabilities are measured on cores or derived from
other data and transmissivities are from drill stem tests or calculated from permeability. Test data are usually for limited horizons of high
anticipated yields and are not therefore representative of the formation as a whole.
cKeported yields may reflect development needs rather than aquifer capability; higher yields can sometimes be expected, with corresponding drawdown
increases. Reported water well transmissivities or permeabilities may be for wells completed in two aquifers, or screened in only part of a
single aquifer.
-------
Table IV 3. Lithologic and hydrologic characteristics o£ "shallow" geologic units (incLuding Quaternary, Tertiary and l,alesL Cretaceous deposits)
of the central Powder River basin, Wyoming (complied from numerous sources).
Era them
System
Ser ies
Geologic Unit
Thickness
(to
Lithologic Character
Hydro tog ic Clin i .u to r
CENOZOLC
Quaternary
Ho 1ocene
and
Pleistocene
Alluvium and Terrace
deposits
0-100+
Tertiary
ui
Co
- Unconformity -
Miocene Ariknree Fm.
- Unconformity -
CJligocene White River Gp .
0-500
(southeast
only)
0-1500
(isolated out-
liers except
in SE)
- Unconformity -
Eocene Wasatch Fm.
Up to 1600
Silt, sand and gravel; unconsolidated
and interbedded; present along most
st reams.
Tuffaceous sandstone, fine-grained,
with silty zones, coarse sand
lenses and concretionary zones.
Tuffaceous siltstone in upper part,
underlain by claystone, both locally
contain fine- to coarse-grained
sandstone and conglomerate channel
deposits.
Fine- to coarse-grained lenticular
sandstones interbedded with shale
and coal, coarser in south and
southwest, conglomeratic in west.
Qua ter nary alluvial aqu l I'ers . Yu'M
of 1000 gpm possible, of l on through
induced recharge. Terraces topog-
raphically high and often drained.
Specific capacity, 0.3-ltf gpm/lt;
porosity, 28-A5%; permeahility,
0.1-1100 gpd/ft^; l ran sm i s.s i v it y .
1 5-(>4Q00 gpd/ft; specific yield,
2-39%. Coarser deposits have betlri'
aquifer properties.
Middle Tertiary aquLfcr. Yields
up to 1000 gpm; specif t<- cap.u it\ tip
to 232 gpm/ft; porosity, ;
permeability, <1-300 gpd/ft";
transmissivity, up to 77,000 j;pd/fl.
Middle Tertiary aquifer. NuL
ex tensively developed bet ause overI a in
by Arikaree Fm. in inosL plaovs.
Yields generally low and nnprudii t-
able. Specific capacity, -0.3 gpm/fi;
permeability, 0.0002-0.03 £pd/ff ,
increases with fracturing.
ParL of Wasatch / For L Un ion aqn i I t. r
system. Yields generally 15 ^piu,
1 oca 1 1 y f lowing we 1 1 s exist. Sp>. i I ii
capacity, 0.10-2 gpm/ft; porosity,
28 30 ^ ; permeability, 0.01-63 upd/fl*1,
transmissivity, average 500 j;pd/ft,
range 1-4000 gpd/ft.
- Unconformity -
-------
Table 1V-3. (continued)
Erathem
System
Series
Geologic Unit
Thickness
(ft)
Llthologic Character
Hydrolugic I'harai Lur'
Paleocene
Fort Union Fm.
1100-2500+ Sandstone, fine- to medium-grained,
lenticular, interbedded with silt-
stone, coal and shale. Middle part
may be shalier in north, upper part
siltler in south. "Clinker"
associated with coal outcrops.
Part of Wasa Lch / For t Hn {en aqu i fc i
sysLom. Flowing yields ol I-GO p.pm
were confined. Pumped yields up lo
250 gpm wlLli several hundred fool ol
drawdown. Specific capacity. 0.1-2
gpm/ft; permenbilit\, 0.0 I- 100
gpd/ft ; transmissiviLy, I- rU)0(l
gpd/ft. Con! and clinkoi licmM'.-il 1 v
betLer aquifer properties th.ni sand-
stoncs. Locally t linker Lr.nismjs-
sivity up to 3,000,000 gpd/fl;
specific capaciLy over 2000
Anisotropy and Jeakv confining la.t/r-
are common.
MES0Z01C
Cretaceous Upper Lance Fm.
Cretaceous
500-1000 (N)
1600-3000 (S)
Ln
vo
Fox Hills Ss.
150-200 (N)
400-700 (S)
Sandstone, fine- to medium-grained,
lenticular, interbedded with
sandy siltstone and claystone.
Sandstone, fine- to medium-grained,
interbedded with shale and
siltstone.
Unit of Fox Hills/Lance jquilcr
system. YieLds up to J50 gpm hwl
with large drawdowns nnd I oim per-
forated intervals. Locally flowing
wells exist. Specific cnpnuiiy,
0.05-2 gpm/ f t ; perineah i 1 i t y , 6 - J5
gpd / f t^ ; t ransmiss Lvi ty, I 70-Z100
gpd/ft.
Unit of Fox Itills/Lance aquitcr
system. Yields up to 350 gpm but
with large drawdowns and lon>,
perforated intervals. L<»ca11\ flaw-
ing wells exist. Specific capjrji\,
0.05-2 gpm/ft; permeability, 3'-»
gpd/ft^; transmissivitv, 76-1000
gpd/ft for wells
-------
also significant aquifers although they can produce poor quality
water. The Cambrian Flathead and Deadwood sandstone aquifers are
present only in the northern part of the basin, often produce
water of lesser quality and quantity, and are currently almost
unexploited.
The system outcrops along most basin margins but is buried by
up to 15,000 feet of overlying rock in the central basin (see Plate 3).
Current exploitation has generally been limited to areas where drilling
depths are less than 3,000 feet, although industrial wells over 8,000
feet deep are used.
The Madison aquifer system has not been uniformly defined by
authors studying its hydrology. Several studies have specifically
considered only the Madison Limestone aquifer (Wyoming State Engineer,
1974; Rahn, 1975; Huntoon and Womack, 1975; Konikow, 1976). Various
additional aquifers have been included by other workers (Crist and
Lowry, 1972; Huntoon, 1976; Woodward-Clyde, 1980). The U.S. Geological
Survey Madison Study (U.S. Geological Survey, 1975) is specifically
investigating the entire Paleozoic rock sequence in northeastern
Wyoming, although most available data and research emphasis pertain
to the Madison and Minnelusa aquifers (e.g., Head and Merkel, 1977;
Swenson and others, 1976). In this report the broad U.S. Geological
Survey definition of the aquifer system is used, although the Madison
Limestone, the most important aquifer of the system, receives the
most emphasis.
The aquifer system as defined is bounded by relatively impermeable
Precambrian and Permian rocks. Trotter (1963) considers the Permian
Opeche Shale, the basal member of the Goose Egg Formation, an effective
60
-------
impervious barrier to fluid movement, isolating the Paleozoic section
below it. Huntoon (1976) considers the Goose Egg an effective aquitard
in the western Powder River basin, even where intensely fractured;
however, Crist and Lowry (1972) report that high-yielding springs
issuing from Permo-Triassic rocks are Madison system water migrating
upward along structures. Only north of Newcastle, at Salt Springs^v
\ fi°
has local upward leakage of water through undisturbed Opeche Shale /
been specifically postulated in Wyoming (Brobst and Epstein, 1963)',
although in the Black Hills Rahn and Gries (1973) place the aquifer
system boundary stratigraphically higher, at the Spearfish Formation.
The degree of hydraulic interconnection of aquifers comprising
the Madison aquifer system varies and is incompletely known. Ordovician
shales in the northwest part of the basin separate the Flathead aquifer
from overlying units (Huntoon, 1976). Similar shales are present in
Crook County and, although potentiometric heads in the U.S. Geological
Survey test well suggest interconnection of the Deadwood to Madison
rock squence, chemical quality data indicate hydrologic isolation.
The Minnelusa Tensleep and Madison aquifers have been interpreted
as wither in hydraulic connection (Head and Merkel, 1977; Swenson
and others, 1976) or hydraulically isolated (Eisen and others, 1981;
Old West Regional Commission, 1976; Wyoming State Engineer, 1974).
Huntoon (1976) states that in the western part of the basin the inter-
vening Amsden is not an effective aquitard where fractured, based
on spring studies. Eisen and Collentine (1981) and Woodward-Clyde
(1980) consider the middle Minnelusa Formation carbonates a leaky
confining layer in the eastern part of the basin. In the Newcastle
61
-------
area geochemical data indicate the baoal Minnelusa ("Bell" sandstone)
is hydraulically connected with the upper Madison (see Chapter V).
Impeded communication between the Whitewood (Red River) and Madison
aquifers in Crook County has been suggested (Woodward-Clyde, 1980).,
Although Huntoon (1976) considers the Bighorn and Madison aquifers
hydraulically connected, he notes that lower permeability horizons
in the Madison Limestone affect control on spring locations.
Hydrologic Properties
Hydrogeology of the Madison aquifer has been extensively investi-
gated due to recent development pressure (e.g., Wyoming State Eningeer,
1974; Konikow, 1976; Office of Technology Assessment, 1978; Woodward-
Clyde, 1980), but is still not fully understood. With the exception of
the Madison and oil-bearing parts of the M.innelusa/Tensleep , little is
known about other aquifers comprising the Madison aquifer system.
Yield and Specific Capacity
Although Madison aquifer wells with flowing yields of several
hundred to several thousand gallons per minute are common, these yields
are associated with drawdown of several hundred feet of pressure head.
The resultant specific capacity (yield per unit drawdown) is considered
somewhat low for high-yield development by some guidelines (U.S.
Bureau of Reclamation, 1977). Similar large well drawdowns are required
for high yields from pumped Madison wells.
Madison aquifer specific capacities reported in the literature
or calculated from available data range from less than 0.5 to almost
50 gpm per foot of drawdown (Table IV-4). Some of the larger values
are from wells tested at low yields or restricted flows; Kelly and
62
-------
Table 1V-4. Calculated specific capacities (yield per unit drawdown) of Madison aquifer wells, I'owder River li.isjn, Wyoming
Well II
(T/R-Scc., V.) Date
33/75-8 I)BR
33/76- 13 Cli-
A/27/63
-/-/6 3
1 / - / 6 2
Test
l)u ra L i on
(hrs)
7 days
168
Drawdown
(ft)
Yield
(SP"0
CONVERSI- COUNTY
13 30 7
800
16
53
¦12
510
510
75
220
320
SpG ci f i c
Capac Lt y
(Bpm/ft)
0.38
0. 64
4 . 7
4.1
3.5
Da l a
Source
Renin rks
34/76-7 DAB
unk
ON
LO
51/66-6 BCB 5/8/79
6/28/79
+52/63-25 DC -/-/71?
-/-/7 2
53/65-18 BIS I) 9/26/62
22. 75
15.25
1
1
24
140 mi n.
80 min.
1 20 min.
110 min.
95 min.
12
16
550
134
223
296
301
19
34
49
93
151
242
274
295
58
14
74
1
4
6
9
10
13
19
330
CROOK COUNTY
82
1 28
171
166
82
128
171
280
430
590
635
635
175
190
200
15
25
30
37
40
45
55
57/65-15 DAC 10/20/76
0 . 60
0.61
0.57
0. 58
0.55
4.3
3.8
3.5
3.0
2.8
2.4
2.3
2.2
3.0
13.6
2.7
15.0
6.2
5.0
4.1
4.0
3.5
2.9
2.1
1.1
-Step discharge test
3D mm. q teps -
pre acid frac-
f i nn 1 step, 20 t- h r>
-Slop discharge lesl
30 min. steps
pos t .ic i d f rac .
final step, 12 + hrs .
"Held for 24 hour-."
"Held for 30 davs"
-Slep discliarue and
reroverv tests
f rom drill
f rom d rLI 1
-.tern LC'
I em L e'
: I ( '1 I 5 )
s I (/'!(,)
-------
Table TV-4. (con I limed)
We I 1 if
(T/R-Sec. , luy *£.) DaLe
Tes l
Dura L i on
(hrs)
Drawdown
(ft)
Yield
(kp"0
4 1/78-1 liC
41/81-9 CI)B
41/84-19 AB
42/80- 30 15DB
42/81-25 CBI)
43/80-34 DAD
49/83-27 DBC
39/78-26 CDC
39/79-11 AAD
+40/79-2 All
40/79-23 DDI!
40/79-26 CAA
40/79-31 RCA
1/22/67
11-112
~/~/f>2
-/-/f> 3
6 / - / fi 2
5/-/r.3
//6 3
6/-/73
3/1/74?
11-113
6/29/62
4/-/7I
11 -/IX
101-/71
1/-/72
4/-/7J
7/-/71
10/-/71
1/-/72
-/-/ll
4/-/71
7/-/71
10/-/71
1/-/72
2/25/62
-/-/62
24
24
173?'1
208"
1 16*
60
716*
520"
647*
139
219
8
231
84 3*
286
292
298
274
133
100
122
112
869"
182
202
163
152
693
693
JOHNSON COUNTY
788
700
900 K
15
900
1100
525
170
315
. 3* 5
NATRONA COUNTS
150
4746
297
320
359
3 36
726
706
684
491
9000 E
5599
5110
4580
4121
437
4 30
Spec i f i c
Cnpncily Dnta
(ftpm/f t, ) source Rcina r ks
4.6 1
3.4 3
7.8 3
0. 25 2
1.3 3
2.1 3
0.81 1,3 Tlow through 4" ID pipe
1.2 2
1.4 2
0.60 1
0.65 3
5.6 1,3
1.0 2
1.1 2
1.2 2
1.2 2
5.5 2
7.1 2
5.6 2
4.4 2
10.4 3
31. 2
25. 2
28. 2
21 . 2
0.63
0. 62
1
3
-------
I.'ib le IV-4. (cont inued)
Test
Well // Duration
(T/K-Scl,. , k) Date (lirs)
AO/79-35 ACB -/-/61 ?
?
7
7
40/ 79-35 CCC 4/-/71 ?
7/-/71 '
10/-/71 ?
1/-/72 ?
+36/62-28 AB1 -/-/74 24
4/24/74 108
Ox +36/62-28 AB2 -/-/74 3
01 5/ /74 179 min.
204 min.
5/3/74 120
5/19/74 1987
24^ days
8/28/74 96
9/7/74 48
39/62-2 AAB -/-/62 ?
2/26/63 1
44/63-26 CAC 6/6/67 5
6/-/67 5
45/61-20 l)CA / /49 7
unk ?
unk
45/6 L-20 DCC
/ /7 8
7
Drawdown
(ft)
Yield
(gPm)
Spc?c i f i c
Capac i Ly
(BlWf L )
NATROHA COUNTY (cont.)
Da La
Source
Remarks
35
176
296
418
1663
3996
5858
701 5
47.5
22.7
19.8
16.8
1,3
1,3
1 ,3
1 .3
-Tes ts in 4/71, 7/71,
10/71, 1/72 re spectivc
per source 2
23
25
I 7
II
59 3
650
557
482
26.
26.
34.
44.
NIOBRARA COUNTY
95
88
57
57
0 .60
0 .65
370
217
386
266
390
330
370
370
170
104
180
125
180
150
170
170
0 .46
0 .48
0.47
0 .47
0 .46
0 .45
0 .46
0.46
-Discharge reduced aflei
8'j days pumping.
36
36
30
60
0.83
1 . 7
2,3
1
swah test
WESTON COUNTY
23
175
250
250
10.9
1.4
4 62;,;
173
277
462
127
231
416
1600
600
1000
1500
600
1000
1500
3.5
3.5
3.6
3.2
4.7
4.3
3.6
-Static water level pre-
sumed equal Lo eriginal
shut-in pressure (t-461? t
-Static water level pre-
sumed enual to 1962 sltul
in pressure ( + 'i!6 ft)
381'
640
1 . 7
-------
Tnhlo. IV-4. (continued)
WcM it
(T/K Sec.. l)au
'5/61 21 CHI) 4/-/66
9/1/66
link
+'.5/61-28 All- -/-/f>27
7/-/65
4 5/61 - 29 CBK 5/20/60
unk
'.5/61-30 AI)B 7/-/607
'.5/61-33 All 4/-/64?
'.6/63-10 CI)A 8/28/79
66/63-15 Bin: -/-/51
link
'.6/63-17 CRC -/-/69
//69?
8/-/73
'.6/6'.-I 3 CCA -/-/60'
+46/64-19 ni)C -/-/56''
46/64-23 CCH 3/5/65
6//7 2
'.6/65-20 GDI) 9/19/60
'.6/65-23 RAD 6/-/72
unk
'.6/66-25 nUH './ L6/62
6/-/72
47/60-4 AA 8/9/65
'.8/65-25 CIIH -/-/49
6/-/72
48/65-15 CC- 6/-/72
Test
Duration Drawdown Yield
(Its) (/_t) (gpm)
WliSTON COUNTY (cone.
72 200 460
7 2 l'.l' 463
? 60* 50
3 wks. 270* 1200
? 18 276
8 min. '.62-" 117
? 346-' 120
? 300* 650
? 3 23* 290
739 min. 63ft7 579
? 393- 500
' 393" 190
' 531* 800
? 64 7* 800
? 427* 800
? 92* 30
¦> 80 280
6 65 70
sev. wks. 293 308
6 295? 425
2 mns. 7 6 225
' 400 600
1 30 354
'. mos. 2 11 360
36 5'' 8
55 min. 517 15.4
6 110 210
5 101 155
Speci Tic
Capacity Data
(gpm/fL) Source Rt'irai ks
2.3 3
3.3 1 -Reported drawdown may not
Include SIP eomponen L
0.83 2
.', 1,2
15.3 3
0.25 1
0.35 2
2.2 2
0.90 1,2 "restricted surface Nov"
0.91 1
1.3 2
0.48 2
1.5 1 "Flow through 2 inch ln'^c"
1.2 1,2 Different reporLod S I I'
1.9 2 Flow may noL lie 1973 data
0.33 2 Yield inay not he I960 daLa
3.5 3 Plugged, 1965
1.1 1 Swab test
1.1 3
1.4 1
3.0 3
1.5 2
11.8 1
1.7 3
1.6 1
0.03 1
1.9 3
1.5
3
6 hrs. per source 112
-------
others (1980a) report "low yield specific capacity" of 90 gpm/ft for
one (unspecified) Madison well. Typically, high yields are required
from Madison wells, and in general specific capacities at high yields
are less than 5 gpm/ft, somewhat lower (less than 1 gpm/ft) in the
southeastern basin, and over 10 gpm/ft only at the Salt Creek Oil
Field, north of Casper.
Madison wells with step-discharge data often exhibit nonlinear
head losses. At Devils Tower these are interpreted as well losses-
due to small casing diameter by Whitcomb and Gordon (1964). Kelly
and others (1980a) attribute the head losses to turbulent flow in
near-well fractures.
Yields and specific capacity data for other aquifers comprising
the Madison system are sparse. Reported Minnelusa/Tensleep yields
are generally less than 200 gpm. One Tensleep well in the outcrop
area in Johnson County (47/83-15) was tested for five hours at 0.3
gpm per foot of drawdown (Whitcomb and others, 1966). Minnelusa well
specific capacity in Crook County is 1.4 and 4.7 gpm/ft at Devils
Tower and Hulett, respectively (Wyoming Water Planning Program, 1972).
In the northeastern part of the basin Eisen and others (1981) report
three upper Minnelusa specific capacities between 0.1 and 0.3 gpm/ft,
and one greater than 10 gpm/ft. The Red River Dolomite was tested
at 15 gpm/ft at the U.S. Geological Survey Test Well (57/65-15)
(Blankennagel and others, 1977).
Permeability
The evidence below indicates most Madison aquifer permeability
is secondary, associated with restricted zones of solution and/or
67
-------
fracture. Miller (1976) specifically noted the importance of fracture
permeability in southern Montana, and Woodward-Clyde (1980) view the
upper part of the aquifer as containing randomly distributed local
zones of well-developed secondary porosity and permeability. The
permeable zones of the Madison and Red River carbonate aquifers can
be considered typicaly of good aquifers, but the sandstone aquifers
of the system are poor, especially by comparison.
Madison aquifer permeability, measured on cores from the U.S.
Geological Survey Crook County test well, ranges from less than 0.01
2
to 789 millidarcies (up to 16 gpd/ft for water at 60°F), whereas
Madison permeability calculated from two drill stem tests on the same
2
well is higher, averaging 2,112 and 279 gpd/ft for the intervals
tested (Blankennagel and others, 1977). The difference may reflect
the influence of bedding plane partings and fractures, which do not
affect the core data, or may reflect basic differences between methods
of determination.
Secondary development of porosity by solution and/or fracturing
is an important factor in Madison water well productivity. For example,
driller's logs (Wyoming State Engineer's Office permit files) of several
Madison water wells in the eastern basin report restricted zones within
the upper Madison which provide most of the well yield. Often reported
are water-filled voids, totalling 40 percent of one 15-foot interval
in the Devils Tower well (53/65-18 bbd). At the Gillette well field,
developed along the axis of a Laramide syncline in western Crook County,
lost circulation zones associated with high secondary solution perme-
ability are present in some wells (Kelly and others, 1981), and these
wells are the best producers.
68
-------
Tabulated Minnelusa/Tensleep permeabilities (Table IV-5) are
for producing oil sands; the method of determination, sample interval,
and quality of data are all unknown. The reported values range up
2
to almost 20 gpd/ft , but most oil fields in the basin average an
order of magnitude lower. Minnelusa permeabilities measured on core
samples taken from a water test well in northern Crook County were
somewhat comparable, though generally lower, ranging from nil to 11
2
gpd/ft (Blankennagel and others, 1977).
Ordovician rock permeability, measured on cores from the U.S.
2
Geological Survey test well in Crook County, ranges up to 89 gpd/ft ,
with the Red River Formation exhibiting zones of high permeability
(Blankennagel and others, 1977). Data from drill stem tests indicated
"an average permeability to the produced fluid of 35,139.8 md [640
2
gpd/ft ] for the estimated 10 feet of effective porosity within the
total 180 feet of interval tested" (Blankennagel and others, 1977,
p. 76). Cambrian sandstone core permeability in the same well ranged
from 2 to 18 gpd/ft^.
Transmissivity
Transmissivity of the Madison aquifer is poorly known and no
regional map has been published. Estimated values reported in the
literature range from less than 1.0 north of the study area in Montana
(Miller, 1976) to over 300,000 gpd/ft (see Table IV-6). Reported
values may not be comparable due to the variety of estimating techniques
used: drill stem tests, flow net analysis, estimation from specific
capacity, and pump test interpretation. Konikow (1976) indicates
that individual point aquifer tests do not reflect regional transmissivity
69
-------
Table IV5. Hydrologic properties of Permo-Pennsylvanian rocks of the Madison aquifer system, Powder
River basin, Wyoming, determined from oil field data.
Approximate Pay Calculated-}"
Location Thickness Porosity Permeability" Transmissivity Data
Field (T/R) (ft) (%) (md) (gpd/f t) Source
Upper Minnelusa Fm. ("Converse" sands):
Basin
47/70
24
14.7
61.8
27
5
30
-
62
34
4
45
-
46
38
4
Basin Northwest
47/70
-
12.7
48.4
-
5
Bishop Ranch
48/70
180
-
100
328
4
Bishop Ranch South
48/70
-
15.1
100
-
5
C-H Field
52/70
100
-
230
419
4
Deadman Creek
53/67
18
17.6
-
-
5
Dillinger Ranch
47/69-70
30
16. 8
100
55
5
Duvall Ranch
49/69
-
17
88.8
-
5
Donkey Creek Area
49-50/68
0-50
8-25
20-1000+
<910
1
Guthery
51/68
-
18.9
184
-
5
Halverson Ranch
49/69
37
14.3
132
89
2
-
13
56
-
5
Hamm
51/69
35
19.7
239
152
5
Kuehne Ranch
51/69-70
-
14. 7
64.1
-
5
13.8
32.1
-
5
18
15.8
100
33
5
Kummerfeld
50-51/68
-
17
208
-
5
Lance Creek
35-36/65
30
16
3
2
3,5
Mellott Ranch
52/68
25
16
-
-
5
Pickrel Ranch
48/69
-
16.1
126
-
5
Pleasant Valley Ranch
51/69
-
11.1-14
29
-
5
Prong Creek
50/67
36
8.6-24.6
13-936
9-613
2
26
18.5
411
194
2
45
23
834
683
2
-------
Table IV-5. (continued)
Field
Approximate
Location
(T/R)
Pay
Thickness
(ft)
Porosity
(%)
Permeability*
(md)
Calculated'?-
Transmissivity Data
(gpd/f t) Source
Rainbow Ranch
Raven Creek
Robinson Ranch
Roehrs
Rozet South
Stewart
Timber Creek
Whisler
Middle Minnelusa Fm.
49/71
48/69
50/67
53/70
50/70
50-51/69
49/70
50-51/70
("Leo" sands)
Lance Creek
Tensleep Ss.:
Horse Ranch
Meadow Creek
North Fork
Notches
South Casper Creek
Sussex-Meadow Creek
Area
Sussex
Tiesdale East
35-36/65
36/81
41/78
44/81-82
37/85
33-34/83
41-43/78-80
42/78
41/81
10-35
20
15-65
30
35
38
18 ±
22 ±
40
20
12.1
100
20
17
90
90
20
35
60
103
30
17
16
<19
13
15
15
14
21
17.3
17.8
5.8-14.8
16
16
18.6
8-23
13.5
11
1.9-24.3
13
17-20
16
11
0.4-18.6
20
170
90
<200
60
50-200
92
200
440
115
212
10.7-134
80
80
242.2
0.5-324
12.2
14
54-1140
116
100-400
200
14
0.01-271
700
31-108
33
<237
33
32-127
64
66
176
58
29
1-590
5
4
88-1867
190
36-146
127
15
0.02-508
382
2
2
2
2
3
5
3
3
5
5
5
2
2
5
3
5
1
1
3
3
1
5
3
-------
Table IV-5. (continued)
NOTES
- 3 2
*Md x 18.2 x 10 = gpd/ft , assuming fluid is water at 60°F.
fAssuming fluid is water at 60°F and pay thickness equals aquifer thickness.
Data Sources: 1 - Wyoming Geological Association, 1958
2 - Wyoming Geological Association, 1963
3 - Wyoming Geological Association, 1957 (supplemented, 1961)
4 - Wyoming State Oil and Gas Commission files
5 - Collentine and others, 1981
IS3
-------
Table LV-6. Reported transmissivities and storage coefficients for the MadLson aquifer in the Powder River has in, Wvommg.
A rea
USCS I'esL Well (57/65-15)
0 i 1 1 c L t c Well K i e J d ( 5 I / 6 f> - 6)
Well CR-4
Well CR-4
Well CiLy //I
Newcast 1e Area
Well // 45/61-28
We 1 I i) 45/61-20
Transmissivi ty
(gpd/r t)
J?to rage Coef f i c i en L
_S.oucce
3,000-21,000
150,000
150,000-300,000
-v. 10,000
5 ,000- 1 S , 00(1
58,000
29,920
11,000
2 x 10
10
9 x 10
-5
Blankennagel et al . , 1977
Wyoming Water Planning
Program, 1977
Montgomery, 1979
Montgomery, 1 979
Wyo. St. Eng , 1974
Woodward-Clyde, 1980
Swenson et al. , 1976
Woodward-Clvdo, 1980
. .MaLliod .UsLid . .
Drill s tern t est s
Single well pump test
2-we11 pump lest and other
d a t a
2-we I 1 pump test niul olhei
del I J
Est i m, 11 e
Flow and recovery, 2 we IK
Specific capacity hnsed
estima te
Cons t an t. discharge t (t
Neai I'ariville Mi Ms in S.E.
ETS1 Well fie Id (Niobrara Co.)
Near Douglas, in SouLh
Midwest Area
Near Bighorn Mts. in N.W.
1,000-3,000
1,000-3,000
4,900-7,320
2,420-3,400
500-1,000
8,400
6,462-16,156
8,000-89,000
4 5
V X 10 - 5 X 10
5 x 10
4.5 x 10 5 - 7.8 x 10
7.7 x 10 - 9.2 x 10
10 (est)
U . 3
4 4
10 - 3.2 x 10
Wyo. St. Eng., 1974
Stockdale, 1974, also
Anderson and Kelly, 1974
Rahn, 1975
Rahn, 1975
Wyo. St. Eng., 1974
Koni kow, 1976
Konikow, 1976
Wyo. St. Eng . , 1 9 74
llantush method for leaky
aquifers
Jacob Method
Die is curve, mi leakage
KIow net ana Ivsis
Steadv staLe model caI lhral Lon
Entire Basin Average
6,460-25,850
6,460-23,260*
Koni kow, 1976
Konikow, 1976
Recharge based steady state
mode1 ca 1 i bra 11on
Potentiometric based steady
st.iLe model calibration
* Value temperature dependent.
-------
accurately due to the variability of local secondary permeability.
Kelly and others (1981) propose a conceptual model which considers
the Madison a "vertically zonated double-transmissivity aquifer" to
explain observed data.
Miller (1976) used drill stem tests to estimate transmissivity
of the Madison Group in the Powder River basin in Montana, arriving
at a range of values from 0.07 to 40,000 gpd/ft. At the U.S. Geological
Survey Madison test well in Crook County drill stem tests gave values
of about 21,000 and 3,000 gpd/£t for two intervals in the Madison
(Blankennagel and others, 1977).
Konikow (1976), using flow net analysis, estimated a regional
average transmissivity value of 8,400 gpd/ft for the Madison north
of Casper, Wyoming, but felt incomplete pumpage data severely limited
the values' accuracy.
Swenson and others (1976), estimating from specific capacity
corrected for calculated well losses, determined transmissivity at
a Madison well near Newcastle (45/61-28) to be 30,000 gpd/ft, much
higher than the general estimate of 5,000 to 15,000 gpd/ft for the
Newcastle area reported by the Wyoming State Engineer (1974). Kelly
and others (1980a) imply that most previous Madison transmissivity
estimates from specific capacity are too low because they do not
consider drawdown associated with turbulent flow in near-well fractures.
Localized Madison transmissivity estimates in excess of 100,000 gpd/ft
are derived by Kelly and others (1980a) from "low yield specific
capacities" of Madison wells.
Interpretations of recent Madison aquifer pump tests have been
discussed by several workers (Office of Technology Assessment, 1978;
74
-------
Eisen and others, 1980; Woodward-Clyde, 1980). The reported transmis-
sivity values are summarized in Table IV-6.
Little transmissivity data are available for water wells completed
in other formations comprising the Madison aquifer system. Drill stem
tests of the Red River Formation at the U.S. Geological Survey test
well in Crook County indicate a transmissivity of about 6,400 gpd/ft
(Blankennagel and others, 1977). Data interpreted from oil field
pay thickness and permeabilities indicate the upper Minnelusa and
Tensleep generally have transmissivities of several hundred gpd/ft
or less (Table IV-5). These oil field data may not be comparable
with water well data. Reported pay thickness is often less than total
aquifer thickness due to arbitrary porosity cutoffs imposed in inter-
pretation. Additionally, oil field tests are generally for the most
porous and permeable intervals within a formation and, if translated
for the entire aquifer thickness, give liberal transmissivity estimates.
Ground-Water Movement
The general circulation pattern of Madison aquifer water is basin-
ward flow from exposed outcrop recharge areas, with subsequent north-
ward subsurface outflow to Montana (Eisen and others, 1980; U.S. Depart-
ment of the Interior, 1974; Wyoming State Engineer, 1974). Subsurface
outflow to the southeast has been tentatively inferred, as has subsurface
inflow across the Casper arch from the west (Wyoming State Engineer,
1974; Rahn, 1975). Interpretation of Madison aquifer water flow is
complicated by both structure-related aquifer inhomogeneity and the
possibility of vertical leakage.
75
-------
In the upper Minnelusa aquifer there is shallow outcrop-related
water circulation, with water moving down-dip, dissolving gypsum,
then migrating upsection to emerge as springs (Bowles and Braddock,
1963) . Eisen and others (1981) report regional flow paths in the
upper Minnelusa in the northeastern part of the basin are similar
to those in the Madison.
Available Madison head data have been compiled into potentiometric
maps by several workers (Eisen and others, 1980; Wyoming State Engineer,
1974; U.S. Department of the Interior, 1974; Swenson, 1974; Swenson
and others, 1976; Konikow, 1976). Since essentially the same data
were used by most workers, the maps produced are similar; a representa-
tive example is shown in Figure IV-1. The map must be considered
only a general characterization of the potentiometric surface (Swenson
and others, 1976) due to sparse data, a thirty-year range in data
age, and variable data sources, including shut-in pressures, water
level elevations, and drill stem tests.
Sparse data prohibit detailed interpretation of flow in the basin
center. The apparent gradient decrease is thought by Swenson and
others (1976) to be associated with either little water circulation
or high transmissivities. Konikow's (1976) hypothesis of central
basin temperature-associated effective transmissivity increase supports
Swenson and others' second alternative. Conversely, Huntoon (1976)
considers central basin permeabilities lower than those of outcrops
in the Bighorn Mountains.
76
-------
25 0 25 50 75 100 Mil«
25 _ 0 2b 50 75 [00 Mtometws
Figure IV-1. Potentiometric surface in the Madison aquifer (after
Swenson and others, 1976).
77
-------
Effects of Structure
Fracture zones may divide the Madison into discrete hydrologic
units but the exact hydrologic effects of these boundaries are as
yet undetermined (Cushing, 1977). Steep potentiometric gradients
in the eastern basin are associated with the Black Hills monocline,
and steep gradients in the western and southern basin are associated
with the structurally steep and faulted basin axis. Woodward-Clyde
(1980) consider these areas likely low-transmissivity zones. Black-
stone (1981) considers the faulted west basin flank a total hydrologic
discontinuity in the Madison. Konikow (1976) interpreted the western
and southern basin marginal areas as low-transmissivity boundaries,
impeding basinward flow, but did riot do so for the eastern area. In
the northeastern and southeastern parts of the basin there is a major
change in total dissolved solids of Madison water across both the
monocline and the Fanny Peak lineament (Eisen and others, 1980), indi-
cating these features are hydrologic boundaries. Similar water quality
differences and conclusions are noted for the upper Minnelusa aquifer
at the Black Hills monocline (Woodward-Clyde, 1980).
Alternatively, fracture areas have been interpreted as local
high-transmissivity zones. For example, the Fanny Peak lineament
in the southeastern basin provides a partially recharging zone near
the proposed ETSI Niobrara County well field (Office of Technology
Assessment, 1978). In the western basin Huntoon (1976) calculates
30 percent of the deep-basin recharge occurs along geographically
limited permeable zones associated with Laramide structures subsidiary
to the Bighorn Mountains.
78
-------
Vertical Leakage
Vertical leakage between the Madison aquifer and stratigraphically
adjacent aquifers has been proposed (Eisen and Collentine, 1981; Woodward-
Clyde, 1980; Konikow, 1976). Eisen and Collentin (1981) estimated
the middle Minnelusa vertical leakage coefficient to be between
5 x 10 ^ and 10 ^ sec \ based on sulfate mass balance computations.
Woodward-Clyde (1980) specified the leakage coefficient between the
-9 -1
Madison and Red River as 10 sec . The leakage coefficient between
the Minnelusa and Madison has been specified as either 10 to 10
sec ^ (Woodward-Clyde, 1980) or 10 to 10 ^ sec (Konikow, 1976)
in the models of the Madison aquifer.
Recharge
Recharge to the Madison aquifer within the Powder River basin
is principally through direct infiltration of precipitation in outcrop
areas; there are no reports of extensive interformational vertical
leakage or stream losses. Most published reports on recharge have
specifically considered recharge to Madison Limestone outcrops rather
than to the entire Madison aquifer system. Recharge estimates range
from 75,250 acre-feet/yr (Old West Regional Commission, 1976) to 8,300
acre-feet/yr (Rahn, 1975). Also often cited is an estimate of recharge
"considerably in excess of 100,000" acre-feet/yr (Bishop, 1975).
Discrepancies reflect varying definitions of recharge and different
techniques of calculation. Eisen and others (1980) have recently
reviewed recharge estimates for the Madison in the Powder River basin.
They point out that the highest recharge estimates incorporate shallow
infiltration which resurfaces at springs and does not enter the regional
79
-------
ground-water circulation; they also note that Rahn's (1975) estimate
erroneously included a porosity correction.
The Old West Regional Commission (1976) study of net stream gains
and losses concluded that Madison water lost to streams contributes
a significant portion of base flow. Exceptions were noted in the
central Bighorn Mountains and possibly the northern Laramie Mountains.
Net aggregate stream gain from the Bighorn and Madison aquifers was
estimated as 78 cfs (56,000 acre-feet/yr). Included field reports
note additional gains and losses across the Tensleep Sandstone but
for the Commission study the Tensleep was not considered part of the
Madison system. Gries and Crooks (1968) found that similar measurements
of stream gains and losses across Madison outcrops in the eastern
Black Hills in South Dakota were significantly affected by underflow
in valley alluvium, a factor not addressed in the Commission study.
PERMO-TRIASSIC AQUIFERS
Within the Powder River basin Permo-Triassic rocks are locally
developed as low-yielding water sources. The Minnekahta Limestone
is developed in the northeastern part of the basin, and redbeds of
the Chugwater (Spearfish) Formation are tapped both in the northeastern
part of the basin and by a few wells in Natrona County.
In Natrona County, Crist and Lowry (1972) report 9 wells, all
yielding less than 20 gpm, drilled into the Chugwater, although two
were later abandoned and a third deepened. Springs, yielding over
100 gpm, which issue from the Permo-Triassic are considered Madison
aquifer system water rising along geologic structures (Crist and Lowry,
1972).
80
-------
In the northeastern part of the Powder River basin 83 wells tapping
the Spearfish aquifer have been inventoried (Eisen and others, 1980,
1981), of which the vast majority are stock and/or domestic wells
in southeastern Crook County. Average yield of the inventoried wells
is about 13 gpm. Two pump tests of Spearfish wells northeast of Hulett,
in central Crook County, have reported specific capacities of 0.5
2
and 0.6 gpm/ft of drawdown, permeabilities of 6 and 8 gpd/ft , and
transmissivities of 150 and 370 gpd/ft (Whitcomb and Morris, 1964).
Minnekahta aquifer wells inventoried by Eisen and others (1980,
1981) in the northeastern part of the basin numbered 29, with an average
yield of 7 gpm. Whitcomb and Morris (1964) did not consider the
Minnekahta Limestone to have development potential but at the U.S.
Geological Survey Madison test well it showed good potential for low-
yield development (Blankennagel and others, 1977). At this well,
the Minnekahta flowed 12 gpm, had a specific capacity of 0.1 gpm/ft
of drawdown, and had an effective transmissivity of 330 gpd/ft. The
average permeability for the estimated 10 feet of effective porosity
was 33 gpd/ft^.
SUNDANCE AQUIFER
The middle Hulett Sandstone Member of the Sundance Formation
is an important local shallow aquifer in Crook County, where wells
are generally capable of yielding more water than required for domestic
and stock purposes (Whitcomb and Morris, 1964). Other sandstones
present within the Sundance also yield water in Crook County, although
it may be of lesser quality (Whitcomb and Morris, 1964). Sandstones
81
-------
in the Sundance in the southeastern and southwestern parts of the
basin often yield oil.
Eisen and others (1980, 1981) inventoried 177 wells in the eastern
part of the basin which produce from the Sundance aquifer; most are
domestic/stock wells in central Crook County with an average yield
of 9 gpm. One reported pump test (Whitcomb and Morris, 1964) showed
a specific capacity of 0.1 gpm/ft of drawdown.
Data from oil fields with Sundance producing zones are presented
in Table IV-7. In general, porosity is 10 to 25 percent, permeability
2
is less than 8 gpd/ft , and calculated transmissivity is less than
150 gpd/ft. At Lance Creek higher than typical pay thickness results
in calculated transmissivity of about 400 gpd/ft.
DAKOTA AQUIFER SYSTEM
The U.S. Geological Survey (1979) defines the Dakota aquifer
system to include all Early Cretaceous age sandstones present in the
Powder River basin, together with intervening shales. The principal
aquifers comprising the system, generally marine, fluvial, or deltaic
lenticular sandstones, are, in the east, the Fall River ("Dakota")
and lower Lakota formations, members of the Inyan Kara Group; and,
in the west, the lower part of the stratigraphically equivalent Cloverly
Formation. The Newcastle (Muddy) Sandstone is a minor aquifer included
in the aquifer system due to geologic similarity. The Newcastle is
a lateral equivalent of the upper Dakota Sandstone, which is the most
important aquifer of the system in South Dakota.
Aggregate thickness of the aquifer system ranges from 350 to
800 feet, although much of this interval is shaley horizons which
82
-------
Table IV-7. Hydrologic properties of the Sundance aquifer in the Powder River basin, determined
from oil field data.
Approximate Pay Calculatedt
Location Thickness Porosity Permeability* Transmissivity Data
F ield
(T/R)
(ft)
(%)
(md)
(gpd/ft)
Source
Casper Creek South
33-34/83
23
14
20
8
1
Lance Creek
35-36/65
55
20-30
0-1250
<1250
1
64
21
338
394
3
Lightning Creek
36/65-66
8
11.5
<1
0.15
1
Poison Spider
33/82-83
35
20
200
127
1
30
18
241
132
3
Sussex/Meadow Creek
41-43/78-80
15
20
440
120
2
- 3 2
*Md x 18.2 x 10 = gpd/ft , assuming fluid is water at 60°F.
IAssuming fluid is water at 60°F and pay thickness equals aquifer thickness.
Data Sources: 1 - Wyoming Geological Association, 1957
2 - Wyoming Geological Association, 1958
3 - Collentine and others, 1981
-------
do not produce significant amounts of water. The Dakota aquifer system
is extensively developed in the northeastern Powder River basin, often
by wells completed in more than one component aquifer, and serves
as a shallower water source than the Madison aquifer system. Wells
in the central part of the basin, where the Dakota is relatively deeply
buried (see Plate 1), often produce oil, especially from the Muddy
Sandstone. Unproductive oil tests occasionally are left as flowing
water wells for stock watering purposes. In the southern Powder River
basin the Dakota system is locally tapped for stock and industrial
use. In the western part of the basin the outcrop band is narrow,
the sandstones are less extensively developed, and current utilization
of the aquifer system is limited because steep dips result in a narrow
band of economically attractive drilling depths. Potential artesian
yield to deep wells is postulated (Lowry and Cummings, 1966; Whitcomb
and others, 1966).
Claystones of the Jurassic Morrison Formation are the lower boundary
of the aquifer system; the upper boundary is the bentonitic Mowry
Shale. The U.S. Geological Survey (1979) proposes a model that includes
vertical leakage, implying there is some flow through these bounding
shales. The Skull Creek Shale and shaley upper part of the Lakota
Formation may be partial hydrologic barriers, subdividing the aquifer
system. Available data are inadequate to determine such division
regionally, although local evidence indicates that at least the indivi-
dual Muddy/Newcastle sandstone bodies are hydraulically isolated
(Stone, 1972; Wulf, 1963). Harris (1976) considers the Skull Creek
Shale a sealing caprock for petroleum accumulations.
84
-------
Hydrologic Properties
Hydrologic properties of the aquifer system have not been exten-
sively investigated; therefore only general characterizations are
possible. Regional variability of lithologies and sparse data prohibit
comprehensive description. Completion of wells in more than one aquifer
of the system further complicates interpretation. Aquifer properties
indicate only moderate ground-water development potential compared
to other systems in the basin, although high-capacity wells have been
developed at the expense of hundreds of feet of drawdown.
Yield and Specific Capacity
Moderate yields are obtainable from the aquifer system. In the
northeastern part of the basin wells flowing 1 to 10 gpm are common
and yields up to 150 gpm are reported (Whitcomb and Morris, 1964).
In Natrona County Cloverly aquifer wells flow 1 to 40 gpm, yields
are usually 5 to 20 gpm, and pumped yields of up to 250 gpm are
possible (Crist and Lowry, 1972).
Reported Dakota aquifer system specific capacities generally
range from about 0.1 to less than 1.0 gpm/ft (Table IV-8). Most of
the tabulated data are for the Lakota aquifer. No consistent differ-
ences between wells completed only in the Lakota and other completion
zones are identifiable due to the limited reported data base. Specific
capacities exceeding 4.0 gpm/ft have been reported for two wells in
southern Niobrara County identified as completed in the Inyan Kara
Group (Whitcomb, 1965). At both these wells the Inyan Kara is directly
overlain by the White River Formation, which may contribute to the
yield. No relationship between specific capacity and saturated aquifer
85
-------
T.ihlc IV-8. Reported specific capacities (yield per unit drawdown) of wells Ln the Dakota jquif(*r svsceni.
Powder River basin, Wyoming.
We 1 1 I,oca L i 011
(T/K-Sec. k k)
55/M-8 DO
56/62-28 BH
- 29 l>D
56/05-8 CC
Ceo 1 oj, i c
I'ormaL i on (s)
Kfr & K1k
Kfr & K1k
Klk
Klk
Test.
Date
Tes t
Dura Lion
(l.rs)
8/3/56
7/21/56
7/21/56
11/2/56
llrnwdown
(ft)
I) i scha rge
(SP"0
CROOK COUNTY
33.5 3.2
21.2 9.2
12.3 2.9
20. 25.
S p e c i f 1 c
Capac it y
(Rpm/f t)
0. 10
0.-17
0. 24
1 . 2
l)at a
Source
Remarks
F!owl ng wo11
f I (iv1 i ng wo 1 I
f 1 ow i ng wc 1 I
JOHNSON COUNTY
OO
ON
4 1/80-30 ]>B
41/81-25 l),\
Kcv
Kcv
10/-/60
1 25
1 20
18
0.02
0.15
NIOBRARA COUNTY
34/65-1 BR
-1 ISC
35/65-35 AH
36/61-24 CC
37/62-1 B,\
38/62-25 DC
40/60-29 111)
40/61-25 C.m>
Kik
Kik
Kik
Klk
Klk
Klk
Klk
Klk
I0/-/59?
10/-/59?
-/-/41
7/-/60'
6/17/71
5/10/67
-/-/69
6/15/70
7
24
72
50 E
50 i:
35
300
15
44
1 20
350
60
220
140
40
7
30
6
8
1 .2
4.4
4.0
0.13
0 .47
0.68
0.05
0.02
f low inp, we 1 1 lest
ba\1 or test
-------
Table IV-8. (continued)
Wc] 1 Lorn tI on
(T/R-Sec. \ k)
WESTON COUNTY
44/62-11 CC
i.OO Log 1 c
Formal ion (u)
Kfr & Klk
1/15/70'
Te.s L
Du rat i on
(brs)
4.5
Drawdown
CD
350
45/62-22 CC
Klk
1/13/73'
2.5
300
00
66/63-18 M)
'.6/66-13 AA
-13 CCA
-24 ADA
-21 ADA
47/63-30 CC
47/65-1 DAB
48/65-25 CAB
-35 AR
-35 CCB
Klk
Kfr & Klk
Klk
Klk
Klk '
Klk
Klk
Klk
Kfr7
Klk?
JO/30/59
8/15/77?
8//5 9
6/16/59
8/19/60
2/1/46
7/9/77'
9/25/60
5/1/76?
21
1
^9 mos.
2.5
72
3
72
70
28
150
150
175
46
69
30 E
400
490
510
405
Ahb re vi a L ions: Kik = Inynn Kn ra Group
Kfr = Fa 1 I River Formation
Klk = Dakota Formation
Kcv = Cloverly Formation
F. = estimated
Data Sources: 1 - Wliitcomb and Morris, 1964
2 - ll.S. Department of the Interior, 1974
3 - Wli i Lcomh , 1965
4 - Wyoming State Engineer's Office permit files
5 - Wliitcomb, 1960
Specifir
Discharge Capacity Data
(>;,pm) (ji pm/ft) _ _ "puree
66 0.19 4
88 0.29 4
18.9 0.27 4,5
10 0.36 4
58 0.39 5
210 1.4 4,5
75 0.43 5
42 0.91 4,5
5 0.07 4
8.5 0.28 5
4 0.01 4
38 0.08 4
4.5 0.01 4
35 0.09 4
Remarks
pumped flowing well; draw-lown
ma> not include pressure In-.id
component
swab test on f lowing we I I :
drawdown ntav not include
pressure heac component
flowing we 11
flowing we 11
flow test
flow test
long term pumpage
f1ow test
flow test
flow test
-------
thickness penetrated by the well is apparent; values vary by three
orders of magnitude. No geographic trends in specific capacity are
noticeable. Variability of Dakota system specific capacities is
probably associated with local lithologic changes.
Permeability
Most available permeability measurements for aquifers of the
Dakota system are from tests conducted in producing oil fields (Table
2
IV-9); values range up to 36 gpd/ft . The Fall River Formation exhibits
slightly higher values than the Lakota and Newcastle. The most vari-
ability in permeability values is for the Newcastle/Muddy Sandstone,
reflecting lithologic variations.
Only two aquifer tests, which determined permeability of the
whole Inyan Kara stratigraphic interval, have been noted in the ground-
water literature (Whitcomb and Morris, 1964). The reported permeabil-
?
ities, 14 and 2 gpd/ft at wells 56/62-28 and 55/61-8, respectively,
are comparable to the oil field data. They represent an aquifer average
since permeabilities were calculated by dividing transmissivity by
aquifer thickness.
Transmissivity
Transmissivities of 810 and 220 gpd/ft, for wells 56/62-28 and
55/61-8, respectively, are the only two published values for Dakota
system water wells and are considered only order-of-magnitude estimates
due to short test duration (Whitcomb and Morris, 1964).
Transmissivity values calculated from oil field data range from
one to less than 1,000 gpd/ft (Table IV-9). These values are calculated
using permeabilities and pay thicknesses reported in the literature.
88
-------
Table IV-9. Hydrologic properties of Lower Cretaceous rocks of the Dakota aquifer system, Powder
River basin, Wyoming, determined from oil field data.
Approximate Pay Calculatedf
Location Thickness Porosity Permeability * Transmissivity Data
Field (T/R) (ft) (%) (md) (gpd/f t) Source
Newcastle/Muddy Ss.
Bertha
54/69
4
23
334
24
1
Big Muddy East
33/75-76
7
17
80
10
1
Chan
56/73
-
14.2
44
-
7
Clareton
42-43/65-66
-
9.3
5
-
7
Cole Creek
35/77
4
5
0.01
<0.001
1
Collums
55/73
noa
19 .3
62.6
125
7
Fence Creek
57-58/76
10
16
70
13
7
Fiddler Creek West
45-46/65-67
5.8
20
1-18
0.1-2
7
Fiddler Creek East
46/64-65
50a
18.6
3-6
3-5
7
Gas Draw
53-55/72-73
8
20.2
188
27
7
Glenrock South
33/75-76
7
20
200
25
6
4-30
14
82
6-45
6
Hilight
43-46/69-71
-
20.3
104
-
7
Hunter Ranch
57/72
-
19 .5
47
-
7
Joe Creek
47/72
29
12 .2
-
-
7
Kitty
50/73
22
16
345
138
3
Lance Creek
35-36/65
10-20
17
20
4-7
7
Lazy "B"'
49/73-74
100-300a
13.6
14.1
26-77
7
Lightning Creek
35/65-66
0-12
19.5
10
<2
7
6
21
13
1
1
Lonetree Creek-
44-45/
Lodgepole Creek
66-67
4
-
<1
-
1
L-X Bar Ranch
56/75
15.1
16.5
-
-
7
0'Conner
52/69
7
15
58
7
1
Oedekoven
55/73-74
-
17.2
-
-
7
-------
Table IV-9. (continued)
Field
Approximate
Location
(T/R)
Pay
Thickness
(ft)
Osage
46/63-64
5
8
10
o
Poison Spider
Recluse
Rozet East
Rozet
Skull Creek
Slattery
Springen Ranch
Steinle Ranch
Timber Creek
Ute
Whitetail
33/82-83
56-57/74
57/74-75
56-57/74-75
50/69
50/69-70
44-45/62
49/69
50-51/71
39/69-70
49/70
57-58/72
56/72
8-13
5
0-40
20
10-45
8-38
4
6
6
20
Fall River/Dakota Ss.
Big Muddy East 33/75-76
Bridge Creek 39/61
Burke Ranch 37/78
10
4
12
20
12
Calculatedt
Porosity Permeability" Transmissivity Data
(%) (md) (gpd/f t) Source
22 .8
44.2
4
7
23
25.9
-
7
18.1
87.7
13
7
21.1
51
-
7
23.3
428
78
7
22
55
8
7
19 .1
2-87.7
0.3-21
7
14.2
8
1
1
<27
<1200
<875
3
20
400
146
2
16.8
87
-
7
15
63
-
7
20
58
11-48
1
15.8
89
13-62
7
20
15
1
1
2-15
2.4-588
-
7
12 .6
8.3
1
2
13.5
133.8
15
2
20
100
36
4
16.8-21.3
-
-
7
22.4
148
-
7
16.5
~
7
14
75
14
1
23.5
733
53
1
15
44
10
1
13
40
15
5
14
29
6
7
-------
Table IV-9. (continued)
Field
Approximate
Location
(T/R)
Pay
Thickness
(ft)
Cole Creek South
Coyote Creek
Coyote Creek South
Donkey Creek Area
Glenrock South
Kummerfeld
Lance Creek East
Lonetree Creek-
Lodgepole Creek
Miller Creek
34-35/76-77
48-49/68
48-49/68
49-50/68
33/75-76
50-51/68
36/64
44-45/
66-67
51/68
Sage Spring Creek 36-37/77
Dakota-Lakota Interval
Big Muddy 33/76
Cole Creek 33/77
Lakota/Cloverly Fm.
Cole Creek South 34-35/76
Meadow Creek 41/78
20
16
40
60
20
0-20
0-20
0-50
25
4-70
27-28
28
>30
30
10
26
35
35-40
10-20
2-20
25
20
15
Porosity
(%)
Calculatedi
Permeability* Transmissivity
(md) (gpd/f t)
Data
Source
11 21
11 21
14.5 200
18 200
16 150
15 <10
15 <5
13 10-1000
14 50-100
14 3-1900+
14 75
19 250
17 100-2000+
15 0-302
15 200
18.5 200
18.5 200
13 22-406
8 1
6 6
146 1
218 3
55 1
<4 5
<2 5
<900 5
23-46 1
6
37 7
127 1
4
<165 1
36 1
95 1
127 4
<300 5
24.5-24.2
13.5
90
43
16-32
2-16
1
1
15
15
11
40
40-200
14
18
15-73
4
6
7
7
-------
Table IV-9. (continued)
Field
Approximate
Location
(T/R)
Pay Calculatedt
Thickness Porosity Permeability* Transmissivity Data
(ft) (Z) (md) (gpd/f t) Source
Sherwood
Sussex
Sussex-Meadow
Creek Area
Tisdale North
40/77
42/78-79
41-43/
78-80
41/81
15
25
20
65
16
15.8
15
18
<25
40-200
195
<7
15-73
231
_ n
* Md x 18.2 x io = gpd/ft , assuming fluid is water at 60°F.
t Assuming fluid is water at 60°F and pay thickness equals aquifer thickness.
Reported as gross formation thickness rather than net pay.
Data Sources:
1 - Wyoming Geological Association,
2 - Wyoming Geological Association,
3 - Wyoming Geological Association,
4 - Wyoming Geological Association,
5 - Wyoming Geological Association,
6 - Wyoming Geological Association,
7 - Collentine and others, 1981
1957 (supplemented, 1961)
1976
1968
1963
1958
1954
-------
They are not strictly comparable to ground-water tests, as they represent
values interpreted for only the most porous, and oil containing, sandy
intervals. Because these intervals have the best aquifer properties
of the formation, the values reflect a liberal estimate of transmissivity
if translated for the total aquifer thickness.
The estimated transmissivity range from specific capacity data
is a few hundred to a few thousand gpd/ft. Due to uncertainties in
well construction, test procedure, and well efficiency, it is only
possible to obtain an order-of-magnitude estimate using this technique.
Additional uncertainty is introduced because the technique's assumption
of an isotropic, homogeneous aquifer is not strictly met.
Ground-Water Movement
Few potentiometric maps and little potentiometric data have been
published for the Dakota aquifer system in the Powder River basin.
M. E. Lowry of the U.S. Geological Survey (personal communication,
November, 1979) suggested that varying completion practices and partial
hydrologic isolation of individual aquifers may necessitate separate
head compilations for each component aquifer due to head differences
of several tens of feet.
A preliminary potentiometric-surface map ol heads in the Lower
Cretaceous rocks of the basin (Lobmeyer, 1980) is reproduced as Figure
IV-2. The map shows a low-pressure anomaly, located at the Montana-
Wyoming state boundary, for which several tentative explanations have
been offered (Hoxie and Glover, 1981)."
The regional structural character, artesian nature of the aquifer
system, and thick extensive confining shales imply that principal
93
-------
Potentiometric Contour - Contour
so0° interval IOOO feet with
supplemental contours
O Doto Site
CT" Outcrop Lower Cretaceous or older rocks
21 90
7S 100 Kllsmiuri
Figure IV-2. Potentiometric surface in the Dakota aquifer system
(from Lobmeyer, 1980).
94
-------
recharge is to basin-marginal outcrops, with subsequent down-dip flow.
This flow pattern is substantiated by potentiometric data, total
dissolved solids variations, and compositional changes reflecting
postulated geochemical evolution of the waters (see Chapter V). Eisen
and others (1981) report down-dip flow into South Dakota from outcrop
recharge areas at the Old Woman anticline on the southeastern basin
margin.
Geochemical evidence (Chapter V) suggests that the Black Hills
monocline influences ground-water flow and composition. There is
not sufficient evidence to conclude whether the monocline partially
impedes recharge to the deeper part of the aquifer system or enhances
interformational mixing.
Bowles (1968) suggested there is recharge to the Dakota from
the Minnelusa aquifer. This deep upwelling is hypothesized to occur
along breccia collapse pipes associated with gypsum dissolution in
the Minnelusa. Available potentiometric data are insufficient to
support Bowles' geochemically based conclusion.
Whitcomb (1960) reported declines in flowing yields and potentio-
metric elevations during the 1950 's. He attributed the declines to
either deteriorated well conditions, increased withdrawals, or subnormal
recharge.
ISOLATED UPPER CRETACEOUS SANDSTONE AQUIFERS
Isolated sandstones which are capable of yielding water to wells
are locally present within the thick Upper Cretaceous shale sequence
of the Powder River basin. They are most significant and numerous
in the southwestern part of the basin where, in ascending order, they
95
-------
include the Frontier Formation (Wall Creek sands), Shannon and Sussex
sands of the Cody Shale, and the Mesaverde Formation (Parkman and
Teapot sands).
The Frontier aquifer yields up to 10 gpm to flowing wells (Crist
and Lowry, 1972) north and west of Casper, on the Casper arch. Yields
up to 50 gpm are considered possible (Crist and Lowry, 1972). North-
east of Casper, where the Casper arch bounds the Powder River basin,
the Wall Creek sands of the Frontier Formation are oil-bearing. Available
hydrogeologic data are limited to areas of oil production (Table IV-10)
and, at producing oil fields, reported permeabilities range from 0.1
2 2
to 9.0 gpd/ft , with most below 2 gpd/ft . All transmissivities calcu-
lated using reported permeabilities and pay thicknesses are less than
150 gpd/ft (Table IV-10).
The Shannon and Sussex aquifers are shale-isolated elongate marine
sand bodies within the Cody Shale. Few water wells tap these sands;
Crist and Lowry (1972) estimate a likely maximum yield of 20 gpm.
Where the Powder River basin bounds the Casper arch the Shannon produces
2
oil, its permeability ranges from nil to 8 gpd/ft , and calculated
transmissivity ranges up to 85 gpd/ft (Table IV-10).
The Mesaverde Formation is considered a potentially important
aquifer in the western part of the basin (Hodson and others, 1973).
Few wells tap the aquifer and little hydrologic data are available
because in most of the basin the formation is absent or overlain by
the Fox Hills/Lance aquifer system. One well about 20 miles north
of Casper is reported to have a yield greater than 100 gpm, but in
general expected yields are 10 to 20 gpm (Crist and Lowry, 1972).
In the Dead Horse-Barber Creek area in west-central Campbell County,
96
-------
Table IV-10. Hydrologic properties of sandstone aquifers within the Upper Cretaceous shale sequence,
Powder River basin, Wyoming, determined from oil field data.
Approximate Pay Calculatedf
Location Thickness Porosity Permeability* Transmissivity Data
Field (T/R) (ft) (%) (md) (gpd/ft) Source
Frontier Fm. (Wall Creek Sands):
Big Muddy
33-34/76
38
20
20-100
14-69
1
33/76
28
26.2
84
43
2
Big Muddy South
33/76
60a
-
70
76
1
Brooks Ranch
33/77
0-25
18-20
1-15
0-7
3
7.7
16.9
3.1
0.4
1
Castle Creek
38/81
10-15
20
516
94-141
2
Coyote Creek South
-
14.3
4.1
-
1
Meadow Creek
41/78
12-20
15
-
-
1
Meadow Creek North
42/78
26-63a
11.9
0.5
0.2-0.6
1
Salt Creek
39-40/78-79
80
16
80
116
1
59
18
100
107
1
39/78-79
25
16
4
2
1
Salt Creek East
40/78
28
19
26
13
1
Salt Creek West
40/79
40-45
21.1
24
17-20
2
Thornton
48-49/66
20
16
1.0
0.4
2
Twenty Mile Hill
36-37/78-79
10-20
17
3.0
0.6-1.
2
Wakeman Flats^
49/66
10-20
15
1.0
0.2-0.4
2
Shannon Sand of Cody
Shale:
Ask Creek
58/84-85
1IC
23
240-290
66-79
3
5
19
210-430
19-39
3
17
22
275
85
1
Cole Creek
35/77
17.5
19
56
18
1
Cole Creek South
34/76
7.5
19
54
7
1
Dugout Creek
42/78-79
17
25
-
-
1
Meadow Creek
41/78
16
25
-
-
1
Sussex
42/78-79
12
12.4
2
0.4
1
38
18.6
-
-
1
Teapot East
38-39/78
10
20
250
46
3
-------
Table IV10. (continued)
Approximate Pay Calculatedt
Location Thickness Porosity Permeability* Transmissivity Data
Field (T/R) (ft) (%) (md) (gpd/f t) Source
Sussex Sand of Cody Shale:
Sussex 47/78-79 26 21 32 15 1
33 20.7 - - 1
Cody Shale:
Poison Spider 33/82 - 10-12 <1 - 1
Mesaverde (Parkman) Fin.
Barber Creek 50/76 - 18.3 76.9 - 1
Deadhorse Creek/ 48-50/75-76 25 15-21 <265 <120 2
Barber Creek
Deadhorse Creek 47-49/75-76 - 18 50 - 1
15-35 16 0-68 0-43 3
Poison Draw6 38-40/68-69 21 17.3 - - 1
-3 2
* Md x 18.2 x 10 = gpd/ft , assuming fluid is water at 60°F.
+ Assuming fluid is water at 60°F and pay thickness equals aquifer thickness.
a Gross sand thickness
k Turner and Greenhorn formations
c Upper sand
^ Lower sand
e Tecla sand
Data sources: 1 - Collentine and others, 1981
2 - Wyoming Geological Association, 1957
3 - Wyoming Geological Association, 1958
-------
the formation contains oil; permeability and calculated transmissivity
2
are less than 5 gpd/ft and 120 gpd/ft, respectively (Table IV-10).
FOX HILLS/LANCE AQUIFER SYSTEM
The Fox Hills/Lance aquifer system includes the latest Cretaceous
Fox Hills Sandstone and Lance Formation and also the Paleocene Tullock
Member of the Fort Union Formation. It is composed of numerous indivi-
dual, often lenticular, sandstone aquifers, isolated by interbedded
shales and siltstones. Definition of the aquifer system is in part
based on water well development, because the system corresponds to
the stratigraphic interval for which supply wells at the Hilight Oil
Field (Lowry, 1972) and deep wells at Gillette (Northern Great Plains
Resource Program, 1974) are perforated. In Montana the upper Hell
Creek (Lance) Formation is shalier, and excluded from the aquifer
system (Northern Great Plains Resource Program, 1974). The Pierre
Shale is the lower aquifer system boundary.
The upper boundary is a regional stratigraphic horizon of low
expected well yields, which in the northern part of the basin is strati-
graphically equivalent to the Lebo Shale Member of the Fort Union
Formation. The Lebo Shale is less pronounced in the southern part
of the basin, and the shaley upper Fort Union Formation may serve
as the upper aquifer system boundary. Shaley horizons may also locally
subdivide the aquifer system hydrologically (Eisen and others, 1981).
The aquifer system crops out in a narrow band on the northeastern
basin margin and in wide areas on the southeastern and southwestern
margins. In the south and west it is buried by younger rocks along
the bordering mountain flanks. In the central basin, it is buried by
99
-------
over 3,000 feet of younger sediments. Its aggregate thickness increases
southward, ranging from 2,000 to 3,500 feet.
The Fox Hills/Lance aquifer system has been extensively developed
in outcrop areas for stock and domestic supply. It is utilized for
industrial applications at the Hilight Oil Field, in southeastern
Campbell County, and at Rozet, in east-central Campbell County. Fox
Hills/Lance wells at Gillette, Glenrock, Edgerton, and Moorcroft contri-
bute water to the municipal systems.
Hydrologic Properties
Most hydrologic data for the Fox Hills/Lance aquifer system are
for shallow wells near the outcrop zone. Because these are commonly
low-yield stock wells extensive aquifer testing is not conducted and
reported data are usually a single yield/drawdown test result.
Yield and Specific Capacity
Available data indicate moderate to good potential for development
of relatively low-yield wells (under 20 gpm). Large-drawdown high-
capacity industrial wells which are perforated for the entire strati-
graphic interval have yields up to 380 gpm.
Specific capacity of Fox Hills/Lance aquifer system wells averages
about 0.6 gpm/ft of drawdown. Values generally range from 2 to less
than 0.1 gpm/ft (Table IV-11), but two anomalously high values of
5 and 60 gpm/ft are present in one data compilation (Northern Great
Plains Resource Program, 1974). High-capacity wells in southeastern
Campbell County with an average yield of 323 gpm have an average specific
capacity of only 0.3 gpm/ft.
100
-------
Table 1V-3 1 . Reported specific capacities (yield per unil drnwdown) of welLs in the Fox Hi 1 Is/l.ance
aquifer system. Powder River basin, Wyoming.
We L L Local ion
(T/R-Scc \)
(ieoioj',i c
_Forma t i on (s)
/7 1-
45/70-
45/7J-
46/71-
50/72-
52/70-
12 KB
8 BR
9 Bl)
16 AB
18 AD
L4 DA
36 BR
34 AD
34 DD
21 CC
2 DC
Kfh,KL,Tft
do
do
do
do
do
do
do
do
Kfh
Kfh
'I est
TesL Dural i on
Date (I'l'S )
Drnwdown
(ft)
Di sclia rge
Lei)
CAMPBELL COUNTY
1728
1021
610
1050
584
1 707
J 4 28
1600
2200
240
34 5
309
265
378
356
379
231
251
380
357
90
1688
Specii ic
Capac ily
.Asjh/IlL
0.18
0.26
0 . 62
0 . 34
0.65
0.14
0 . 18
0 . 24
0.16
0.38
4.9
Da L a
Source
Remarks
49/60-16 CA
-27 BC
-28 AB
-29 BC
-36 DB
50/68-14 CI)
-14 DI)
-24 CI)
53/67-8 BB
53/68-15 CD
Tf t
Tft
Tf L
ITl
K1
KJ
K I
K 1
k rti
K1
6/4/56
6/1/56
6/2/56
6/2/56
6/19/56
6/21/56
6/-/56
6/21/56
1 1/6/56
1 I / 2 / 5 6
2
2.5
CROOK COUNTY
4. 1
17.3
12.2
14.0
3.4
2.6
28.6
3.8
26.4
50.
2.3
3.2
5.0
1. 3
1.4
4 . 4
4.4
5.8
5.5
10.
0 .56
0.18
0.41
0.09
0.41
1.7
0.15
1 .5
0.21
0 . 20
aquifer test
aqu i fer tost
aqu i f er test
aqui fcr tesL
-------
Table 1V-II. (concinued)
WcL1 Location
(T/li-Scc. 't '<0
'.5/79-20 Bl)
46/82-22 KB
48/82-9 Al)
-JO CI)
49/82-20 HA
40/78-1 J ABC
-11 AC
-1 1 DBA
-15 A MB
36/64-18 CC
*36/63-2 (IB
-13 CA
-13 CB
38/63-25 Bl)
38/64-18 AC
39/62-3 AB
39/64-32 1)1)
40/64-15 CA
Tes t
Geologic Test Duration
Formalion(s) Date ^hrs)
K1 3//69
KI 1/5/61
K1 9/-/56
K1 11/13/59
K1 9/28/60
K Th,K1 9/9/65 8
K f 11 6/-/63
Kfh.Kl 10/13/65 8
Kfli / / 53 7
K f h 11/-/59
K fli 10/-/59
Kfh 10/-/59
Kfli LO/-/59
Kfh 10/-/59
K1 3/-/60
Kfh 10/-/59
K1 10/-/59
KI 9/-/59
Drawdown
(ft)
D Lschar^e
(Rpm)
.JOHNSON COUNTY
1008 J 24
35 7
15 10
54 10
48 15
Spec i t ic
Capacity
(Rpm/ft)
0.12
0. 20
0.67
0.19
0.31
Da L a
Source
Kcnia r k1
NATRONA COUNTY
249
25
22
U
10. 9
0 .03
0 .09
0 .04
0 . 37
6 In mi r step t (.'s L i ii'
hour step tosl i m_
NIOBRARA COUNTY
47.5
100
20
I 40
4 0
31
22
25
70
3 E
6 F,
5 e
5 F.
100
6 E
4 E
30
30
0 .06
0 .06
0 . 25
0 .04
2.5
0.19
0. J8
1.2
0.43
-------
TabJe IV-ll. (continued)
Wo I i Loc.i L ion
(T/R-Sec . \ 'i)
55/85-7 AB
57/87-1 Bl)
Ceo 1ogi c
Formal 1 on(s)
K1
K1
lest
1'est Duration
Date (hrs)
|)r a wilowu
(fO
I) i scha r ftt:
(SP"0
7//5 9
4/20/60
SllliRlUAN COUNTY
93 R 3 K
70 R 8 R
'.2/65-6 CA KTIi
-30 BC Kl
O
Lo
8/-/60
10/-/68
WESTON COUNTY
200 4 7
0.5 30
Abb re v i a I inns:
Da La Sources:
Kill = Kox Hills Sandstone
Kl = Lance Formation
Tft = Tullock member of Fort Union Formation
E = Estimated
1 - Low r y , 19 72
2 - Lilt Ieton, 1950
3 - Northern Creat Plains Resource Program, 1974
4 - Wliitcomb and Morris, 1964
5 - Whitcomb and others, 1966
6 - Crist and Lowry, 1972
7 - Wli i tonmb , 1965
8 - l.owry anil Cummin^s, 1966
Spec i f i c
Capacity Data
(gpm/f t) Source _ Remarks
0.03 8
0.11 8
0.24 3
60. 3
-------
No general geographic trends of specific capacity values are
apparent. No relationship exists between specific capacity and either
geologic formation or location with respect to outcrop zones.
In the Hilight Oil Field in southeastern Campbell County nine
Fox Hills/Lance water wells show a specific capacity range of about
0.1 to 0.3 gpm/ft per thousand feet of aquifer penetrated. These
data indicate there is localized hydrologic variability within the
aquifer system but lack of specific geologic and completion information
for the wells prohibits further interpretation.
Permeability
In Crook County Lance Formation permeability has been estimated
2
at 6 to 35 gpd/ft (Whitcomb and Morris, 1964) and in Natrona County
2
Fox Hills permeability has been estimated at 34 gpd/ft (Crist and
Lowry, 1972). These values were derived through dividing estimated
transraissivity by penetrated saturated thickness (see Table IV-12),
but may only be order-of-magnitude estimates due to uncertainty of
the estimated transmissivity (Whitcomb and Morris, 1964).
Transmissivity
The general range of reported Fox Hills/Lance transmissivities
is from 100 to 2,000 gpd/ft (Table IV-12). Testing of wells has been
limited to two areas, and methodology was not specified for most of
the tests.
Transmissivities derived from specific capacity data using the
method described by Theis and others (1963) range from less than 100
to over 5,000, with most below 2,000 gpd/ft. Lowry (1972) determined
a minimum transmissivity of about 250 gpd/ft for the entire aquifer
104
-------
Table TV-12 . Reported t ransm i ss i v i-t ies and permeabilities for wells in the Fox Hi 1 Is/Lance aquifer
system. Powder l
CROOK COUNTY
29
40
60
Transniissivity
(gpdZlt)
170
1060
2100
Calculated*
Fernieabili tv
(gpd/f t2)
26
35
Da La Sour i:«.' /Roma rk".
Whiteomb and Morris, I9f>4
order of magnitude estimate
due t.o short te^t duration.
Same as above
Same as ahovo
NATRONA COUNTY
O
Ln
40/78-11 ACB
-11 DBA
-J 5 ABB
Fox Ili lis
& Lance
do
Fox Hi Lis
9/7/65
10/13/65
/ 53
47
76
166
1600
34
Crist and Lowrv, 19/.'
Crist and Lowrv, 197.'
Babcock and Morris, 1951;
Crist and howry, 19/1'
I heis recovery method.
-Calculated by dividing transmissivity by the saturated aquifer thickness.
-------
system thickness in southeastern Campbell County using similar methods.
With this transmissivity, and a time-prodution-drawdown data set from
a single observation well, Lowry (1972) also estimated a storage coef-
-4
ficient of 1.8 x 10 using the Theis equation.
Ground-Water Movement
Potentiometric data (Figure IV-3) indicate northward flow in
the aquifer system in the Gillette area (Northern Great Plains Resource
!
Program, 1974). Recent data (Eisen and others, 1981) also indicate
northward flow from outcrops in Niobrara County. However, a comparison
of potentiometric elevations in these two areas indicates a ground-
water divide exists in southernmost Campbell County.
Recharge
Vertical leakage from the overlying Wasatch/Fort Union aquifer
system has been proposed as the major recharge mechanism for the Fox
Hills/Lance (Lowry, 1972; Northern Great Plains Resource Program,
1974; U.S. Department of the Interior, 1974). The evidence cited
is that potentiometric heads in the overlying strata are several hundred
feet higher than those in the aquifer system. Some recharge from
eastern outcrops of the aquifer system is also indicated by potentio-
metric data (Northern Great Plains Resource Program, 1974; Eisen and
others, 1981). No quantification of aquifer recharge has yet been
attempted. Available geochemical data are too sparsely distributed
to use in verification of the postulated recharge mechanisms.
Discharge
The principal discharge mechanism of the aquifer system is sub-
surface underflow into Montana, where upward leakage occurs at
106
-------
Figure IV-3. Contours on water levels in wells finished
in the Fox Hills Sandstone, Lance Formation,
and lower part of Fort Union Formation in
the Gillette area, Wyoming (from Northern
Great Plains Resource Program, 1974).
107
-------
topographically low areas associated with the Yellowstone River (Northern
Great Plains Resource Program, 1974). The U.S. Department of the
Interior (1974) noted that in Wyoming local discharge areas on its
potentiometric map were coincident with major drainages. One of their
examples east of Gillette is co-located with an area of industrial
water withdrawal, complicating this idealized interpretation. The
potentiometric data in Niobrara County, in conjunction with the postu-
lated Campbell County ground-water divide, indicate the topographically
low Cheyenne River is an additional local discharge area (Eisen and
others, 1981).
WASATCH/FORT UNION AQUIFER SYSTEM
The shallowest bedrock aquifer system in the central part of
the Powder River basin is the Lower Tertiary Wasatch/Fort Union aquifer
system. It consists of up to 3,000 or more feet of highly variable
lenticular fine-grained sandstones, shales, claystones, and coals.
High lithologic variability prevents identification of any extensive
water-bearing zonemost of the coals and sandstones can produce water
if saturated, but yields and quality vary greatly.
Most existing wells are private low-yielding domestic and stock
wells, over 90 percent of which are less than 300 feet deep (King,
1974). In general, drilling depths are the minimum at which desired
yields are found; yield generally increases with well depth as more
water-bearing sands are penetrated.
The lower aquifer system boundary is ill-defined, represents
a deep zone not generally exploited due to low expected yield, is
approximately equivalent stratigraphically to the Lebo Shale of the
108
-------
Fort Union Formation in the north, and may^be equivalent to the shaley
upper part of the Fort Union Formation in the south.
Hydrologic Properties
Local investigations of the hydrologic properties of the Wasatch/
Fort Union aquifer system have been made either to assess impacts
of energy resource development or to plan water development projects.
In the remaining basin area available data are limited to yield/draw-
down reports of drillers. Lenticularity and lithologic variability
of the individual water-bearing units result in extreme local variability
of aquifer'properties, although a characteristic range is present.
Yield and Specific Capacity
Yields over 250 gpm may be obtained from wells penetrating thick
saturated sandstones, locally occurring coarse sand lenses, zones
of high secondary fracture permeability, areas in hydrologic connection
with surface waters, or areas adjacent to "clinker" recharge zones.
Most shallow wells in areas that are void of these features produce
less than 20 gpm.
Specific capacity (yield per unit drawdown) data for the aquifer
system are widely distributed geographically but are generally limited
to the upper few hundred feet of rock and represent an "averaging"
of numerous individual water-bearing sands. Because most wells in
the system are partially penetrating and developed for low yields,
the available specific capacity data may not truly reflect the overall
aquifer system development potential.
Reported specific capacities of the aquifer system range from
less than 0.1 to 3.0 gpm/ft of drawdown. Averages reported for the
109
-------
Wasatch in Johnson and Sheridan counties are 0.23 and 0.33 gpm/ft,
respectively (Whitcomb and others, 1966; Wyoming Water Planning Program,
1972). Average values for the Fort Union Formation are 0.42 and "less
than 1.0" for Sheridan County and the eastern basin, respectively
(Wyoming Water Planning Program, 1972). Values over 1 gpm/ft in the
western basin "may be associated with coarser, conglomeratic aquifers.
Extremely high values, up to 2,250 gpm/ft (Littleton, 1950), are
associated with "clinker" areas.
Some driller's logs (Hodson, 1971a) for flowing wells report
increased flow as deeper sands are tapped, indicating either increased
specific capacity or head with depth. Although available data do
not permit further analysis, increased heads with depth are not com-
patible with postulated downward leakage (see "Ground-Water Movement").
Permeability
Permeability of the various aquifer materials comprising the
Wasatch/Fort Union aquifer system is lithologically dependent and
very variable. Reported values cover a range of four orders of magnitude.
The "clinker" is most permeable, followed by coals and then sandstones.
Most reported permeability data have been derived from pump test
determined transmissivities (Table 1V-13). Clinker permeability is
2
several hundred gpd/ft or higher, and coal is generally between 1
2
and 100 gpd/ft . Wasatch sandstones are very variable and reported
2
permeabilities range from over 10 to less than 0.1 gpd/ft . Data
for Fort Union sands are sparse but suggest a similar range. Permeability
2
measurements of 15 to 25 gpd/ft have been obtained from Wasatch Sand-
stone cores at the Highland Mine in central Converse County (Wyoming
Department of Environmental Quality tnine plan files).
110
-------
Table IV-13.
Transmissivlties of the Wasatch/Fort Union aquifer system, Powder River basin, Wyoming
Location
(T/H)
Test
Dal e
Test
t a
T vpp
Tested
Tli i ckness
(ft)
T rnnsni issivi ty
(Kpd/f t)
Pe rnieabi 11 ty
(gpd/fL )
Storage
Coefficient
D.it.l
Source
Kemurks
Tort Union formation
.... r
1) I a c k Thunder Mine
43/70
-
pumped we 1 1
& recovery
-
7200
-
-
1
J acob me t hod, da I a
Ski WO'
Me 11c Ay r Mi ne
48/71
10/6/76
10/6/76
10/6/76
pump &
recove ry
s 1 ug
slug
slug
60
20
20
20
1 528
100
5.0C
2.2xlO~3
1-4x10 ^
2
3
3
3
no recovery after
no t ecovery after
15 mm
15 m i n
USCS Tests
49/68
6/21/56
6/22/56
6/22/56
6/27/56
pumped well
pumped we 1 1
pumped well
pumped we 11
30
37
107
70
1 60
4 30
60
30
6
5
0.5
0.5
-
8
8
8
8
2.5 hour test
7 hour te^l
2 hour test
3 hour test
East Gillette Mine
50/71
10/26/76
si ug
20
371
19. 0C
Ixl0~5
4
bad packer seal
shalev material in
tested
i nt e r1
Fort Union Mine
50/71
-
s 1 ug?
140
148-183C
.87-1.07
-
4
C i t v of Gillette
USCS Test
IISGS Test
She r idan Enterprises
Wo 1 ch //1 Mi nc
2/1/77 pump
2/14/77 pump
54/86
55/84
57/84
pumped well
recovery
recove ry
fall, head
150
150
1320
2 750
1100
3830
9 5
10
8.8C
18. 3C
7. 3C
25.5C
7.9
2.5
0.007
0.00 2
3.9x10
2.1x10
3.8x10"
2.2x10
-4
.Jacob method on pumped w< II
Jacob method on obs. we I I
Jacob method on pumped we II
Jacob method on obs. well
24 hr. test, both Jacob f.
The i ^ me t hods
1.5 h r. rccovcrv l e M
Coal
Black Thunder Mine 43/70
pumped well 3800
& recovery
do * 5600
do 3800
do 4 400
do 4 600?
do 4 500
do 4 50
1 J a ei >b ine I hod
1 J.'irob method, data skewed
I l,i(nh method, data skewed
1 Irnob method, data skewed
1 Jacob method, * lal . i erratic
I l.'iioh method, data oi rain
1 I a< oh ine I hod , da La ci'Ml k
-------
Tab U- 1 V - 1 3. (con tinuod)
Silo Nairn.-
I.oCrtL i on
or/R)
Tos L
Date
1 O S L
Ty po
Tasted
ThLckncs
(ft)
I'l.uk Ihundor Mine (cont.)
do
recovery
rccovery
recovc ry
pump &
recovery
p limp f*
recove ry
puinp &
rccovc rv
pump
Ho 1L Ayr Mine 48/7 1
Kast Gillette Mine 50/7]
lrort Union Mine SO/7 1
pump
pump f. 62
recovc ry
pump & 60
rccove ry
10/6/76 slug 00
10/6/76 slug 20
10/6/76 slug 20
10/27/76 slug 2
10/22/76 pump
100
104
10/12/76 pump
105
105
11/3/76 pump
94
100
J0/29/76 pump 100
8/7/76 pump 80
10/25/76 slug 20
10/25/76 slug ¦ 20
10/26/76 slug 20
10/26/76 s1ug 20
10/26/76 slug 20
10/26/76 s1ug 20
s1ug7 7
- si UK7 4
slug? 2
s1ug? 2U
Transin i ssi vi ly
(gpd/ft) '
Permoal) i I i p.v Storage D.u.i
(ftpd/fL) CoL'fficiciH _ Si u i r (. j
Jii'jn.n.K
32
100?
32
1300
3400
5 ft 00
650
300
25000
750
1353
3542
>1000
4.5
5.3
>256
361
441
13
63
8 7 30
1420
392
1421-815
74
1
165
lOfi
5
12
>13C
0. 2C
0. 3C
> 1 28C
3 . 6C
4. 2C
0.12C
0.60C
93C
14C
3 . 9C
3. 7C
0.05C
8. 3C
5. 3C
0. 25C
O.fiOC
4.4xl0~
2.5x10
I.5x10
6.0x10
7.0x10
2. 0x10
0.01
3.8x10"
¦v-4xl0
>-0.4
-4
-4
-3
-3
3.5x10
R.8x10
-3
1 .4x10 3
L.2x10-3
0.33
5.8xl0_
1.2xl0_
7.3x10
0.01
-3
1x10
2x10
1x10
1x10
1x10
-3
-4
-4
-3
I.K t'b me (. hi ul, (1.1 l.i i I" t'.i I i c
.1,'irob rvllnul, d.il.i skewed
J.icob mo tiled, dnlj skewed
Jacob method, d«n,i <-rr.il i<
Lenkv aqti i for un-1 I tod
Ihois nteLliod, slighHv skevvd
d n t. \
Hums method, poor curve fil
The i s me [ hod , he I t e i 111 l 11.in
1 enkv
l.u'oh moLhod, slight Iv skeued
d.i Ln
J.icob meLhod
oxci-sm vo dr.iwdown -iltfi 1 hr.
nt 1 gpm
compLcle ri'coverv I nun .
complete recovrn' 2 in i n .
nenr "eIinknr"
recharging innge wl I 1 ell rets
rot lin rg i ng lra.ij'.e well i'Hc» is
nvernge of two ohs. Wells
;iim 1 yzed l or .m i st rep\
11 -1 ft. 8
6.13
0.3
0.45
5.5-3.2
1 .02
0. 15
0.18
includes tlnn ss leii^
i ne I tides shn 1 e
-------
f.iblo IV 1 i. (conLinuud)
Situ Name
uses lesl
Sheridan Enterprises
Wolcli //I Mine
Sheridan Are.'i Coal
I.oca L i on
_ (T/jO _
54/81
57/84
'IV sL
Dale
To si
... a
I voe _
pumped we 11
& recovery
rising head
fa 1 I i ng bend
pump
Tos ted
I hi cknoRs
( fl )
"^l_inker"
Has L Ci L 1 c L te Mi ne
Fort Union Mine
Wasa Lcli Format ion
Teton Nedco
50/71
50/7 I
34/74
1/19/76 pump
10/22/76 pump
s 1 ng?
s 1 ug7
pump
14
1'.
J 5
1 OA 7
104?
100
13
23
50
pump
50
Highland Mine
Re 11c Ayr Mi no
36/72 - core
ana 1y s i s
do
do
do
do
do
do
48/71 - pump &
recovery
do
10/6/76 slii>;
10/6/76 s I u};
23
22
23
31
25
1 5
24
100
54
20
10
Transmi ss i vi ty
Igpd/f t)^
520
1'e rmcab i 11 ly Storage Data
(gpd/fi 1 Coefficient . .Source
6. 5
2.4x10
-2
.Remarks
24 lir. lesl, both
I'he i s me t hods
57
14
100
4 54
542
449
13
0. 72
4.2
18
38
11
3x10
1.8x10
1.8x10
5.3x10
-5
3
4
Dietz it 1 coal .ivei "I 11 Lest
Oielz ^2 coal avei me ¦ I 11 lest
I) 1 OC 7. '/ i c i1. l ! aver,ir.i .') .! lest
>8500
200
974
361
>610C
13C
9.4C
3.6C
-^0.16
¦vO.35
7.8x10
-4
pumped we 11 in cn.i I A I i nker
obs. we I 1 in i oa1
ohs. we 11 in coa1
pumped well in con]
obs. well in clinker, no ,liawd<
olis . well in c 1 i nker
obs. well in coa!/c I inker
2757
1 150
215
50
we 11 also i n sandt <
716
703
689
419
415
398
14. 3C
14. 1C
13. 8C
8.4C
8.3C
8.0C
5.5x10
1 .2x10"
-5
L.9x10
3.2x10
-4
Theis meLhod, nvj'. ol
(Inopcr la cob , ¦
olis . we I 1 s
I'heis recoverv hioUmhI.
we 1 1 s
I lie is method, av oi
Cooper 1 neob met 1 n
-------
Table IV-1J. (ciinl f ruicd)
Site Name
Kas t C 1 1 1 o U Le Mi ne
USCS TesL
USCS Test
l.ocaL loii TesL
(T/R) Date
50/71 12/6/76
51/82 9/2/61
57/83
Tcs ted
ToPi Thickness
_Iyp.pl.. (CO
s 1 nj;
pumped we 11
recove rv
20
145
TrjiiMiiiss ivity IV rmeab j 1 i |_y Stord^o D.il.i
(ttpd/ f t) ^ (gpd/ f t " ) Coef f ic i ' in Sourri
18
2500
2200
1 .9C
17
3x10
K*-iii.i i k s
S 11.1 I (.'V 7i Ml l' [('-. I i (I
I. 75 hi". L1
\. 5 lit-, re< «1 v (¦ iv I . » i
"pump" indit nlcs existence of observation wells; "pumped well" Indicates no observation wells.
V, indicates table entry is derived by calculation from other, reported values.
.^ilu.r.te_s: ' " Bergman and Marcus, 19 76
2 - Davis, 19 75
3 - Davis and Rechard, 1977
4 - Wyoming Department of Environmental Quality mine plan files
5 - Wyoming Water Development Commission files
6 - Lowry and Cununings, 1966
7 - Wliitcomb and others, 1966
B - Wliitcomb and Morris, 1964
-------
Coal permeability is principally fracture-related (Northern Great
Plains Resource Program, 1974), and anisotropic conditions related
to fracturing are apparent in several coal aquifers (Wyoming Depart-
ment of Environmental Quality Mine Plan Files). Stone and Snoeberger
(1977) reported maximum and minimum permeabilities of 6.6 and 3.7
2
gpd/ft , respectively, in the Felix coal of the Wasatch Formation
at a study site 15 miles south of Gillette, and found cleat (joint)
orientation produced directional anisotropy.
Transmissivity
Transmissivity determinations (Table IV-13) have generally been
limited to areas of proposed mining development, and many have been
specifically limited to coal horizons. Many different techniques,
including slug tests, recovery tests, and pump testing, have been
used in determination of reported transmissivities. Interpretations
have been complicated by interformational leakage, poor well completion
data, recharging boundaries, ana anisotropic conditions.
Coal transmissivity ranges from less than 1 to over 5,000 gpd/ft,
reflecting variable thickness and occurrence of fracture permeability.
The higher reported values appear to be related to isolated local
faults or fracture zones (Davis and Rechard, 1977). Gypsum fracture
infillings apparently can reduce coal transmissivity by two orders
of magnitude (Davis, 1976), locally negating increases associated
with fracturing.
Most tests on sandstones of the aquifer system have been in the
Wasatch of the southern basin, where the average transmissivity is
about 500 gpd/ft. Brown (1980) reports a range of 1 to 4,000 gpd/ft
115
-------
near Gillette. Fort Union sandstones have transmissivities of several
thousand gpd/ft near Gillette.
High-yield pump tests with no observed drawdown have been conducted
in "clinker" zones and interpreted as indicating permeabilities and
transmissivities "too high to allow accurate determination of aquifer
characteristics by pump test methods" (Wyoming Department of Environ-
mental Quality Mine Plan Files). Davis (1976) states transmissivities
up to 3,000,000 gpd/ft are present.
The wide range of reported storage coefficients (Table IV-13)
indicate hydrologic conditions vary from water table to fully confined.
Ground-Water Movement
Several site-specific studies of a single coal or sandstone aquifer
or a shallow (less than 500 feet) multiaquifer system have been conducted
throughout the area, primarily in conjunction with coal or uranium
resource development (Davis, 1975; Bergman and Marcus, 1976; Dahl
and Hagmaier, 1976; Davis and Rechard, 1977). Local areal studies
have also been conducted (King, 1974; Northern Great Plains Resource
Program, 1974); an example is shown in Figure IV-4. No regional studies
of aquifer system flow have been completed.
Interpretation of ground-water movement in the aquifer system
is complicated by poor stratigraphic control, inadequate well completion
data, improper well construction, multiple completion zones in some
wells, and the lenticularity and discontinuities of component aquifers.
An additional complication is the probable presence of a gas-pressure
head component in wells completed in coal-rich horizons (Lowry and
Cummings, 1966).
116
-------
explanation
/ Water-level contour (Dashed where
0' approximately located. Contour inter-
val 50 feet (I5m)} datum is mean
/ sea level )
Generalized direction of ground-water
movement
T 52 N
T 51 N
T 50 N
T 49 N
T 40 N
T 4TN
R 73 W
R 72 W
R 71 W
R 70 W
R 69 W
5 Miltt
t+tV
I 1 1 1 1
5 9 Kilomtttrt
Figure IV 4. Water levels and direction of horizontal movement
of ground water in the Fort Union and Wasatch
formations in the Gillette area, Wyoming (modified
after King, 1974; from Northern Great Plains
Resource Program, 1974).
117
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Based on a comparative review of existing study results the follow-
ing conclusions can be made about flow in the Wasatch/Fort Union aquifer
system: (1) flow within the aquifer system is primarily within several
local flow regimes and no regional circulation patterns are known;
(2) in general, recharge is to topographic high points, which are
often outcrops of the resistant aquifer lithologies (sandstone and
clinker bodies); (3) discharge areas are usually colocated with topog-
raphic lows; (4) topographic control of flow is typical (see King,
1974); and (5) in confined aquifers, flow tends to follow structure.
Potentiometric data indicate that downward .leakage through the system
recharges deeper aquifers; but little leakage may actually occur due
to low vertical permeability (Northern Great Plains Resource Program,
1974; Davis and Rechard, 1977). No regional estimate of recharge
rates has been published. Two local estimates of infiltration rate
were both 0.15 inches/yr (Davis and Rechard, 1977; Brown, 1980).
Local variability of recharge rates due to variable microclimates,
surficial geologic materials, and topography is likely.
Areas underlain by clinker are considered very favorable local
recharge sites for coal aquifers (Lowry and Cummings, 1966; Davis,
1976) but can also act as ground-water sinks (Brown, 1980). Low perme-
ability of coal-associated clays indicates almost all coal aquifer
recharge may be from coal outcrops and associated clinker zones, rather
than downward leakage (Davis and Rechard, 1977). Coal aquifer recharge
from surface waters and associated alluvial aquifers is locally documented
in areas where the coal subcrops in the floor of alluvium-filled valleys
and potentiometric gradients are downward (Davis and Rechard, 1977).
118
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Discharge from the aquifer system is typically to stream valleys
(Dahl and Hagmaier, 1976; Northern Great Plains Resource Program,
1974). Davis (1976) indicates recharge to the Fort Union Formation
in the eastern part of the basin probably flows down-dip and discharges
in the western part of the basin to the Tongue River, maintaining
the base flow.
MIDDLE TERTIARY AQUIFERS
The Middle Tertiary White River and Arikaree formations are only
extensively present within the study area in southern Converse and
Niobrara counties, where their total thickness is between 1,000 and
1,500 feet. They are exploited as shallow water sources where present,
and are extensively developed southeast of the basin boundary in the
Denver-Julesberg basin.
Although most data available are for wells specifically developed
for low yield, yields in excess of 1,000 gpm are reported in Niobrara
County. Reported specific capacities (yield per unit of drawdown)
range from less than 0.1 to 232 gpm/ft (see Table IV-14) but most
lie between 0.2 and 4 gpm/ft.
Little permeability data are available. Measured permeabilities
2
of the White River Formation range from 0.0002 to 0.03 gpd/ft , whereas
reported Arikaree Formation permeabilities range from 0.001 to 80
2
gpd/ft (Whitcomb, 1965). Permeability interpreted from pump test
2
data for the Arikaree aquifer east of Lusk is 30 to 310 gpd/ft .
Fractures and joints increase permeability of the Middle Tertiary
aquifers, especially the White River aquifer.
119
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Table IV-14. Specific capacities of wells completed in Middle Tertiary aquifers of the Powder River basin,
Wyoming.
Total
Test
Specific
Completion
Depth
Duration
Yield
Drawdown
Capacity
Location
Date
(ft)
(hr)
(gpm)
(ft)
(spm/ft)
Remarks
CONVERSE
COUNTY
29/72-14 dc
7/20/74
108
5 min.
15
60
0.25
30/72-22 da
11/9/73
40
?
18
18
1.0
31/68-10 bb
9/1/76
200
1
25
25
1.0
31/69-21 dc
1/10/70
123
1
20
50
0.40
31/70-23 bd
1/15/74
290
i,
'2
10
30
0.33
flowing well
31/70-24 bb
10/7/70
84
2
5
-
-
"complete" drawdown
31/71-2 ac
' 5/10/78
300
6
25
-
-
"zero" drawdown
31/71-14 cd
7/7/78
65
7
15
45
0.33
32/69-22 ad
12/15/61
150
1
15
90
0.16
32/71-7 dd
10/31/75
40
1
10
1
10.
32/71-16
8/13/70
170
2
25
20
1.2
32/71-16 bb
1/29/76
40
3
10
3
3.3
32/71-16 bd
4/12/78
24
12
3
2
1.5
32/71-17 aa
5/15/70
104
1.5
25
5
5.0
32/71-17 ac
7/24/78
173
4
20
70
0.29
32/71-17 ad
6/2/79
230
3
10
65
0.15
32/71-17 bb
6/10/78
80
4
15
2
7.5
32/71-17 da
2/19/76
100
2
10
65
0.15
32/71-18 ad
4/30/77
120
3
20
-
-
"zero" drawdown
32/71-18 da
10/30/76
118
2.5
15
10
1.5
32/71-18 da
7/12/78
200
1
20+
-
-
"zero" drawdown
32/71-18 dd
4/1/64
60
0.5
13
9
I1
32/71-18 dd
5/15/74
220
10
20
-
-
drawdown: "none"
32/71-19 ba
4/19/79
150
1
22
30
0.73
32/71-21 ac
2/25/72
250
3
6
150
0.040
32/71-21 bb
10/20/75
200
24
50
30
1.7
32/71-28 be
10/14/78
30
5
2.5
12
0.21
-------
Table IV-14. (continued)
Total Test
Completion Depth Duration
Location
Date
(ft)
(hr)
32/71-35 cc
4/25/79
325
1
32/72-10 db
8/28/75
100
1
32/72-12 ac
-/-/20
200
2
32/72-13 cb
7/26/79
90
24
32/72-13 dd
5/27/74
120
2
32/72-23 cc
12/20/76
100
2
32/72-23 cc
10/1/77
200
1
32/72-23 da
5/20/77
100
4
32/72-24 ab
-/-/44
71
1
32/72-24 ac
4/28/77
120
2
32/72-24 ac
3/31/78
210
2
32/72-24 ad
7/20/77
140
1
32/72-24 ba
11/7/78
216
2
32/72-24 ba
11/8/78
200
?
32/72-24 bd
5/18/75
127
4
32/72-24 bd
9/5/76
105
4
32/72-24 bd
10/10/78
385
2
32/73-3 aa
5/21/73
80
1
32/73-9 be
10/7/74
80
1
34/67-8
7//62
415
3
NIOBRi
31/65-5 cb
-/-/58
210
?
31/66-20 cc
-/-/59
60
?
32/64-13 ac
//47
122
24
32/64-13 ac
-/-/-
145
24
32/64-13 bd
-/-/80
100
48
32/64-14 db
8/26/77
140
6
32/64-18 bd
-/-/-
78
36
32/64-18 bd
-/-/49
110
?
32/64-24 da
-/-/55
59
1
32/65-1 be
-/-/-
200
1
Yield Drawdown
(gpm) (ft)
Specific
Capacity
(gpm/ft)
Remarks
12
10
20
25
25
25
25
15
10
25
10
18
15
25
25
16
25
10
20
10
drawdown: "no'
10
150
5
7
30
20
30
60
20
40
40
10
?
50
5
15
75
1.0
0.13
5.0
3.6
0.83
0.50
0.83
0.16
0.90
0.37
0.62
2.5
0.50
2.0
1.3
0.13
drawdown: "none"
drawdown: "no'
flowing well
COUNTY
15
30
0.5
10
10
1.0
30
-
-
200
41
4.9
20
10
2.0
25
40
0.62
135
-
-
1000
14
71.
650
2.8
232.
125
4
31.
Whitcomb (1965)
Whitcomb (1965)
"zero" drawdown
drawdown: "none1
Whitcomb (1965)
Whitcomb (1965)
Whitcomb (1965)
-------
Table IV-14. (continued)
Total
Test
Specific
Completion
Depth
Duration
Yield
Drawdown
Capacity
Location
Date
(ft)
(hr)
(SPm)
(ft)
(gpm/ft)
Remarks
32/65-1 cb
-/-/50
108
?
350
14
25.
Whitcomb (1965)
32/65-13 ac
-/-/-
260
12
90
10
9.0
32/65-13 ac
-/-/-
70
1
30
-
-
"total" drawdown
32/66-17 cc
-/-/58
200
1
60
170
0.35
Whitcomb (1965)
33/65-17 dc
-/-/59
225
1
5
20
0.25
Whitcomb (1965)
33/66-17 da
12/18/59
100
2
40
-
-
"zero" drawdown
33/67-25 ab
11/10/74
268
1
9
?
-
34/63-26 ca
-/-/-
150
1
7
15
0.47
Whitcomb (1965)
34/64-9 ac
-1-152
100
?
6
4
1.5
Whitcomb (1965)
34/64-9 db
11/8/47
130
12
10
40
0.25
34/66-25 db
2/23/67
85
120
25
2
12.5
35/65-28 dd
5/29/77
98
0.25
10
60
0.17
PLATTE
COUNTY
29/67-15 cb
-/-/50
125
1
7
10
0.7
29/68-8 aa
9/25/77
65
1
25
20
1.2
29/68-9 bb
8/10/77
58
2
16
10
1.6
29/68-22 bd
8/7/76
106
2
7
30
0. 23
29/68-22 cc
3/2/77
125
24
20
1
20.
29/69-33 ac
2/-/65
155
h
15
-
-
pumped dry
29/69-33 ac
5/15/69
60
1
50
10
5.0
29/70-26 ba
5/31/73
158
1
16
10
1.6
30/68-29 da
9//57
70
4
20
12
1.7
Source: Data from Wyoming State Engineer's Office permit files unless otherwise specified under "Remarks."
-------
Reported transmissivities for the Arikaree aquifer east of Lusk
range from 8,000 to 77,000 gpd/ft (Whitcomb, 1965), although all four
wells tested only partially penetrate the aquifer. Specific capacity
based transmissivity estimates indicate a range from 100 to 500,000
gpd/ft, with most wells between 500 and 10,000 gpd/ft.
In general, the Middle Tertiary aquifers are water table aquifers
but well-cemented concretionary sandstones are local confining beds
(Whitcomb, 1965), and the complex nature of channel deposits within
the White River Formation often causes local hydrologic complexity.
Springs which issue from the base of the Arikaree aquifer indicate
the underlying White River Formation acts regionally as a partial
flow barrier.
QUATERNARY AQUIFERS
Quaternary alluvium is present in most stream valleys of the
Powder River basin, both as flood plain and terrace deposits. Extensive
Quaternary aeolian deposits are present northeast of Casper.
In the western and southern basin the alluvium is near population
centers (Sheridan and Casper) and has been extensively exploited for
domestic, community, and occasionally irrigation supplies.
Typically, the younger valley floor deposits are clay-rich Holocene
sandy silts with sand and gravel lenses, and the older terrace deposits
are Pleistocene sands and gravels, often iron-stained. Both deposits
become coarser and more extensive near the mountain uplifts; thickness
varies greatly and can exceed 100 feet. The aeolian deposits are
fine-grained sand and silt which locally exceed 100 feet in thickness.
123
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Well yields of over 1,000 gpm can be obtained from Quaternary
alluvial aquifers (Crist and Lowry, 1972). Specific capacities vary
widely, ranging from 0.3 up to 18 gpm/ft of drawdown (Lowry and Cummings,
1966; Whitcomb and Morris, 1964). In some areas yield is limited
by minimal saturated thicknesses (Lowry and Cummings, 1966).
Hydrologic properties of the alluvium vary with sediment size.
Measured porosities range from 28 to 45 percent (Whitcomb and Morris,
1964). Permeabilities of clay- and silt-rich alluvium range from
2
0.1 to 2 gpd/ft , coarser deposits generally have permeabilities of
2 2
15 to 180 gpd/ft , and values of over 600 gpd/ft have been reported
(Whitcomb and Morris, 1964; Lowry and Cummings, 1966; Whitcomb, 1965).
Transmissivities vary from 15 to 350 gpd/ft (Davis and Rechard, 1977;
Whitcomb and Morris, 1964) and range up to 64,000 gpd/ft (Crist and
Lowry, 1972); saturated thickness is a significant factor affecting
transmissivity values.
The Quaternary alluvial aquifers are in hydraulic connection
with all bedrock aquifers in outcrop areas, and also with surface
waters. In larger valleys they provide hydraulic interconnection
between otherwise hydraulically isolated sandstones of the shallow
bedrock aquifer system (Whitcomb, 1965). Induced recharge from surface
waters to the alluvium is probable in areas of extensive well develop-
ment but has not been specifically studied.
124
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V. WATER QUALITY
-------
V. WATER QUALITY
Roughly 900 water quality analyses were reviewed for this report.
Data sources included: the U.S. Geological Survey WATSTOR data system,
the Wyoming Water Resources Research Institute (WRRI) data system
(WRDS), a compilation of water well analyses by Hodson (1971b), compila-
tions of oil field water analyses by Crawford (1941) and Crawford
and Davis (1962), and analyses conducted for this report. Additionally,
analyses of Madison and Minnelusa aquifer waters have been compiled
by Hodson (1974) and Wells and others (1979), respectively. All
analyses used, except those by WRRI, are published or available else-
where and therefore are not tabulated in this report. The results
of the analyses collected specifically for this study are tabulated
in Appendix C.
The first part of this chapter discusses the general water quality
of major aquifer systems and other aquifers in terms of dissolved
solids content and major ion composition. Total dissolved solids
concentrations for the major aquifer systems are shown on Plates 4
through 8. Due to the limited amount of data available for other
aquifers in the basin the dissolved solids concentrations are summarized
in Table V-3. Where possible, trends in constituents and the mechanism
causing them have been identified. The second portion of the chapter
addresses water quality related to U.S. Environmental Protection Agency
drinking water standards.
126
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GENERAL WATER QUALITY
Madison Aquifer System
Extensive chemical data exist on waters of the Madison aquifer
system, although most analyses are of waters from the Madison and
Minnelusa aquifers and their equivalents. Varying degrees of hydraulic
connection have been postulated between the Madison and Minnelusa
aquifers. For this reason, the quality and general chemical character
of their waters are discussed separately, and then compared.
Madison Aquifer
In the east half of the Powder River basin the Madison aquifer
has a limited outcrop area. Chemical analyses of water from one outcrop
well (48/60-4) and one Madison spring (50/61-24) show total dissolved
solids (TDS) contents of 248 mg/1 and 558 mg/1, respectively. Near-
outcrop wells in the east half of Niobrara, Crook, and Weston counties
produce waters with less than 500 mg/1 TDS (Plate 4). Several analyses
from western Crook County and Campbell County show that TDS levels
increase rapidly across the Black Hills monocline, with the 3,000
mg/1 dissolved solids iso-line roughly paralleling this structure.
Basinward increases in TDS coincide with changes in major ion
composition (Figure V-l). Waters containing less than 500 mg/1 TDS
are primarily calcium-magnesium bicarbonate, while those with 500
mg/1 to 1,000 mg/1 dissolved solids are calcium-magnesium sulfate
in character. More saline waters are predominantly sodium sulfate
or sodium sulfate-chloride.
Similar downgradient trends are seen in the west half of the
basin. Springs from Madison outcrops generally yield calcium bicarbonate
127
-------
TPS
0-500 mg/1
500-1000 mg/1
1000-5000 mg/1
>5000 mg/1
Figure V-l. Trilinear plot of representative Madison aquifer waters,
eastern Powder River basin, Wyoming. Numbers plotted
are percent of total milliequivalents per liter. Arrows
indicate general basinward trends of TDS concentration
and major ion composition.
128
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waters, containing less than 500 mg/1 dissolved solids (Plate 4, Figure
V-2). Away from outcrop, available data indicate that TDS concentra-
tions increase to greater than 3,000 mg/1, with the waters progressively
enriched in dissolved sulfate, sodium, and chloride. The most rapid
change in dissolved solids content and major ion composition occurs
in western Converse County, and is probably related to the structurally
complex nature of the northern flank of the Laramie Mountains.
Minnelusa Aquifer
Minnelusa aquifer water quality in the east half of the basin
is more variable than Madison aquifer water quality. Outcrop and
near-outcrop wells produce waters containing from 200 mg/1 to over
3,000 mg/1 TDS (Plate 5). Many waters with low TDS originate in the
lower Minnelusa Formation (see "Comparison of Madison and Minnelusa
Waters," below). Dilute waters (less than 500 mg/1 TDS) are calcium-
magnesium bicarbonate in character (Figure V-3), whereas an increase
to 1,000 mg/1 TDS shows an associated increase in dissolved sulfate.
Waters from 1,000 mg/1 to about 3,000 mg/1 contain predominantly calcium
and sulfate ions from solution of gypsum beds in the upper Minnelusa.
Away from outcrop but east of the Black Hills monocline, TDS
concentration is generally greater than 3,000 mg/1, with dissolved
calcium, sodium, and sulfate the major ions in solution. West of
the monocline, data from oil field tests indicate that upper Minnelusa
waters become highly saline, with TDS exceeding 100,000 mg/1 in places,
and dissolved sodium and chloride the dominant ions. As the majority
of Minnelusa oil traps are stratigraphic (Strickland, 1958) these
waters may represent trapped formation water.
129
-------
Figure V-2. Trilinear plot of representative Madison aquifer waters,
western Powder River basin, Wyoming. Numbers plotted
are percent of total milliequivalents per liter. Arrows
indicate general basinward trends of TDS concentration
and major ion composition.
130
-------
Figure V-3. Trilinear plot of representative Minnelusa aquifer waters,
eastern Powder River basin, Wyoming. Numbers plotted
are percent of total milliequivalents per liter. Arrows
indicate general basinward trends of TDS concentration
and major ion composition.
131
-------
In the west half of the basin, Tensleep aquifer (Minnelusa equi-
valent) outcrop waters characteristically contain under 500 mg/1
dissolved solids (Plate 5). Available data indicate a generally east-
ward (basinward) increase in TDS. High TDS waters, present in the
deep parts of the aquifer in the east half of the basin, are not found
in the western part.
Low TDS (less than 500 mg/1) Tensleep aquifer outcrop waters
are primarily magnesium-calcium bicarbonate in character (Figure V-4).
One analysis of Tensleep waters with a dissolved solids content of
approximately 600 mg/1 is enriched in calcium sulfate. Increasing
TDS is generally associated with higher sodium sulfate or sodium sulfate-
chloride levels.
Comparison of Madison and Minnelusa Waters
Madison and Minnelusa waters in the east half of the basin show
several similarities as a result of similar hydrogeologic controls.
Dilute (less than 500 mg/1 TDS) Minnelusa outcrop waters are of the
same chemical character (calcium-magnesium bicarbonate) as dilute
Madison waters and compositionally controlled by carbonate dissolution.
With increased TDS, waters from wells close to formation outcrops
have increased sulfate content, due to gypsum and anhydrite dissolution.
Waters of both aquifers show significant increase in TDS and sodium
chloride enrichment across the Black Hills monocline. These increases
may be due to restricted circulation into the deeper parts of the
aquifer, or to fracturing along the monocline, allowing for interforma-
tional mixing of Madison and Minnelusa waters with higher TDS sodium
chloride waters.
132
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Figure V-4. Trilinear plot of representative Tensleep (Minnelusa)
aquifer waters, western Powder River basin, Wyoming.
Numbers plotted are percent of total milliequivalents
per liter. Arrows indicate general basinward trends
of TDS concentration and major ion composition.
133
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Stratigraphic controls on the composition of Madison aquifer
system waters in the eastern part of the Powder River basin are
apparent. Eisen and others (1981) found that lower Minnelusa and
Madison water chemistries in the eastern part of the basin are very
similar, although upper Madison water has slightly higher TDS and
sulfate concentrations, attributable to anhydrite which is commonly
present (Andrichuk, 1955). They also identified TDS and dissolved
sulfate differences between basal Minnelusa/Madison waters and upper/
middle Minnelusa waters. They concluded that the basal Minnelusa
and Madison are hydraulically connected and the middle Minnelusa Forma-
tion is a hydraulic barrier.
Comparison of Figures V-2 and V-4 shows a strong resemblance
in major ion composition between Madison and Tensleep aquifer
waters in the west half of the basin. Dissolved solids increase more
quickly downgradient in Tensleep waters than in Madison waters.
Salinity differences are not great, however, and may represent incom-
plete mixing of the respective waters, as opposed to a lack of hydraulic
connection between the formations.
Permo-Triassic Aquifers
Few analyses of water from Permo-Triassic aquifers of the Powder
River basin are available. Two analyses of Minnekahta aquifer water
from Crook County have mixed ion composition and 650 and 1,800 mg/1
TDS. Most Chugwater/Spearfish water wells within the basin for which
water analyses are available produce calcium sulfate waters, with
between 2,240 and 3,420 mg/1 TDS, as a result of gypsum dissolution.
Some variability of Spearfish water is noticeable, even with the limited
134
-------
data base. One well (53/61-5 ad) in the outcrop produces calcium-
magnesium bicarbonate water with a TDS concentration of 414 mg/1;
conversely, one spring (46/61-98 d) issuing from the formation has
sodium chloride water with 30,000 mg/1 TDS. In Natrona County one
Chugwater well (39/83-7 aab) produces mixed cation sulfate water with
1,330 mg/1 TDS.
Sundance Aquifer
The few available water well data indicate much variability in
Sundance water composition. In the northeastern part of the basin
TDS concentrations range from 894 to 1,870 mg/1. Crook County Sundance
waters are sodium sulfate dominated, while to the south Weston County
Sundance waters are mixed ion in character. Two analyses from the
west side of the basin suggest a similar north-south compositional
zonation.
Away from outcrops, Sundance Formation waters from oil fields
on the southern margins of the basin range from 4,044 to 15,568 mg/1
in TDS, but only exceed 10,000 mg/1 TDS in northeastern Natrona and
southeastern Johnson counties. At Lance Creek in Niobrara County
Sundance water is sodium sulfate in composition, while in the southwest
part of the basin it is predominantly sodium chloride, although some
analyses have codominant sulfate. The source of sulfate in Sundance
water is unknown as the formation is not reported to be gypsiferous.
Dakota Aquifer System
The general chemical character of Dakota system waters is highly
variable, due to rapid vertical and horizontal lithologic changes
within individual water-bearing units, and lithologic differences
135
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between the individual aquifers themselves. However, existing analyses
of Dakota waters show a systematic spatial distribution of gross water
types and total dissolved solids range.
In the east half of the basin, waters from Dakota outcrops contain
350 to 3,300 mg/1 dissolved solids, and are calcium-magnesium sulfate
in character. Total dissolved solids increase away from outcrop,
with the most rapid increases occurring to the west and southwest
where TDS iso-lines roughly parallel the Black Hills monocline (compare
Plates 1 and 6).
Between outcrop areas and the monocline, Dakota waters generally
contain less than 3,000 mg/1 TDS, and show a basinward change in chemical
character from calcium-magnesium sulfate at the outcrop to sodium
sulfate to sodium bicarbonate (Figure V-5). Bowles (1968) noted a
similar evolution of Dakota waters in southwest South Dakota, and
suggested the change in ionic composition was due to exchange of dis-
solved calcium and magnesium for sodium, followed by bacterial reduction
of sulfate and the resulting production of bicarbonate. In the analyses
used for this report, these changes in chemical character are not
accompanied by significant changes in the dissolved solids content,
implying that exchange-type reactions are responsible for the observed
downgradient evolutions of Dakota waters.
Across the Black Hills monocline, TDS increases rapidly from
less than 3,000 mg/1 to greater than 10,000 mg/1, with sodium chloride
dominating the ions in solution. The sudden change in Dakota water
chemistry at the monocline suggests that the structure either acts
to restrict ground-water movement into the deeper parts of the aquifer,
136
-------
MONTANA
Figure V-5. Major ion composition of Dakota aquifer system water,
eastern Powder River basin, Wyoming.
137
-------
or that fracturing along the monocline allows for interformational
mixing of Dakota water with more saline waters from stratigraphically
adjacent shales.
In the southwest part of the basin, the limited amount of data
available indicate that near-outcrop wells generally contain less
than 1,500 mg/1 TDS and are sodium bicarbonate in character. Dissolved
solids increase rapidly to the north and east as the Dakota system
dips steeply basinward. Available data indicate that dissolved sodium
and chloride are dominant in waters with more than 3,000 mg/1 TDS.
Data from "Muddy" sandstone waters are limited to analyses of
oil field waters. In the western part of the basin the "Muddy" produces
sodium chloride waters with TDS concentrations from 9,786 to 17,419
mg/1. In the eastern part of the basin TDS ranges from 3,241 to 33,624
and most water compositions are sodium chloride. Bicarbonate is often
also significantly present, and may dominate in the Newcastle area.
Muddy waters south of T. 37 N. on the east side of the basin are more
dilute than those to the north (Crawford and Davis, 1962).
Upper Cretaceous Aquifers
Frontier Aquifer
Water wells completed in the Frontier aquifer produce waters
ranging from sodium bicarbonate to sodium sulfate in composition and
from 812 to 3,030 mg/1 in TDS, on the basis of available data. Sulfate
is more prominent in the waters with higher TDS concentrations.
Crawford and Davis (1962) report oil field Frontier waters have
little sulfate, are sodium bicarbonate to sodium chloride in composition,
and range from 1,417 to 24,950 in TDS concentration. They associated
138
-------
sulfate found in a few samples with surface water infiltration; and
TDS and high chloride concentrations with low sand permeability, lenti-
cularity, and increased distance from outcrop.
Shannon Aquifer
Four analyses of water from wells completed in the Cody Shale
are reported (Hodson, 1971b) but the Shannon aquifer was not identified
as a specific source. Three samples were sodium sulfate water ranging
from 2,180 to 12,580 mg/1 TDS; the fourth, from a well 285 feet deep
(43/81-5 b), was calcium-magnesium sulfate water with 780 mg/1 TDS.
Shannon waters from oil fields are of several types. Water from
fields north of Casper is sodium sulfate in character, often also
has significiant amounts of calcium and magnesium, and ranges in TDS
concentration from 2,874 to 5,937 mg/1. Oil fields east of Casper
have sodium chloride waters with over 9,000 mg/1 TDS. The Billy Creek
Oil Field (T. 48 N., R. 82 W.) has waters with from 2,132 to 3,269
mg/1 TDS which are sodium bicarbonate-chloride in composition.
Crawford (1940) felt exchange reactions controlled cation species,
and composition of surface waters at outcrops controlled anion compo-
sition. He associated sulfate waters with nearby outcrops in contact
with sulfate surface water, and chloride-bicarbonate waters with deeply
buried oil fields "fed only by a fresh water source" in the mountains.
For the chloride-bicarbonate waters changes in TDS levels are associated
with chloride concentration.
Mesaverde Aquifer
Little data on Mesaverde aquifer water are available. Water
wells produce either dilute (less than 600 mg/1 TDS) waters of calcium
139
-------
or sodium bicarbonate composition or sodium sulfate waters with TDS
concentrations ranging from 1,360 to 3,980 mg/1.
Fox Hills/Lance Aquifer System
Chemical data for Fox Hills/Lance aquifer system waters are sparse
and largely limited to outcrop areas. No significant differences
in dissolved solids concentrations or distribution of major ions are
seen between Fox Hills and Lance waters.
North of Niobrara County, in the east half of the basin, Fox
Hills/Lance waters from outcrop areas have a TDS content ranging from
600 to 1,500 mg/1 (Plate 7). These waters are primarily sodium bicar-
bonate-sulfate in character, although three analyses from Weston County,
with less than 700 mg/1 TDS, were calcium and magnesium enriched.
Fox Hills/Lance waters from outcrop areas in Niobrara County
are similar in character to those found in the north but contain higher
concentrations of dissolved solids, varying from 1,000 mg/1 to 3,300
mg/1. Existing data are insufficient to explain the elevated levels
of dissolved solids in this area; however, potentiometric data indicate
a separate flow system exists (see Chapter IV).
Outcrop wells in the west half of the basin yield waters containing
between 450 and 4,060 mg/1 TDS (Plate 7). The chemical character
of these waters varies from calcium bicarbonate to calcium sulfate
to sodium sulfate to sodium bicarbonate. There is no apparent correla-
tion between chemical character and TDS, and except for a band of
primarily calcium sulfate waters extending from T. 43 N. to T. 52 N.,
no spatial distribution of water types is evident.
140
-------
^-Local lithologic variation likely controls anion composition,
through dissolution of carbonate, gypsum, or pyrite, and exchange
reactions influence cation composition, favoring sodium replacement
of calcium (Thorstenson and others, 1979).
Analyses of Fox Hills/Lance waters away from outcrop areas show
a TDS range of 288 mg/1 (well 45/71-36 bd, Appendix C) to 3,530 mg/1
(well 49/75-32) and are sodium bicarbonate or sodium bicarbonate-
sulfate in character. In an extensive study of the aquifer in North
Dakota (Thorstenson and others, 1979) lignite was found to cause down-
gradient sulfate reduction which, in conjunction with cation exchange,
resulted in dominantly sodium bicarbonate waters away from recharge
zones. Similar evolution of Fox Hills/Lance waters is likely in the
Powder River basin, paralleling that of the Dakota system.
Wasatch/Fort Union Aquifer System
The Wasatch/Fort Union aquifer system is exposed over a large
portion of the central basin, and extensive chemical data exist on
its waters. The discontinuous, lenticular nature of the water-bearing
sandstones comprising the system results in significant water quality
differences over short geographic distances. Several generalizations
can be made, however, with respect to the overall chemical character
of Wasatch/Fort Union waters.
Dissolved solids content varies from less than 250 mg/1 to over
6,500 mg/1. Generally there is little correlation between TDS and
well depth, although a decrease in dissolved solids with increasing
depth has been suggested for some parts of the aquifer (Whitcomb and
others, 1966; Davis, 1976). An apparent though unsystematic geographic
141
-------
zonation of dissolved solids content is present (Plate 8). An area
of relatively dilute (less than 1,000 mg/1 TDS) water runs northwest-
southwest through the east-central part of the basin, while wells
in several sporadically located zones produce waters containing greater
than 3,000 mg/1 dissolved solids.
Wasatch/Fort Union waters from relatively shallow wells have
a widely variable major ion composition. Most analyses show either
a mixed cation content or sodium enrichment (Figure V-6). Waters
containing less than 500 mg/1 dissolved solids are enriched in bicar-
bonate, while more saline waters are characteristically high in dissolved
sulfate.
Major ion composition has a relationship to well depth. Figure
V-7 shows a relative increase in dissolved sodium and bicarbonate
with depth. The increase in sodium has been ascribed to cation exchange
of sodium for dissolved calcium and magnesium. The presence of hydrogen
sulfide in some Wasatch/Fort Union waters implies that bacterial reduc-
tion of sulfate results in the observed change in anion composition
(Whitcomb and others, 1966; Lowry and Cumming, 1966). It is probable
that these variations result from horizontal flow within hydrologically
isolated sand bodies, and that depth is only an indicator of relative
distance from outcrop recharge zones, rather than a large component
of vertical downward flow through the system.
Wells penetrating coal seams or other carbonaceous deposits often
yield both water and gas. The discharged gas is mainly methane and
is associated with smaller quantities of nitrogen and oxygen (Whitcomb
and others, 1966; Lowry and Cummings, 1966). Gas-to-water ratios
142
-------
Figure V-6. Trilinear plot of representative Wasatch/Fort Union aquifer
system waters, Powder River basin, Wyoming. Numbers
plotted are percent of total milliequivalents per liter.
143
-------
Total Depth
0-200 feet
200-500 feet
500-1000 feet
>1000 feet
Figure V-7. Trilinear plot of representative Wasatch/Fort Union aquifer
system waters, Powder River basin, Wyoming. Numbers
plotted are percent of total railliequivalents per liter.
Arrows indicate general trend of composition with depth.
144
-------
as large as 2.2 have been measured at certain wells in Johnson County
(Whitcomb and others, 1966).
Middle Tertiary Aquifers
Limited water quality data are available for the Middle Tertiary
White River and Arikaree aquifers in the southeastern part of the
Powder River basin. Typically water from these aquifers contains
less than 1,000 mg/1 TDS and is sodium bicarbonate in character, but
one area 12 miles west of Douglas (33/73-27 and 34) has sodium sulfate
dominated waters with about 4,500 mg/1 TDS. Existing data are insuf-
ficient to explain the observed conditions.
Quaternary Aquifers
Available analyses of waters from Quaternary aquifers show a
TDS concentration range of 106 to 9,300 mg/1. Cation composition
ranges from calcium to sodium and anion composition ranges from bicar-
bonate to sulfate. Carbonate or gypsum dissolution in conjunction
with cation exchange on the fine-grained component of the alluvial
deposits are probable controls on the composition.
DRINKING WATER STANDARDS
Primary Standards
Existing chemical analyses identify two of the ten inorganic
species with primary drinking water standards (Table V-l) as having
relatively high concentrations in Powder River basin ground waters:
selenium and fluoride.
Few analyses for the other eight inorganic constituents with
established primary drinking water standards are available, and even
145
-------
Table V-l. Drinking water quality standards.
Constituent
Primary Drinking
Water Standard3
Secondary Drinking
Water Standard
Arsenic
Barium
Cadmium
Chloride
Chormium
0.05
1.
0.01
0.05
250
Coliform Bacteria
Color
Copper
Corrosivity
Fluoride
1 colony/100 ml
2.0
15 color units
1.
Noncorrosive
Foaming Agents
Iron
Lead
Manganese
Mercury
Nitrate (as N)
Odor
Organic Chemicals-Herbicides
2,4-D
2,4,5-TP
Organic Chemicals-Pesticides
Endrin
Lindane
Methoxychlor
Toxaphene
PH
Radioactivity
Ra-226 + Ra-228
Gross Alpha Activity
Tritium
Sr-90
Selenium
Silver
Sodium
Sulfate
Total Dissolved Solids
0.05
0.002
10.
0.1
0.01
0.0002
0.004
0.1
0.005
5pCi/l
15 pCi/l8
20,000 pCi/l
8 pCi/l
0.01
0.05
0.5
0.3
0.05
3 threshold odor units
6.5-8.5 units
f
250
500
146
-------
Table V-l. (continued)
Primary Drinking
Secondary Drinking
Constituent
Water standard3
Water Standard3
Turbidity
Q
1 turbidity unit
Zinc
5.
All concentrations in mg/1 unless otherwise noted.
^The standard is a monthly arithmetic mean. A concentration of 4
colonies/100 ml is allowed in one sample per month if less than 20
samples are analyzed or in 20 percent of the samples per month if
more than 20 samples are analyzed.
c
The corrosion index is to be chosen by the State.
^The fluoride standard is temperature-dependent. This standard applies
to locations where the annual average of the maximum daily air tempera-
ture is 58.4°F to 63.8°F.
0
The standard includes radiation from Ra-226 but not radon or uranium.
^No standard has been set, but monitoring of sodium is recommended.
g
Up to five turbidity units may be allowed if the supplier of water
can demonstrate to the State that higher turbidities do not interfere
with disinfection.
Source: U.S. Environmental Protection Agency1976.
147
-------
fewer exceedences are reported: uranium mine monitoring wells in
the Wasatch aquifer (38/73-10, 11, 15) produce waters with varying
concentrations of lead and mercury, ranging up to 0.1 and 0.01 mg/1,
respectively; also, a Wasatch(?) spring (36/72-33) has 0.24 mg/1 of
mercury. Exceedences of the nitrate standard are reported at a few
shallow wells. The tap water at Osage contains 0.09 mg/1 silver;
however, the Madison aquifer supply well produces water with less
than 0.01 mg/1 silver.
Selenium
Generally, high selenium waters (greater than 0.01 mg/1) are
limited geographically to the extreme southwest part of the basin
(Figure V-8) and stratigraphically to wells completed in the upper
Cretaceous sandstone aquifers or in nearby Quaternary terrace and
alluvial aquifers. Existing data show that 17 wells completed in
the Mesaverde Formation, Cody Shale, or Frontier Formation produce
waters which exceed the primary drinking water standard. Seven of
these wells, all in the Cody Shale, produce waters with selenium concen-
trations exceeding 0.1 mg/1 and ranging up to 6.5 mg/1. Of the 49
wells completed in Quaternary aquifers which have reported exceedences
of the selenium standard, 24 have waters with over 0.1 mg/1 selenium,
and all these wells receive recharge from nearby irrigation. The
highest recorded concentration in Quaternary aquifer waters is 1.8
mg/1. Large fluctuations in the selenium level with time at any one
site are common; whether the observed fluctuation is the result of
a natural process or analytical errors cannot be determined. Crist
(1974) found conflicting trends when he related selenium levels to
148
-------
0 Dakota 0 25 5q 75 looMiies
0 25 50 75 100 Kilom«ters
Madison - ¦ ¦ '
© High selenium zone
Figure V-8. Location of reported high selenium and fluoride in Powder
River basin ground waters. Points indicate fluoride
concentrations in excess of 2.4 mg/1, by source. All
analyses of waters from Upper Cretaceous or Quaternary
aquifers with greater than 0.01 mg/.l selenium are found
within the shaded area.
149
-------
aquifer recharge by surface waters of the Kendrick Irrigation Project,
but he did conclude that irrigation "has accelerated movement of
selenium within and from the irrigated areas."
Only three wells within the study area which tap aquifers other
than those noted above show excessive selenium concentrations on the
basis of available analyses. One well (40/78-26 cba) is developed
in the Fox Hills Formation, another (32/81-21 aca) taps the Lance
Formation, and the third (55/61-26 da) produces from the Fall River
aquifer of the Dakota aquifer system. These wells produce waters
containing 0.02 to 0.04 mg/1 selenium.
Fluoride
High concentrations of fluoride (greater than 2.4 mg/1) in Powder
River basin ground waters are widely distributed, both spatially and
stratigraphically (Figure V-8). Fluoride enrichment is characteristic
of Madison system waters throughout much of the basin, and of Fox
Hills/Lance waters in the eastern basin. Only five analyses of Dakota
waters show fluoride to exceed 2.4 mg/1, while high concentrations
in Wasatch/Fort Union waters are sporadically scattered and probably
due to local lithologic variations. Waters from Upper Cretaceous
aquifers also show fluoride enrichment.
Secondary Standards
Major Aquifer Systems
The secondary drinking water standards for which water analyses
in the Powder River basin are widely available include sulfate, chloride,
iron, and total dissolved solids. Total dissolved solids ranges for
all major aquifer systems are spatially displayed on Plates 4 to 8.
150
-------
Table V-2 summarizes sulfate, chloride, and iron concentrations for
each major aquifer system by county. The waters from each aquifer
system show a wide range in the concentrations of these constituents
in a given geographic area, although some spatial and stratigraphic
distribution of concentration ranges does exist.
Existing data show sulfate concentrations consistently exceed
the recommended maximum (250 mg/1) in Madison aquifer waters from
Campbell and Natrona counties, in Minnelusa aquifer waters from Converse
County, in Fox Hills/Lance waters from Natrona County, and in Wasatch/
Fort Union waters from Crook and Niobrara counties.
Chloride concentrations consistently exceed the recommended maximum
(250 mg/1) in Madison system and Dakota system waters on the west
side of the Black Hills monocline as well as in Dakota waters from
Converse, Natrona, and Niobrara counties.
High iron concentrations occur sporadically in waters from all
major aquifer systems.
Minor and Local Aquifers
Table V-3 summarizes the ranges of total dissolved solids, sulfate,
chloride, and iron for waters from minor and local aquifers within
the Powder River basin, on the basis of available analyses. The second-
ary TDS standard of 500 mg/1 is often exceeded even in outcrop recharge
areas, while in the more central oil-producing parts of the basin
TDS concentration of bedrock aquifer waters usually exceeds 3,000 mg/1.
In outcrop areas exceedences of the sulfate standard are typical,
while most oil field waters exceed chloride standards. Water from
Quaternary alluvial aquifers often exceeds standards for TDS and sulfate.
151
-------
Table V-2. Concentration ranges of sulfate, chloride, and iron in waters of
major aquifer systems, Powder River basin, by county (concentra-
tions expressed as milligrams per liter).
Aquifer System Aquifer
County
Sulfate
Chloride
Iron
Campbell
858-2403
32-560
Converse
192-3229
18-3140
-
Crook
7-1315
2-1100
0.1-0.25
Johnson
1-1100
1-696
-
Natrona
313-2025
82-1050
0.2-4.8
Niobrara
12-1263
7-2900
-
Sheridan
5-1419
0-52
-
Weston
5-459
0-95
0.01-0.31
Campbell
200-5900
38-120000
0-0.88
Converse
1200-2400
110-1100
-
Crook
6-8800
0-82000
0-4.2
Johnson
2-1200
0.2-8500
0-1.1
Natrona
130-2600
2-730
0-0.29
Niobrara
2-10000
19-110000
-
Sheridan
5-4700
0-33000
0-0.58
Weston
12-18000
1-20000
0-0.62
Campbell
156-984
35-9100
-
Converse
0-7901
25-10000
-
Crook
0-4156
2-5700
0.23-5.5
Johnson
. 0-565
117-1080
0.02-110
Natrona
12-1321
3-8200
0.05-120
Niobrara
0-714
3-4360
0.01-0.03
Sheridan
-
-
-
Weston
80-2000
4-5940
0.06-54
Campbell
1-600
2-720
0.01-0.18
Converse
-
-
-
Crook
212-365
2-10
0.2-0.69
Johnson
33-2320
1-157
0.5-6.3
Natrona
456-1070
1-37
0-1.0
Niobrara
0.3-1970
7-110
0-8.6
Sheridan
157-493
8-42
0.02-0.13
Weston
92-705
2-13
0.03-4.9
Campbell
0-5940
1-50
0-14.6
Converse
4-1830
2-52
0.01-1.2
Crook
510-562
7-85
0.09-0.18
Johnson
0-3020
1-42
0.03-19
Natrona
-
-
-
Niobrara
558-775
4-20
0.13-6.9
Sheridan
0-4080
0-53
0.01-25
Weston
33-1240
27-30
0.04-0.17
Madison
Madison
Madison
Minnelusa
Dakota
(Newcastle/
Muddy is
excluded)
Fox Hills/
Lance
Wasatch/
Fort Union
Sources: Hodson, 1971b, 1974; Wells and others, 1979; Crawford, 1940; Crawford
and Davis, 1962; Water Resources Research Institute, WRDS Data System.
152
-------
Table V-3. Ranges of total dissolved solids, sulfate, chloride, and iron
concentrations in waters from minor aquifers, Powder River basin,
Wyoming (concentrations expressed as milligrams per liter).
Aquifer(s)
Vicinity
TDS
Sulfate
Chloride
Iron
Minnikahata
Crook Co.
650-1800
261-1050
3-38
0-0.03
Chugwater/
Spearfish
Sundance
Northeast
Southwest
Northeast
Southwest
Oil fields
414-30000
1330-2410
894-1870
416-4100
4044-15568
84-3190
789-1460
475-1080
156-2750
0-5879
3-15600
6-8
3-14
5-18
145-7409
0.02-1.9
0.01-0.06
0.31-1.4
0.07-5
Frontier
Northwest
Natrona Co.
Oil fields
390-2020
812-3030
1417-24950
13-1250
0-1620
0-3477
2-122
5-243
72-13800
0-2.9
0.03-1.9
Cody Shale
Sands
Southwest
Oil fields
780-12580
2132-14694
465-7830
32-3713
8-227
0-8558
0.08-0.43
Mesaverde
Northwest
Natrona Co.
Converse Co.
550-2340
370-3980
1780
186-1430
89-2040
515
2-36
4-73
52
0.22-12
0.11-20
0.08
Middle Tertiary
Quaternary
Alluvium
Converse Co.
Niobrara Co.
Campbell Co.
Converse Co.
Crook Co.
Johnson Co.
Natrona Co.
Niobrara Co.
Sheridan Co.
718-4530
263-479
474-3560
1530
1020-3340
106-4490
506-9300
922-1920
272-2060
105-2750
2.0-44
7-1980
700
295-1950
10-2540
206-5320
348-1080
8-1020
26-41
4.0-57
1-25
31
4-12
0-242
16-200
11-21
0-12
0.01-5.7
0.02-0.99
0.21-11
0.05-7.2
0.04-0.2
0.3-3.1
0.01-4.3
Sources: Crawford, 1940; Crawford and Davis, 1962; Hodson, 1971b.
153
-------
Almost all minor aquifers show sporadic exceedences of the iron
standard.
Radionuclear Species
Existing data on radionuclear species in Powder River basin ground
waters generally include determinations for gross alpha, gross beta,
dissolved uranium, and radium-226, a decay product of uranium-238.
Primary drinking water standards have been established for radium-226
and gross alpha radiation (Table V-l).
Analysis for radium-226, gross alpha, and gross beta contain
an error limit that generally indicates the 95 percent confidence
interval of the analysis. Variance in measured concentrations is
usually due to either (1) instrument insensitivity at low concentrations
or (2) particle absorption in samples containing high dissolved solids.
Where the confidence interval is large relative to the given absolute
value, interpretation of results is difficult.
Pre-Tertiary Strata
Available data on radionuclide concentrations in ground water
from pre-Tertiary strata include 10 analyses from the Madison aquifer
system, six analyses from the Dakota system, and seven analyses from
the Fox Hills/Lance (Table V-4). In general, existing data on the
pre-Tertiary formations of the basin are too sparse to allow for inter-
pretation.
Two analyses of Madison aquifer water exceed both the 5 pCi/1
primary standard for radium-226 and 15 pCi/1 standard for gross alpha
radiation. One of these Madison water analyses shows extremely high
levels of the above parameters: 476.3 ±6.2 pCi/1 of radium-226, and
154
-------
Table V-4. RadionucJear analyses of ground waters, Powder River basin, Wyoming.
Ceologic
Formation
Location
(T/R-Sec--£-!£)
U
(Wg/J)
Radium-226
(pCl/1)
Cross Alpha
(pCi/l)
Gross Beta
(pCi/1)
Renu rks
Qua te rnary
AlLuvium
Wasatch
Fort Union
Lance
33/79-7
33/79-7, 18
36/72
38/73
43/73
45/77
48/75-14 bd
49/75-34 ca
50/72-21
50/72-28 ab
53/76-22 ab
54/76-27 be
32/72
34/74
35/72
52/74-1 ba
53/73-20 bd
53/74-35 ab
56/85-31 bd
57/70-19 ba
45/71-36 bb
50/68-14 cd
High: 7,000
Low: 1
N
b.
19
High: 1,800
Low: 5
N: 13
High: 334
Low: 0.5
N: 16
High:
Low :
N :
0.4
<0.1
0.6
<0.1
0.4
High :
Low:
N:
High :
Low:
N :
High:
Low:
N:
0.3
0.4
14
0.1
0.2
9.3
37.4
10,113
1 7
48
240
160
2
3,550
5
19
410
5
10
O.OiO.2
0.0±0.4
173
0.2
19
145
0.8
13
51
0.2
48
<0.1
<0.1
0.1
0.8
0.1
180
3.7
2
954
10.2
19
76
0.4
10
0.3
0.5
0.3
0.4
<0.1
6.9±2.6
15±4
81.4
1.6
4
880
5.1
13
4,691
1.4
48
0.015.2
70.3
0
4
4 20
0
13
835
0
48
2.1°
<1.9a
<0.8a
8.9a
6. 0a
12
6.1a
lla
7.9a
<2. 4a
Vista West Water Company, C.ispci
Composite of A samples from (!it\
Casper water plant
Mine moiutor well analyses
Mine monitor well analvscs
Mine monitor well analyses
Mine monitor well anaLyses
City of Gillette well H-16
Mine monitor well analyses
Mine monitor well analyses
Mine monitor well analyses
2.4+0.65
0.48+0.26
329+41
39+29
50±22
0±2l
-------
Table V-4. (continued)
Ceo I ic
Forma Lion
I.ocaL ion
(T/R-Scc-k-'s)
U
(ug/1)
Rad ium-226
(pCl/L)
Gross Alpha
(pCi/i)
Gross Beta
(pCi/1)
Rema rkf.
Fox Hi 1J s
Lakotn
Fa 1 1 River
Minnelusn
Madison
36/77-5 bb
37/63-13 cb
40/78-26 cb
42/62-30 aa
50/72-21
48/65
53/66
55/66
48/64
55/61
57/61
-21 bb
-4 bb
-1 bb
-18 bd
-26 dc
-27 bd
56/63-25 dc
33/75
39/78'
40/79
40/79
4 5/61'
56/62'
52/63
57/65'
-8 bd
-2 bcdc
-26 ca
-3L bca
-33 ab
-18 bdc
-25 dc
¦15 da
0.85
17
17.9
0
12.8
38.3
8.5
16.2
19.6
5.1
10.2
6.8
F1a thead
5 7/65J 5 da
6.3
<0.4
0.5310.25
0.24+0.19
1.44+0.38
0+3.6
0+0.24
0.64+0.31
2.7+0.56
0.31±0.42
0.84±0.26
0.63±0.35
476+6.2
3.4
23.5±1.6
1.8
0. 7
14
0+33
0±31
0±45
0 + ] 7
0+2.4
0H6
49129
48 + 33
0117
0+13
0+21
1.7+1.1
342+193
561125
L.6 + 1. 1
0131
20135
0+34
0 + 19
0126
1+30
23133
6118
4113
0 + 19
50+137
93*
811J 17
69 a
54a
2. la
15
I9a
Composite of City of Gillette
Fox Hills wcLIs
City of Sundance well !>3
City of Sundnnco Well i/3A
aGross beta as Cs-137, pCi/i.
refers to the number of analyses available.
Data Sources: i - U.S. F.nvi ronmenLal Protection Agency, unpublished data
2 - Wyoming Department of Environmental Quality data files
3 - U.S. Geological Survey data
h - WHU1 samples analyzed for this report
-------
342 ± 193 pCi/1 of gross alpha radiation. These values are far greater
than others reported for Madison waters (Table V3; Eisen and others,
1980), though the dissolved uranium concentration in this analysis
is 10.2 yg/1, only slightly above the normal uranium content of ground
waters, which is 0 Ug/1 to 10 Ug/1 (Hem, 1970; Davis and DeWiest, ,
1966).
The anomalously high radioactivity of the above analysis cannot
be readily explained. Deposition of carbonate rocks such as the Madison
takes place only from waters saturated with respect to calcite and/or
dolomite. The mobility of uranium in such a solution is high due
to the formation of soluble uranyl-carbonate complexes (Patten and
Bennett, 1963). Consequently, carbonate rocks are rarely enriched
in uranium or its decay product, radium-226. Similarly, gypsum and
anhydrite deposits, often associated with carbonates, are character-
istically low in uranium and radium-226 due to the formation of soluble
uranyl-sulfate complex during deposition (Davis and DeWiest, 1966).
Radioactivity in ground waters from carbonate rocks may originate
from interbeds of clay and shale, or upward movement from underlying
sandstones or crystalline rocks.
The two available analyses of Lance aquifer water both exceed
the gross alpha standard, while all analyses of Fox Hills water show
low alpha radiation (Table V-4). Two analyses of Lakota aquifer water
also exceed the gross alpha standard, while Fall River aquifer waters
are characteristically low in gross alpha radiation. Available data
are insufficient to determine whether these apparent differences are
local or basinwide in nature.
157
-------
Dissolved uranium concentrations in pre-Tertiary ground waters
show a fairly well distributed range, from less than 0.1 yg/1 to 38
yg/1, which is somewhat higher than normal ground-water uranium levels
(Hem, 1970; Davis and DeWiest, 1966).
Wasatch/Fort Union Aquifer System
Numerous radionuclear analyses of Wasatch/Fort Union waters exist,
due mainly to the presence of economic uranium deposits. Available
data show a wide range in concentrations (Table V-4). Radium-226
ranges from less than 0.1 pCi/1 to over 950 pCi/1. Gross alpha and
beta radiation vary from 0 pCi/1 to 4,691 pCi/1 and 835 pCi/1, respec-
tively. Dissolved uranium concentrations of over 10,000 yg/1 are
reported, approaching the highest known ground-water uranium content
in the United States, which is 18,000 yg/1 (Davis and DeWiest, 1966).
High concentrations of radionuclides are geographically and strati-
graphically restricted to areas adjacent to uranium ore zones. Mobili-
zation of uranium likely takes place through the action of shallow
oxidizing ground water on reduced uranium minerals, and the formation
of soluble uranyl-carbonate complexes (Barker and Scott, 1958).
Existing analyses from non-mining areas show no exceedences of
the radium-226 or gross alpha standards, contain less than 1 yg/1
dissolved uranium, and show gross beta levels below 15 pCi/1.
158
-------
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-------
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, 1959, Stratigraphy of the Inyan Kara Group in the Black Hills:
U.S. Geol. Survey Bull. 1081-B, p. 11-90.
Wells, D. K., Busby, J. F., and Glover, K. C., 1979, Chemical analyses
of water from the Minnelusa Formation and equivalents in the Powder
River basin and adjacent areas, northeastern Wyoming: U.S. Geol.
Surv. Basic Data Report, Wyoming Water Planning Program Report
No. 18, Wyo. State Engineer, Cheyenne.
Whitcomb, H. A., 1960, Investigation of declining artesian pressures
in the vicinity of Osage, Weston County, Wyoming: U.S. Geol Survey
Open-File report, 11 p.
, 1963, Decreasing yields of flowing wells in the vicinity of
Newcastle, Weston County, Wyoming: U.S. Geol. Survey Open-File
Report, 22 p.
, 1965, Ground-water resources and geology of Niobrara County,
Wyoming: U.S. Geol. Survey Water-Supply Paper 1788, 101 p.
, and Gordon, E. D., 1964, Availabi]ity of groundwater at Devils
Tower National Monument, Wyoming: U.S. Geol. Survey Open-File
Report, 61 p.
Whitcomb, H. A., and Morris, D. A., 1964, Ground-water resources and
geology of northern and western Crook County, Wyoming: U.S.
Geol. Survey Water-Supply Paper 1698, 92 p.
Whitcomb, H. A., Cummings, T. R., and McCullough, R. A., 1966, Ground-
water resources and geology of northern and central Johnson County,
Wyoming: U.S. Geol. Survey Water-Supply Papper 1806, 99 p.
Whitcomb, H. A., Morris, D. A., Gordon, E. D., and Robinove, C. J., 1958,
Occurrence of ground water in the eastern Powder River Basin and
western Black Hills, northeastern Wyoming. Iri Guidebook, Wyo.
Geol. Assoc. 13th Ann. Field Conf., p. 245-260.
169
-------
Woodward-Clyde Consultants, 1980, Well-field hydrology technical report:
Prepared for Bureau of Land Management as a supplemental document
to the Draft Environmental Impact Statement on the Energy
Transportation Systems Inc. coal slurry pipeline transportation
project.
Wulf, G. R., 1963, Lower Cretaceous Muddy Sandstone, northeastern Powder
River Basin, Wyoming: _In Guidebook, Wyo. Geol. Assoc. and Billings
Geol. Soc. First Joint Field Conf., p. 104-107.
, 1968, Lower Cretaceous Muddy Sandstone in the northern Rockies.
In Guidebook, Wyo. Geol. Assoc. 20th Ann. Field Conf., p. 29-34.
Wyoming Crop and Livestock Reporting Service, 1979, Wyoming Agricultural
Statistics1979: Cheyenne, Wyo., 106 p.
Wyoming Geological Association, 1954, Guidebook, Ninth Annual Field
Conference, Casper Area.
, 1957 (supplemented 1961), Wyoming Oil and Gas Fields Symposium:
579 p.
, 1958, Guidebook, Thirteenth Annual Field Conference, Powder River
Basin: 341 p.
, 1963, Guidebook, First Joint Field Conference, Wyo. Geol. Assoc.
and Billings Geol. Soc., Northern Powder River Basin: 204 p.
, 1964, Highway Geology of Wyoming: 361 p.
, 1968, Guidebook, Twentieth Annual Field Conference, Black Hills
Area: 243 p.
, 1976, Guidebook, Twenty-Eighth Annual Field Conference, Powder
River: 328 p.
Wyoming Oil and Gas Conservation Commission, 1980a, Wyoming Oil and Gas
1979: Casper, Wyo., computer printouts.
, 1980b, Wyoming Oil and Gas Statistics1979: Casper, Wyo., 96 p.
Wyoming State Engineer, 1974, Underground water supply in the Madison
Limestone, northeastern Wyoming (Powder River basin): Cheyenne,
Wyo., report to the Wyo. State Legislature, 117 p.
Wyoming Water Planning Program, 1971, Water and related land resources
of the Platte River basin, Wyoming: Wyo. State Engineer, Cheyenne,
Water Planning Program Report No. 9, 200 p.
, 197 2, Water and related land resources of northeastern Wyoming:
Wyo. State Engineer, Cheyenne, Water Planning Program Report No.
10, 209 p.
170
-------
, 1973, The Wyoming framework water plan: Wyo. State Engineer,
Cheyenne, 243 p.
, 1977, Report on the Gillette Project: Wyo. State Engineer, Cheyenne,
60 p.
171
-------
APPENDIX A
GROUND - WATER USE FOR COMMUNITY
DRINKING WATER SUPPLY AND BY
INDUSTRY IN THE
POWDER RIVER BASIN, WYOMING
Ground-water user Page
Water sources for municipalities A-l
Permitted municipal wells A-4
Non-municipal community systems A-14
Petroleum recovery A-21
Petroleum refineries A-27
Coal mines A-28
Electric power plants A-30
Uranium industry A-31
-------
Table A-l . Primary and secondary water sources for.incorporated municipalities within the Powder River basin.
County
Primary Source
Secondary Source
Municipality Source
EPA PWS IU it Type
Source
Source
Type
Source
Average Production
gal/day* AF/yr*
Ave rage
Population* gal/cap/day
Served Production
Supplementary info.
Cainpbel 1
Gillette
5600019
ground
Wasat ch/
Fort Union
aqui fer
system
ground
Fox Hills/
Lance aquifer
system
1,200,000 1,345
12,000 100 The city of Gillette is pre-
sently developing additional
ground-water supplies from the
Madison aquifer, in Crook
County, to he used as an addi-
tional water source starting
1981.
Conve rse
Crook
Douglas
5600137
Glenrock
5600199
Hulett
5600026
Moorcrof t
5600036
Sundance
5600055
Johnson
ground Box Elder
spring
ground Quaternary
alluvial
aquifer and
Fox Hills/
Lance aquifer
system
ground Minnelusa
aqu i f e r
ground Fox Hills/
Lance aquifer^
system
ground Madison,
Mi nnelusa,
Minnekahta, and
Spear E ish
aquifers.
surface N. Platte R.
1,600,000 1,793
surface Deer Creek
420,000
4 71
7,500
2,800
213
150
48,000 53
150,000 168
200,000 224
320
1,200
1,200
150
125
167
Box Elder spring is likely
Madison aquifer system water.
Town of Moorcroft may purchase
future additional water from
Gillette Madison well field
Buffalo
5600005
Kaycee
5600196
surface Clear Creek
surface Powder River ground
Quaternary
alluvial
aquif er
500,000 560
85,000 95
4,500
350
111
243
System base demand is collected
through infiltration galleries .
-------
Tabic A-l. (continued)
County
Primary Source
Municipality Source
EPA PWS ID if Type Source
Secondary Source
Source
TyPe
Source
Nat. rona
Niobrara
Platte
Sheridan
Caspe r
5600009
ground
Quaternary
alluvial
aquifers
along N.
Platte R.
surface N. Platte R
fcdgergon
5600017
g round
Fox Mills/
Lance aquifer
sys tem
EvansviJle
5600018
surface N. Platte R. ground
Quaternary
alluvial
aqui fer
>
I
K)
Midwest
5600201
Mills
5600036
surface N. Platte R.
ground
Quaternary
aJluvial
aquifer
surface N. Platte R
Manville
5600100
ground
Middle
Tertiary
aquifers
Glendo
5600023
ground
Hartville
aquifer
Clearmont
5600013
ground
Wasatch/
Fort Union
aquifer
system
Dayton
5600202
surface
Tongue River
Average Production
gal/day* AF/yr*
Average
Population* gaj/cap/day
Served Production
Supplementary Info.
10,000,000 11,209 45,000 222
80,000 90 650 123
250,000 280 2,500 100
45,000 50 600 75
500,000 560 2,000 250
38,700 43 104 372
20,000 22 450 44 Hartville aquifer is a
Minnelusa equivalent.
15,000 17 153 98
180,000 202
650
276
-------
Table A-l. (continued)
County
Primary Source
Municipality Source
EPA FWS ID if Type
Source
Secondary Source
Source
Type
Source
Average Production
gal/day* AF/yr*
Average
Population* gal/cap/day
Served Production
Supplementary lnfo,
Wes ton
Ranchester
5600044
surface Tongue River
117,380 132
750
156
Sheridan
5600052
surface Big Goose
Creek
5,000,000 5,605
13,000
385
Newcastle
5600256
ground Madison
aquifer
600,000 673
5,000
120
Upton
5600140
ground
Madison
aquif er
& Dakota
aquifer
sys tem
100,000 112
1,100
91
TOTAL: 21,149,080 23,704
101,827
208
*U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, 1979.
-------
Table A-2. Permitted municipal wells within the Powder River basin (data from Wyoming State Engineer's Permit Files,
February, 1980).
Coun ty
Mun i cipali ty
Facility Location of Facility
State
Permi t
Number
Aquifer
Total Static Reported
Depth Water El. Yield Completion Chemical Well Supp 1 enientary
(ft) (ft) (gal/min) Date Analysis Status Information
Campbel1
Ci ty of
C. i llet te
M-l
M-2
M-3
M-4
M-5
M-6
M-7
M-8
M-9
M-10
S-20
M-l
H-2
M-3
M-4
H-5
H-6
H-7
M-8
M-9
11-10
51N 66W Sec. 6
51N 66W Sec. 6
51N 66W Sec. 6
51N 66W Sec. 6
51N 66W Sec. 6
51N 66W Sec. 6
51N 66W Sec. 6
51N 66W Sec. 6
51N 66W Sec. 6
51N 66W Sec. 6
SON 72W Sec. 19
50N 72W Sec. 21
50N 72W Sec. 21
50N 72W Sec. 21
50N 72W Sec. 21
50N 72W Sec. 21
5ON 72W Sec. 21
50N 72W Sec. 21
50N 72W Sec. 21
SON 72W Sec. 21
50N 72W See. 21
P56867W
P56868W
P56869W
P56870W
P56871W
P56872W
P56873W
P56874W
P56875W
P56876W
P42985W
P1211W
P1212W
P1213W
P12UW
P1215W
P1216W
P1217W
P1218W
P1219W
P4J 987W
Madison
Mad i son
Madison
Madison
Madison
Madison
Mad ison
Mad ison
Madison
Madison
Ft. Union
(upper &
lower)
Wasatch
Wasatch
Wasatch
Wasatch
Wasatch
Wasatch
Wasatch
Wasatch
Wasatch
Wasatch
2429 669
200± 90±
2O0i 901
2O0± 901
2O0± 90±
2O0± 901
2001 90±
2001
2O0i
90±
90i
2O0± 90±
175? 85
160
60
60
50
60
90
60
50
60
60
40
7-11-78
Yes
before
before
before
before
be fore
before
before
before
before
1960's
6/65 yes
6/65 yes
6/65 Unk
6/65 Yes
6/65 Yes
6/65 Yes
6/65 Yes
6/65 Yes
6/65 Yes
Yes
Ci i 11 e 11 e
field su
c ipali 11
and Moor
as local
indust ry
permitte
is 7000
peak lim
Well com
merits no
St. Engi
6/81.
Modi son wel1
ppJ i es mun i-
es of Ci1lctte
croft, as well
ranchers and
Total
d production
AF/y with a
it of 6000 gpra
plction slate-
t filed with
neer as of
Abd 76
Abd 7 2
Abd 72
Abd 71
Abd 72
Abd 72
Abd 12/78
Abd 12/76
Abd 70
P
-------
Table A-2. (continued)
County
Municipality
State
Permi t
Facility Location of Facility Number Aquifer
Total Static Reported
Depth Water El. Yield
(ft) (ft) (sal/min)
Completion Chemical Well Supplementary
Date Analysis Status Information
City of
Gillette (cone.)
>
I
Ul
H-12
H-13
H-14
H-15
H-16
H-22
H-26
H-3
S-2
S-4
S-5
S-6
S-7
S-10
SON 72W Sec. 21
50N 72W Sec. 21
SON 72W See. 21
50N 72W Sec. 21
50N 72W Sec. 21
SON 72W Sec. 21
SON 72W Sec. 21
50N 72W Sec. 21
P41988W Wasatch
P41989W Wasatch
P41990W Wasatch
P41991W Wasatch
P41992W Wasatch
P41998W Wasatch
P42002S Wasatch
P1229W
230
320
320
222
222
222
301
50N 72W Sec. 21 P1222W
50N 72W Sec. 21 P1230W
Fox Hills it 1 SON 72W Sec. 21 P1232W
93
107
112
71
70
65
121
1060 4751
SON 72W Sec. 21 P1223W Upper 982 400±
Ft. Union
50N 72W Sec. 21 P1234W Upper 1215 350i
Ft. Union
SON 72W Sec. 21 P1233W Upper 1143 350±
Ft. Union
930 350
1130 400±
S-8 SON 72W Sec. 21 P1224W Ft. Union 818 400i
S-9
50N 72W Sec. 21 P42004W Upper 1208 431
Ft. Union
50N 72W Sec. 21 P42005W Upper 2350 57J
Ft. Union
3479 450 J
75
110
70
94
52
55
83
60
65
150
125
60
60
55
110
170
125
1965
11-21-69
12-1-69
3-9-70
2-6-70
2-9-70
3-3-70
Yes
Yes
Yes
Yes
Yes
Yes
Yes
before 6/65 Y
es
before 6/65 Yes
before 6/65 No
before 6/65 Yes
before 6/65 Yes
before 6/65 Yes
before 6/65 Yes
8-13-76 No
8-4-76 No
before 6/65 Unk
Abd 9/78
P
P
Abd 8/77
Originally completed
in Ft. Union (/7S-3),
subsequently in
Wasatch.
Abd 6/79
Abd 8/77
Unk Originally completed
in Ft. Union, subse-
quently in Wasatcli.
Abd 8/78 Originally completed
in Ft. Union, Subse-
quently in Wasatch.
Abd 76
P Converted oil test
hole .
P Converted oil test
hole.
P Originally completed
in Fox Mills/Lance
system, plugged back
to Ft. Un I on.
-------
Table A-2. (continued)
County
Municipality
Facility
State
Permit
Location oC Facility Number Aquifer
Total Static
Depth Water El.
(ft) (ft)
Reported
Y ield
(ftal/mln)
Completion Chemical Well Supplementary
Date Analysis Status Informat J on
City of
C111 ette (cont.)
>
I
ON
Fox Hills #3 50N 72W Sec. 21
11-17
H-18
H-19
H-20
H-21
H-23
H-24
H-25
S-8
S-17
50N 72W Sec. 22
50N 72W Sec. 22
50N 72W Sec. 22
50N 72W Sec. 22
50N 72W Sec. 22
SON 72W Sec. 22
50N 72W Sec. 22
50N 72W Sec. 22
50N 72W Sec. 22
50N 72W Sec. 22
P-l
P-2
C
S-13
H-27
D
P30005W Fox Hills/
Lance
System
P41993W Wasatch
P41994W Wasatch
P41995W Wasatch
P41996W Wasatch
P41997W Wasatch
P41999W Wasatch
P42000W Wasatch
P42001W Wasatch
P1226W
50N 72W Sec. 27 P1220W
50N 72W Sec. 27 P1221W
50N 72W Sec. 27 P1225W
50N 72W Sec. 27 P1228W
50N 72W Sec. 28
50N 72W Sec. 28
4436 824
Upper
Ft. Union
Fox Hills 112 50N 72W Sec. 22 P25111W -
P52003W Wasatch
283
222
284
283
282
303
243
283
826
P42010W Ft. Union
(upper &
lower)
Wasatch
Wasatch
Upper
Ft. Union
Upper
Ft. Union
67
56
58
68
58
89
62
74
4841
2297 500
8509 600
P1231W
Upper
Ft. Union
500
500
814
855
382
101 5
100
100
400
350
189
400
340
56
75
49
55
62
50
110
100
60
220
200
90
80
60
60
80
65
12-74
12-5-69
3-5-70
12-29-69
12-11-69
2-2-70
1-28-70
1-22-70
12-18-69
6-13-78
11-73
Yes
Yes
Yes
Yes
Yes
Yes
Yes
Yes
Yes
before 6/65 Yes
Yes
Yes
before 6/65 Yes
before 6/65 Yes
before 6/65 Yes
before 6/65 Yes
2-24-70 Yes
before 6/65 No
High levels of
fluoride and gas.
P
Unk
P
Abd 6/78
P
P
P
P
Abd 10/78
Originally completed
in Fox Hills/Lance
system, plugged back
to Fort Union.
Unk
Unk
Abd 77
Abd 11/78
P
Abd 77
-------
Table A-2.
(continued)
County Municipality
State Total Static Reported
Permit Depth Water El. Yield Completion Chemical Well Supplementary
Facility Location of Facility Number Aquifer (ft) (ft) (gal/min) Date Analysis Status Information
City of
Gillette (cont.)
S-14
S-18
S-19
S-ll
S-12
50N 72W Sec. 28
P1227W Upper
Ft. Union
980 150
50N 72W Sec. 33 P41830W Ft. Union 1732 520
50N 72W Sec. 33 P41831W Ft. Union 1720 750
50N 72W Sec. 34 P42006W Ft. Union 2323 520
50N 72W Sec. 34 P42007W Ft. Union 2295 463
60
140
130
125
125
before 6/65 No
9-6-78
8-11-80
2-77
6-17-77
Yes
Yes
Yes
Yes
Abd 8/78
P
P
P
P
Plugged at 1800.
Plugged at 1800.
Converse
C lenrock
Fox Hills 33N 75 W Sec. 4 NE NE P44855W Fox Hills 706
II2
Fox Hills 33N 75W Sec. 4 NW NE P44473W Fox Hills 508
#1
Glenrock 33N 75W Sec. 4 NW SW P17439W alluvium 35
111
20
240
125
150
5-1-80
5-1-80
Unk Unk Flowing Well
Yes Unk
3-31-73 No Unk
Crook
Glenrock 33N 75W Sec. 4 NW SW P17441W alluvium 33
II3
Glenrock 33N 75W Sec. 4 NW NW P17442W alluvium 31
#4
70
80
3-31-73 No Unk
4-17-73 No Unk
Glenrock 33N 75W Sec. 4 SW NW P17440W alluvium 35
II2
120
3-31-73 No Unk
Sundance
Cole II3 52N 63W Sec. 25 SE SW P1544W Minnelusa 517
Cole II3A 52N 63W Sec. 25 SE SW P8377W Madison 1123
Cole II3B 52N 63W Sec. 25 SE SE P50484W Madison
Loydcole 51N 63W Se. 11 SE NE P2522W
II4
1236
Minnekahta 110
Hard
water well
II5
471
432
429
23
51N 63W Sec. 23 P2523W Minnelusa 440 120
240
300
260
22
200
9-10-65
8-15-71
7-80
3-57
9-54
No
Yes
No
Unk
Yes
Unk
P
P
Unk
Unk
Yield enlarged 200
gpm by permit II2580.
-------
Table A-2. (continued)
County
State Total Static Reported
PcmiLt Depth Water El. Yield Completion Chemical Well Supplementary
Municipality FacillLy Location of Facility Number Aquifer (ft) (ft) (gal/min) Date Analysis Status Information
Sundance (cont.)
Loafman
well ill
51N 63W Sec. 24 P2520W Spearfish 140 16
7-34
Unk link
Loafman
well 112
51N 63W Sec. 27 P2521W Spearfish 115 5
15
6-58
Unk Unk
Hulett
Hule11
Artesian
well //I
54N 64W Sec. 7 P31C Minnelusa 620 0
480
9-15-34 Unk P Flowing well.
Hulett
Artesian
well If2
54N 64W Sec. 7 PJ18G Minnelusa 690 0
250
9-1-51 Unk P Flowing well.
Hulett 54N 64W Sec. 7 P56489W (Madison) N.R. N.R. N.R. N.R. Unk 1 Pending permit, 6/81:
Artesian anticipated depth
well //3 1,500 feet, antici-
j pated yield 500 gpm.
00
Moorcrof t
Moorcroft 04 50N 67W Sec. 31 P993W Fox Hills 485 90 60 6-4-74 Unk Unk
/Lance
Moorcroft 115 50N 67W Sec. 31 P33968W Fox Hills 485 310 30 8-76 Yes Unk Yield enlarged 25 gpm
/Lance by permit 11 42845
Moorcroft //I 50N 67W Sec. 31 P990W Fox Hills 500 150 30 4-22-64 Unk Unk
/Lance
Moorcroft //2 50N 67W Sec. 31 P991W Fox Hills 400 150 50 5-1-64 Unk Unk
/Lance
Moorcroft #3 49N 67W Sec. 6 P992W Fox Hills 385 1 25 30 5-15-64 Unk Unk
/Lance
Moorcroft If6 50N 68W Sec. 36 P43549W Fox Hills 760 89 100 2-21-79 Unk Unk
/Lance
Johnson
Kaycee
Kaycee 43N 82N Sec. 12 P11W alluvium 20 12 347 10-J-58 Unk Unk
Well If2 NE SW
Pending permit, 6/81
anticipated depth 40
ft.; anti cipated
yield 70 gpm.
Kaycee 48N 82W Sec. 12 P4327W (alluvium) N.R. N.R. N.R. N.R. Unk
Well //3 NE SW
-------
Table A-2.
(continued)
Court t y Munici palIty
State Tola] Static Reported
Permit Depth Water El. YieLd Completion Chemical Well Supplementary
Facility Location of Facility Number Aquifer (ft) (ft) (gal/mln) Date Analysis Status Information
Bu f f alo
Nat rona
Buffalo 50N 82W Sec. 6 PIG
Underground
Water Supply
No. 1
Clear Creek 50N 82W Sec. 6 P42W
if 2
alluvium 18 11
alluvium 25
12
990
790
10-30-47 Unk Unk Infiltration gallery.
7-28-74
No
Unk
Infiltration gallery.
Casper
>
I
Park Well //2 34N 79W
Park Well II3 34N 79W
Park Well //4 34N 79W
Park Well //I 33N 79W
Casper if 14
Casper #15
City of
Casper //16
City of
Casper if 17
City of
Casper //18
Casper //4
Casper //I
Casper #2
Casper //3
33N 79W
33N 79W
33N 79W
33N 79W
33N 79W
33N 79W
33N 79W
33N 79W
33N 79W
Sec. 34
S E SW
Sec. 34
SE SW
Sec. 34
SE SE
Sec. 3
NE NW
Sec. 7
SW NW
Sec. 7
SW SW
Sec. 7
SW SE
Sec. 7
SE SW
Sec. 7
SE SW
Sec. 18
NW NE
Sec. 18
NW NE
Sec. 18
NW NE
Sec. 18
NW NE
P575W alluvium 28
P576W alluvium 33
P577W alluvium 32
P574W alluvium 29
P601G alluvium 30
P602G alluvium 33
P1152W alluvium 31
P1153W alluvium 31
P1154W alluvium 34
P594G alluvium 38
P615C alluvium 30
12
12
12
14
16
P616C alluvium 30 13
P617C alluvium 30 13
920
1000
850
700
600
800
600
500
1000
700
500
500
500
7-17-61
7-19-71
7-2-62
1956
1956
6-10-64
6-10-64
6-10-64
1920
1920
1920
No
No
No
Unk
Unk
Unk
6-1-62 No Unk
Unk Unk
Unk Unk
No Unk
No Unk
No Unk
5-13-53 Unk Unk
Unk Unk
Unk Unk
Unk Unk
"Park" wells are
principally for park
irrigation but are
also permitted for
municipal use.
-------
Table A-2. (continued)
County
State
Permit
Municipality Facility Location of Facility Number
Aqui fer
Casper (cont.)
>
I
Ranney //I 33N 79W
Ranney II2 33N 79W
Ranney II3 33N 79W
Morad 112
City of
Casper //ll
City of
Casper //12
Casper //5
Casper It6
Casper Hi
Casper 118
Casper If9
Casper #10
33N 79W
Morad //3 33N 79W
Morad //I 33N 79W
33N 80W
33N 80W
33N 80W
33N 80W
33N 80W
33N 80W
33N 80W
33N 80W
Sec. 18
NW NW
Sec. 18
NW NW
Sec. 18
NW NW
Sec. 18
SW NE
Sec. 18
SW NE
Sec. 18
SW NW
Sec. 12
SE NE
Sec. 12
SE NE
Sec. 12
SE SE
Sec. 12
SE SE
Sec. 12
SE SE
Sec. 12
SE SE
Sec. 12
SE SE
Sec. 12
SE SE
P46W alluvium
P47W alluvium
P48W alluvium
P1798W alluvium
P1799W alluvium
P1797W alluvium
P49W alluvium
P50W alluvium
P595G alluvium
P596G alluvium
P597C alluvium
P598C alluvium
P599G alluvium
P600G alluvium
Total Static
Depth Water El.
(ft) (ft)
Reported
Yield Completion Chemical Well Supplementary
(gal/min) Date Analysis Status Information
24 5 1400 10-1-58 No Unk Cassion
25 5 1100 10-1-58 No Unk Cassion
25 5 1550 8-15-58 No Unk Cassion
31 8 700 7-16-66 No Unk
32 8 700 7-18-66 No Unk
31 10 450 7-15-66 No Unk
30 8 750 3-56 No Unk
30 7 750 3-56 No Unk
30 7 700 1953 Unk Unk
36 10 700 1953 Unk Unk
34 9 700 1953 Unk Unk
32 8 600 1953 Unk Unk
30 5 700 1953 Unk Unk
28 8 600 1953 Unk Unk
-------
Table A-2. (continued)
County Munlcipali ty
State Total Stat
Permit Depth Water
Facility Location of Facility Number Aquifer (ft) (ft
Natrona
Edgerton
Edgerton 41N 78W Sec. 36 P53598W (Fox Hills) N.R. N.R.
in
Edgerton 4IN 78W Sec. 36 P6319VJ Fox Hills 2000 N.R.
Water Well
#5
Edgerton lib 40N 78W Sec. 1 P44002W Fox Hills 2120 290
NW NW
Edgerton 40N 78W Sec. 11 P1652W Fox Hills 910 330
Well II3
NE NW
/Lan
Edgerton
Water Well
111
4ON 78W Sec. 11 P1002W Fox Hills 976 800
SE NW
/Lance
Edgerton 40N 78W Sec. 11 P1653W Fox Hills 735 225
Well IIla
SE NW
/Lance
Evansv i1le
Mills
Edgerton 40N 78W Sec. 15 P508C Fox Hills 130 80
Parsons 111 NE NW
Evansville 34N 79W Sec. 36 P585W alluvium 37 9
116 SE NW
Mills Well
IIA
33N 79W Sec. 7 P2722W alluvium 31
NE SW
Mills Well
115
33N 79W Sec. 7 P4588W alluvium 30
NW NW
11
Mills 111
33N 79W Sec. 7 P1252W alluvium 30
SW NW
Mills 112
33N 79W Sec. 7 P1253W alluvium 30
SW NW
Mills II3
33N 79W Sec. 7 P1254W alluvium 30
SW NW
Mills lib
33N 79W Sec. 7 P50607W alluvium 34
SW NW
Reported
Yield Completion Chemical Well Supplementary
(gal/min) Date Analysis Status Information
N.R. N.R. Link 1 Pending permit, 6/81
anticipated depth
1900 ft, anticipated
yield 200 gpm.
60 10-9-70 No Unk
55 9-5-78 Yes Unk
34 10-4-66 No Abd Deepened 8/75, 2/76.
10/79
30 N.R. Unk Abd
4/61
30 10-4-66 No Unk Deepend 8/75.
11 6-38 Unk Unk
250 8-19-61 No Unk
N.R. N.R. Unk Abd 1/70
500 9-15-70 Yes Unk
300 10-1-48 Yes Unk
300 10-1-45 Yes Unk
500 6-16-61 Yes Unk
600 12-19-80 Unk Unk
-------
Table A-2. (continued)
CounLy Mun lei pal j ty
State Total Static Reported
Permit Depth Water El. Yield Completion Chemical WeJ 1 Supplementary
Facility Location of Facility Number Aquifer (ft) (ft) (gal/min) Date Analysis Status Information
Niobrara
Manville
Manvillc
Well if 1
Manville
Well if 2
32N 65W Sec. J P594C
SW NE
32N 65W Sec. 1
SW NE
P595C
Middle
Tertiary
Middle
Tertiary
185
185
30
40
150
100
1913
1913
Unk
Unk
Unk
Unk
Platte
>
I
Glendo
She r i dan
Cemetary 29N 68W Sec. 19 P548C alluvium 72 41
Well //I
Downey 29N 68W Sec. 20 P433C Hartville 410 0
Well //I
1000
225
8-15-56 Unk
11-16-41 Unk
Unk Originally drilled in
1905. Also permitted
for Industrial and
cemetary use.
Unk Plowing well.
Hartvilie is a
Minnelusa equivalent.
Clearmon t
Wes ton
Upton
Clearmont //I 54N 79W Sec. 16 P37666W Wasatch 522 110
Clearmont H2 54N 79W Sec. 16 P45802W (Ft. Union) N.R. N.R.
Clearmont 54N 79W Sec. 21 P1665W Wasatch 130 90
Water Well //I
30
N.R.
May 1978
N.R.
7-31-23
Unk
Unk
Yes
Abd
Pending permit, 6/81:
anticipated deptli
1400 feet; antici-
pated yield 200 gpm.
Well is currently
pumping large
quantities of
sand-complet i on
statement has not
been f 1J ed.
Clearmont 54N 79W Sec. 21 P1666W Wasatch 172 90
Water Well if2
35
6-17-58
Yes
Town of
Upton Well
it I
48N 65W Sec. 25
NW SW
P28334W Dakota
System
547
440
38
5-1957
No
-------
Table A-2. (continued)
County Muni cipali ty Facility Location of Facility
Upton (cont.)
State
Pe rmi t
Number
Aquifer
Town of
Upton Well
in
48N 65W Sec. 25
SW NW
P28335W Madison
Town of
Upton Well
#3
48N 65W Sec. 35
SW NE
P28336W
Dakota
System
Town of
Upton Well
//4
48N 65W Sec. 35
SW SW
P28337W Madison
Town of
Upton if5
48N 65W Sec. 35
SW SW
P28338W
Dakota
System
>
i«
LO
Newcastle
Newcastle
Artesian
Well //I
45N 61W Sec. 20
SE SW
P38G
Madison
Newcastle
U
45N 61W Sec. 20
SE SW
P39352W Madison
Municipal
Well U3
45N 61W Sec. 21
SW NW
P1317W Madison
Newcastle
if 2
45N 61W Sec. 28
NE NW
P389W Madison
Abreviations: I - Incomplete
P - Producing
Abd - Abandoned
N.R. - None Reported
Unk - Unknown
Total Static Reported
Depth Water El. Yield Completion Chemical Well Supplemental
(ft) (XQ (gal/mtn) Date Analysis Status Information
3162 0 205 10-J 9-49 Yes P
804 200 35 3-1959 Yes P
3193 N.R. 205 4-1963 Yes P
545 120 35 10-56 Yes P
2638 0 1600 2-14-49 Yes P Flowing well.
3245 0 640 6-25-78 Yes P Flowing well.
2872 0 463 9-10-65 Yes P Flowing well.
3028 28 650 6-30-61 Yes P
-------
Table A-3. Non-municLpal community water supply systems within the Powder River basin, Wyoming.
Facility Name
and Location
EPA PWS
ID ff
Owneg
Type
Popu Lation
Se rved
Average
Produc tion
(sal/day)
Wa ter
Source
Source
Location
SEO
Permit
Total
Dep th
8 (ft)
Aquifer
Reported
Yield
(8Pm)
Complet ion
Da te
Supp1emen tary
Information
CAMPBELL COUNTY
Anderson Subdivision
5600193
A
220
22,000
Anderson ill
50/72-23
ba
20855
1,050
Fort Union
25
12/10/73
Homeowners Assn.,
1st Enl. fl 1
50/72-23
ba
27231
1,050
Fort Union
50
N . A.
1 mi E of Gillette
2nd Enl. ffl
50/72-23
ba
52223
1,050
Fort Union
50
N. A.
Anderson if2
50/72-23
ab
27033
1,270
Fort Union
45
7/7/75
Enl. #2
50/72-23
ab
52224
1,270
Fort Union
50
N.A.
Antelope Valley
5600251
A
200
2,500
Ante 1 ope
49/72-13
cc
37361
(1.400)
(Fort Union)
(100)
--
Permit 37361 pending com-
Subdivision, 5 mi
Valley ff 1
pletion as of 6/81
SE of Gillette
Big W Trailer Court,
5600126
1
70
3,500
UNK
UNK
UNK
UNK
UNK
UNK
UNK
EPA data base lists 2 wcL1s
GiJlette
Black Hills Power &
5600135
C
570
50,000
Wyodak //I
50/71-27
be
5538
600
Fort Union
13
11/20/35
All wells supply Wyodak
Light, Wyodak
Wyodak 83
50/71-27
ba
5539
528
Fort Union
23
2/13/54
power plant, some also
Wyodak #4
50/71-22
cd
5540
575
Fort Union
50
4/14/50
supply the company town.
Wyodak 85
50/71-27
ba
5541
600
Fort Union
38
3/54
Wells ll\, 9, 10, 11 , and 12
Wyodak 06
50/71-22
cd
5542
600
Fort Union
26
4/55
are only permitted for
Wyodak ft?
50/71-22
ca
5543
600
Fort Union
27
1/54
industrial use. Well //4
Wyodak it8
50/71-27
ab
5293
541
Fort Union
25
7/30/70
is abandoned.
Wyodak 89
50/71-22
dc
9L70
556
Fort Union
15
2/15/72
Wyodak if 10
50/71-22
dc
15581
3,664
Fox Hills?
1,400
5/4/73
Wyodak if 1 1
50/71-27
ab
20832
2,646
Lance?
1,300
6/24/77
Wyodak if 12
50/71-27
ba
24990
1,180
Fort Union
1,200
12/2/73
Butler Court,
5600L27
I
35
1,750
UNK
UNK
UNK
UNK
UNK
UNK
UNK
EPA data base lists 1 well
Ci1le t te
Campbell County
5600192
A
480
54,000
Kenitzer 01
50/71-18
dd
56 70
335
Wasatch
30
5/17/71
Permits 56 70 & 17453 are
Countryside Water
Kenitzer 82
50/71-18
be
41 246
320
Wasatch
10.5
/-/69
cancelied
Users, 1 ml NE of
Kenitzer 83
50/71-18
ca
14 345
365
Wasatch
50
8/6/72
Cillette
Countryside
50/71-18
be
24605
1,190
Fort Union
150
6/17/74
Water Users
fi i
it i
Outer Limits
81
50 / 7 L 18
da
1 7453
(330)
(Wasatch)
(20)
Carson Mobile Home
5600117
I
251
5,400
Carson if 1
50/72-34
aa
2402
1,112
Fort Union
27
5/18/68
Park, l's mi S of
Carson if2
50/72-34
aa
2403
1 ,106
Fort Union
32
8/27/68
Cil let te
CoLlins Heights
5600129
L
1 20
15,000
Col 1 ins //I
50/71-19
dc
32002
1 ,234
Fort Union
20
8 / / 7 2
Subdivision, 3 mi
Collins 82
50/71-19
dc
32003
1,050
Fort Union
100
7/-/75
E of Gillette
Diajnond Mobile Home
5600131
I
400
14,500
Sullivan 82
50/72-25
aa
32660
1,040
Fort Union
50
4/30/76
Park, 2 mi E of
Gillette
Fox Park Subdivision,
56007-45
1
50
5,000
Drum-Cou1ter
50/71-31
ab
37958
1 ,775
Fort Union
300
2/20/78
3 mi SE of Gillette
#1
Green's Trailer Court,
5600 L 22
]
150
15,000
UNK
UNK
UNK
UNK
UNK
UNK
UNK
EPA data base lists 1 well
S of Gillette
-------
Table A-3. (continued)
>
I
Average
Total
Reported
Facility Name
EPA PWS
Owner
Populat ion
Produc tlon
Water
Source
SEO
Depth
Yield
Complet ion
Supplementary
and Location
ID il
Typeb
Served
(gal/day)
Source
Location
Permit
V (ft)
Aquifer
(fipm)
Date
Information
CAMPBELL COUNTY (continued)
Heritage Village
5600249
I
550
55,000
Anderson 03
50/72-14 cd
33293
1,000
Fort Union
50
9//76
Subdivision, 2 mi
Enl. it 3
50/72-14 cd
42641
1,000
Fort Union
100
N. A.
NE of Gillette
Anderson if4
50/72-14 ca
33294
1,002
Fort Union
50
9/25/77
Enl. 04
50/72-14 ca
42642
1,002
Fort Union
100
N .A.
Hidden Valley Home-
5600144
A
1 20
12,000
Hidden Valley
49/72-6 ad
49066
(1,200)
(Fort Union)
(150)
--
Permit 49066 is pending
owners Assn., 4 ml
#71
completion as of 6/81 and
SW of Gillette
Hidden Valley
49/72-6 ad
49067
1,320
Fort Union
80
10/1/79
is a refiling of cancelled
n
permit 30012.
Hitching Post Trailer
5600119
I
34
82,000
Hitching Post
49/72-12 cd
6349
GO
o
Fort Union
25
5/8/69
Hitching Pose (f 1 is identified
Court, Gillette
SI ?
as supply well on EPA data
Edwards 03 7
54/74-24 bb
29725
(500)
(Wasatch)
(25)
base but permitted for
domestic use only. Edwards
it3, same owner, is a can-
celled permit to supply on
80 space mobile home park.
Hoy Mobile Home Park,
5600141
UNK
100
6,000
UNK
UNK
UNK
UNK
UNK
UNK
UNK
EPA data base lists 1 well
Gillette
Imperial Trailer Court,
5600120
I
68
3,400
Acres ifl 7
49/72-2 cd
4975
211
Wasatch
25
4/8/70
Well //I permitted for
2h mi S of Gillette
Enl. ?
49/72-2 cd
26792
211
Wasatch
0
N. A.
domestic use only, EPA
Ac r e s if 2
49/72-2 cd
26795
1,120
Fort Union
25
7/5/74
data base Identified il 2
Enl. if2
49/72-2 cd
28320
1,120
Fort Union
25
N . A.
as sole source.
J and J Mobile Home
5600130
1
500
25,000
Dickinson 01
50/72-20 ca
38071
1,255
Fort Union
200
7/17/77
EPA data base lists 2 wel Is,
Park, 2 mi W of
Gillette
Jones Trailer Court, 5600125
3 mi SW of Gillette
Knutson's Trailer 5600124
Park, Gillette
Lakeside Properties, 5600118
inc., 2 mi S of
Gillette
McCulloch Gas Trailer 5600143
Court, Hilight
Morgan Trailer Court, 560014 2
Gillette
Nepstad Trailer Court, 5600138
2 nil S of Gillette
Nickelson Farms Water 5600619
Co. , 10 mi SE of
Gillette
Phillips Petroleum, 5600279
Hilight
90
50
189
50
36
50
400
29
5,000 Jones 02 ?
3,750 UNK
9,800 Lakeside //3
En 1 . #3
49/72-5 ba 30481
399 Wasatch
UNK UNK
50/72-34 ac 6740 1,100 Fort Union
50/72-34 ac 52284 1,100 Fort Union
2,500 McCulloch Water 45/71-26 cc 5492
Well in
1,800 Morgan #10 ? 48/72-25 bd 26012
2,500 Nepstead Hi
831 Fort Union
190 Wasatch
49/72-3 ac 14694 i,211 Fort Union
20,000 Nickelson's 49/71-26 ca 37957 1,300 Fort Union
Little Farms
//I
if 2 N icke 1 son ' s 49/71-26 c.i 52304 (1,500) (Fort Union)
3,600 Hay Booster 45/71-10 ad 6758 778 Fort Union
Water WeLL Hi
25
UNK
100
0
15?
15
100
100
(250)
5
4/12/78
UNK
10/25/70
N. A.
5/15/70
7/75
11/28/72
8/15/77
12/9/70
deep and shallow.
Well permitted for
domestic use only.
EPA data base lists 1 well.
EPA data base lists 2 wells,
//I and 112
EPA data base lists different
mailing address and 2 wells.
Permit 52304 pending comple-
tion as of 6/81
-------
Table A-3, (continued)
Facility Name
and Location
EFA PWS
ID 0
Owiie r
Type^
Population
Served
Average
I'roduc t ion
(sal/day)
CAMPBELL COUNTY (continued)
Prairie Trailer Court, 5600134 I
Rozet
Prospector Village - 5600123 1
AMAX, 8 mi N of
CilleLte
Rawhide Village, 7 mi 5600128 I
N of Ctllette
90
400
400
40,000
Water
Source
4,500 UNK
30,000 Prospector fll
Prospector t}2
Kontono
Well ftl
Kontono
Well 82
En 1. 82
>
I
Rocky Point Homeowners
Assn. , 4 mi SW of
CillcLte
Stanley Trailer Court,
NE of Gillette
Stroup Trailer Court,
2 mi S of Cillette
Sunburst Water and
Sewer District, 2 mi
S of Gillette
Sundog Addition Home-
owners Assn., 4 mi
SW of Cillette
Tomek Trailer Court,
Cil1cL te
Westrldge Water Users
Assn., 2 mi S of
Cil1e t te
Wright Water and Sewer
District, Wright
5600259
5600121
5600145
5600116
5600148 A
5600139 I
5600146 A
5600136 A
60
45
150
200
30
45
220
800
9,000 Point til
2,250
7 , 500 Stroup fl 1
20,000
3,000
16,500
55,000
Sunburst ill
Enl. 01
Sunburst If2
1st Enl.
2nd Enl.
02
112
Sunburst if3
Sundog I
Sundog 11
2,250 Tomek ti\
El 1 ison 112
Enl. f}2
Wenger if 1
Wenger //2
RJ //I
RJ (12
RJ n
RJ 04
RJ if 5
Total
Reported
Source
SEU
Dep th
YieLd
Complet ion
Supplementary
Locat ion
Permit
If (ft)
Aquifer
(Rpm)
Da te
Information
UNK
UNK
UNK
UNK
UNK
UNK
EPA data base lists 2 wells,
deep and shallow.
51/72-17 cc
34920
1 ,100
Fort Union
75
11/3/76
51/72-17 cc
44003
1 ,130
Fort Union
100
3/1/80
51/72-20 aa
29719
1 ,020
Fort Union
15
7/15/75
Well ifl serves Rawhide
Village 1 & 11, well if 2
51/72-20 aa
49324
1,097
Fort Union
100
11/1/76
serves Rawhide Village 111.
Well 01 completion state-
51/72-20 aa
50566
1,097
Fort Union
300
N. A.
ment indicates 100 gpm yield
but 15 gpm is adjudicated
amoun t.
49/72-6 c
30208
1 ,420
Fort Union
100
12/-/76
UNK
UNK
UNK
UNK
UNK
UNK
EPA data base lists 1 well.
49/72-2 dc
29724
(448)
(Wasatch)
(20)
Permit pending completion
as of 6/81.
49/72-3 ac
1015
200
Wasatch
15
/ - / 5 9
More than 3 wells may be
49/72-3 ac
41018
1,253?
Fort Union
75?
N. A.
represented by these permits
49/72-3 da
1174
540
Wasa tch
25
6/-/66
2nd Enl. il2 is for points
49/72-3 da
29612
M,200?
Fort Union
75
N . A.
of use on 1y.
49/72-3 da
41019
M,200?
Fort Union
0
N.A.
49/72-3 da
2559
675
Fort Union
30
8/1/69
49/72-7 bb
29916
1 .150
Fort Union
35
8/4/75
Well 1 is backup; wo 1i 11
49/72-6 cc
56602
1 ,520
Fort Union
90
7/20/80
is primary supply.
50/72-23 dc
6500
(380)
(Wasatch)
(25)
Permit 6500 cancelled.
50/72-33 cd
14224
1 ,186
Fort Union
25
8/25/72
50/72-33 cd
4601 7
1,186
Fort Union
45
N.A.
50/72-33 ca
24603
1 ,360
ForL Union
109
7/24/73
50/72-32 db
37169
1 ,250
Fort Union
100
8/17/77
44/72-27 dc
46663
643
Wasatch
50
6/25/75
Cancelled permits 27638,
44/72-27 cc
46664
2,660
Fort Union
350
5/17/76
29417, 31916, and 37539
44/72-35 bd
46696
2,730
Fort Union
325
11/79
apply to wells if 1, 2, 2,
44/72-26 be
48090
(2,800)
(Fort Union)
(600)
and 3, respectively.
44/72-34 ca
48091
(2,800)
(Fort Union)
(400)
Permits 48090 and 48091
are pending completion
as of 6/8J.
-------
Table A-3. (continued)
Average
Facility Name EPA PWS Owner Population Production
and Location I D If Type^ Served (gal/day)
CONVERSE COUNTY
Coles Trailer Park,
2 mi S of Douglas
KOA Kampgrounds, W of
Doug 1 as
McClure's Trailer
Sales h Service,
1 mi N of Doug 1 as
Ridgewater Estates
One, 2 mi SW of
Douglas
Schrandts Mobile Villa,
SE of Douglas
Tennessee Ernie's
Trailer Acres,
Doug 1 as
Westland Trailer Park,
2-$ mi SW of Douglas
5600270 I
560024 7 I
5600277 I
5600285 I
5600269 I
5600 234 I
5600274 UN
100
120
24
70
70
75
90
5,000
4 ,500
E. Cole til ?
E. Cole til ?
6,000 UNK
1 ,200 McClure ti\
McC lure til
Enl. 1)2
McClure /j/3
1 1,025 Ridgewater f} 1
Smith //I
3,500 UNK
Westland Est.
if 1
Westland Est.
til ?
CROOK COUNTY
Pine Haven Water Co., 5600191 1 55 3,200 Keyhole ii\
8 mi NE of MoorcrofL
Roberts Trailer Park, 5600377
1 mi NK of IKi 1 et t
Vista West Subdivision, 5600246
N of Sundance7
25 1,875 Roberts til ?
120 12,000 Ogden Spring
JOHNSON COUNTY
Bald Mountain Trailer
Cour t, 2's mi W of
Buffalo
Cross C Campground,
2 mi W of Buffalo
Linch Utility, Linch
5600258 1
5600229 I
5600241 A
80
50
100
8 ,000 Wi I son //1
Wilson til
2,500 UNK
33,600 Sussex ti5
Sussex II6
Sussex //1 3
Total
Repor ted
Source
SEO
Depth
Yield
Complet ion
Supplemen tary
Loca t ion
Permit if
(ft)
Aquifer
(ftpm)
Da te
I n f o r ma t i o n
32/71-21 bb
14621
90
Middle Tertiary
8
-/-/28
Wells permitted for
32/71-21 bb
29898
200
Middle Tertiary
25
10/20/75
domestic use only.
UNK
UNK
UNK
UNK
UNK
UNK
EPA data base lists 2 wells.
32/71-4 bd
22223
65
Fort Union
10
UNK
Well //3 replaces well II1,
32/71-4 ba
30584
80
Fort Union
23
9/18/75
which has sandjng problem.
32/71-4 ba
53707
80
Fort Union
25
N. A.
32/71-4 bd
53708
100
Fort Union
25
5/4/81
32/72-13 dc
56453
185
Middle Tertiary
40
8/1/78
32/72-13 cd
56454
500
Middle Tertiary
50
7/12/80
UNK
UNK
UNK
UNK
UNK
UNK
F.PA data base lists 2 wells.
UNK
UNK
UNK
UNK
UNK
UNK
EPA data base lists 1 well.
32/72-24 bd
28274
127
Middle Tertiary
26
5/18/75
Well til permitted for
domestic use only.
32/72-24 ab
281 31
71
Middle Tertiary
to
-/-/44
50/66-5 ba
29613
4,110
Minnelusa
150
J 1/10/77
Permit 29613 cancelled but
& Madison9
TFN 12-2-373 is a
refiling for same well.
EPA data base lists 2 well
54/64-6 ca
8113
700
Minne1usa
25
2/28/71
Well permitted for
domestic use only.
--
No ground-water permit aL
St. Engineer's Office.
50/82-5 ba
23207
200
Wasatch
20
6/8/73
EPA data base Lists 3 wells.
50/82-5 ba
33490
200
Wasatch
30
7/16/76
UNK
UNK
UNK
UNK
UNK
UNK
EPA data base lists 1 well.
42/78-23 be
579G
471
Lance
18
3/5/49
Permits 6539 and 6540 are fo
42/78-22 ad
580C
425
Lance
25
11/5/49
same wells as 579G and 580<
42/78-23 bn
587C
1 ,936
Fox Hills ?
90
9/14/55
All 5 permits are currentl;
(6/81) cancelled.
-------
Table A-3. (continued)
Average
Tota 1
Reported
Fac 11iiy Name
EPA PWS
Owne r
Popula tion Produc t ion
Water
Source
SEO
Depth
Yield
Completion
Supplemen tary
and Location
11) II
Type b
Served (gal/day)
Source
Location
Permit 1
' (ft)
Aquifer
(gpm)
Da te
Information
NATRONA COUNTY
Air Base Acres, 6 mi
5600080
A
150 12,000
Purchase
__
__
Purchased from City of
NW of Casper
Casper
Alcova Acres Investment
5600071
1
340 54,600
Jade Hi 1 Is ill
33/80-22 ad
1994
35
Al 1uvium
75
6/14/67
if 1 also has cancelled
Corp., 6 mi SW of
Jade 02
33/80-27 aa
933
600?
Frontier?
25?
before 11/62
permit //2161 ? .
Casper
Alcova 03
33/80-27 dd
29634
(1,000)
(Dakota Sys?)
(350-500)
Permit 29634 cancelled.
Alcova J?4
33/80-27 ac
30903
903
Dakota Sys9
400?
9/75
Well D4 abandoned 9/75.
Alcova If5
33/80-22 da
32606
(40)
(Alluvium)
(300)
Permit 32606 pending
En 1. 35
33/80-22 da
42904
(40)
(Alluvium)
(75)
N.A.
completion as of 6/81.
Ardon Subdivision
5600083
A
18 2,000
Purchase
--
__
Purchased from City of
Water Users, Casper
Casper.
Brooks Water & Sewer
56000 70
A
4,000 672,000
N . Platte R.
--
Surface water.
DisLrlet, W of
Casper (Mountain View)
HillcresL Development,
56000 74
1
80 10,000
Hillcrest De-
32/79-6 bb
4943
51
Cody?
40
11/62
6 mi S of Casper
velopment II1
Hillcrest De-
32/79-6 bb
42673
16
Alluvium?
23
9/1/78
II2 is a developed spring;
velopment It 2
permit 42674 pending com-
HilIcrest De-
32/79-6 bb
426 74
(100)
(Cody?)
(100)
--
pletion 6/81. EPA data
velopment #3
base lists a tota] of 3
springs.
Masek Subdivision Prop.
5600084
I
45 5,000
Purchase
--
--
--
--
Purchased from City of
Owners, W. of Casper
Casper.
(Mil Is)
Natrona County Inter-
5600079
UNK
970 80,000
Purchase
--
--
--
Purchased from City of
national Airport,
Casper.
8 mi NW of Casper
Airport. //I
34/80-21 ca
1062
3,100
Lakota
170'
12/26/63
Wells are flowing wells.
Airport II2
34/80-21 dd
1502
2,821
Lakota
15?
3/15/66
Paradise Valley
5600010
1
3.000 300,000
Voorhies 1! 12
33/80-14 dd
16
45
Al1uvium
750
4/58
RPA data base lists existing
Uti1iLy Co. , 4 mi SW
Claire //ll
33/80-14 da
1 7
45
Al luvium
750
4/58
well names as North, Kast,
of C.isper
Bryan fill 4
33/80-14 da
18
45
Alluvium
500
4/58
and West; permit 7808
Paradise Valley
33/80-14 da
7808
(35)
(Alluvium)
(600)
UNK
cancelled; permits 42416,
//4
43266, and 43267 are pending
Paradise Valley
U
33/80-14 da
42416
(45)
(A 11uvium)
(750)
completion as of 6/81.
if j
Farad i se Va I ley
33/80-27 da
43266
(45)
(A 1luvium)
(750)
--
II6
Paradise Valley
ill
33/80-27 da
43267
(45)
(Alluvium)
(750)
--
Pleasant View Water
5600082
A
50 6,000
Purchase
__
__
Purchased from City of
Co., W. of Casper
Casper.
(Mills)
Poison Spider Water
5600073
A
100 20,000
Poison Spider
32/81-3
5992
22
Al 1uvium
32. 5
7/6/71
Co., 12 mi SW of
it 1
Casper (Bessemer Bend)
N . P1aiLC R.
--
--
River water is obtained via
infiltration gallery.
-------
Tabic A-3.
(continued)
Average
Facility Name KPA PWS Owiie^ Population Production Water Source SEO
and Location LP 0 Type Served (gal /day ) Source Location Permit
NATRONA COUNTY (continued)
Red Butte Village, 8 mi
5600075
A
136
10,200
Red Butte
33/80-22
dc
30848
SW of Casper
Improvement
n
Riverside
Ter-
33/80-22
dd
40
race We I I #1
Riverside
Ter-
33/80-22
dc
78
race We 11 02
Red Butte
04
33/80-22
dc
934
Riverside Trailer
5600072
I
750
37,500
Riverside
an
33/79-4 ,
ab
18658
Court, I mi N of
Riverside
02?
33/79-4 1
ba
18659
Casper
Vista West Water Co.,
5600069
1
270
27,000
Purchase
6 mi NW of Casper
if 1 Deep Water
34/80-28
cc
35838
(Air Base Acres)
02 Deep Water
34/80-33
cb
35871
Wardwe11 Water & Sewer
5600067
A
1 ,870
150,000
Wardwel1
01
33/79-7
ba
1 3699
Dist., 2 mi W of
Casper (Mills)
NIOBRARA COUNTY
Gateway Water,
5600163
I
34
3,400
UNK
UNK
UNK
Lance Creek
Marathon Oi1,
5600109
I
96
22,350
UNK
UNK
UNK
Lance Creek
SHERIDAN COUNTY
Acme Realty, Acme
5600001
I
130
13,000
UNK
UNK
UNK
Home Ranch Subdivision,
5600245
1
45
4 , 500
PFP ill?
55/84-10
be
36916
3 mi S of Sheridan
PFP (12?
55/84-10
be
3691 7
HR Hi
55/84-15
be
55604
HR U 2
55/84-15
be
55605
HR //3
55/84-16
ad
55606
HR iM
55/84-15
be
55607
KOA Mobile Home Park,
560024 2
I
25
2,500
UNK
UNK
UNK
N of Sheridan
Soldier Creek Water
5600244
A
400
22,000
Purchase
Co., N of Sheridan
Total Reported
Depth Yield Completion Supplementary
(ft) Aquifer (gptn) Date information
31
A1 luviutn
400
8/4/77
SEO data indicate Red Butte
Improvement ffl is soLe
27
Alluvium
36?
7/15/60
source. Permit 934
cance1 led.
27
Alluvium
(500)
7/15/60
(30)
(Alluvium)
(150)
UNK
20
Alluvium
25
6/47
Wells permitted for
20
Alluvium
25
/ 5 2
domestic use only (yield
corrected by SCO from
reported total of 700 gpm).
--
Purchased water from City of
,338
Lakota
50?
UNK
Casper; wells are flowing
,030
Lakota
50
12/16/76
wells; 01 abandoned
9/19/76.
35
A1luviuro
500
5/15/72
UNK
UNK
UNK
UNK
EPA data base lists 1 well.
UNK
UNK
UNK
UNK
EPA data base lists 2 wells.
UNK
UNK
UNK
UNK
EPA data base 1isLs 2 wells.
(300)
(Fort Union?)
UNK
Wells HR ff 1-4 serve South Home
(20)
(A1luvium)
UNK
Ranch 1st add-ition. Wells
570
Fort Union
5
8/15/80
PFP //I & 2, and some surface
550
Fort Union
5
8/30/80
water, are projected to
380
Fort Union
5
9/10/80
serve 190 units in a trailer
586
Fort Union
5
9/10/80
court and South Home Ranch
Subdivision Phase II.
Permits 36916 6 36917 are
pending completion as of
6/81.
UNK
UNK
UNK
UNK
EPA data base lists 2 wells.
Purchased from City of
Sheridan.
-------
Table A-3. (continued)
Average
Total
Repor ted
Fac i1 lty Name
EPA PWS
Owne r
Population
Produc tIon
Wa ter
Source
SEO
Dep th
Yield
Complet ion
Supplemcn ta ry
and Location
LD //
Type'3
Se rved
(gal/day)
Source
Location
Permit
if (ft)
Aquifer
(gpra)
Da te
Information
SHERIDAN COUNTY (continued)
Sun Vi 1 1 age , 2 ini SE
5600250
I
60
2,000
Ohm if I
55/84-2 ca
33472
649
Wasatch/Fort
15
10/8/77
F1 owing wcl1.
of Sheridan
Union System
Trailer V i11 age, S of
56004 29
I
25
1,250
UNK
UNK
UNK
UNK
UNK
UNK
UNK
EPA data base lists 1 well
Sheridan
Villa Capri Trailer
5600376
I
32
2,^00
UNK
UNK
UNK
UNK
UNK
UNK
UNK
EPA data base lists 1 well
Cour t, Slier ldan
WoodJand Pnrk Village,
560026 3
I
300
15,000
TML 04?
55/84-23
bb
27233
(450)
(Fort Union?)
(35)
--
Permits pending completion
5 mi S of Sher idan
TML 05?
55/84-23
bb
27234
(450)
(Fort Union?)
(35)
--
as of 6/81.
TML 06?
55/84-23
bb
27235
(450)
(Fort Union7)
(35)
--
TML 07?
55/84-23
be
27236
(450)
(Fort Union?)
(35)
WESTON COUNTY
Black Mills Power &
5600038
1
350
32,000
Osage Town
46/63-9 db
1490
6 70
Lakota
30
8/1/48
Matlison wells are flowing
Light, Osage
Osage if]
46/63-10
dc
426C
2,592
Mad ison
530
-/-/42
wells. Osage if2 well is
En 1. if I
46/63-10
dc
50132
2,592
Madison
0
N . A.
principal community watci
Osage #2
46/63-15
bd
143C
2,991
Madison
500
1/ 10/51
source. Wells also supp
En 1. 112
46/63-15
bd
50133
2,991
Madison
0
N. A.
cooling water for electr:
Osage ff3
46/63-10
cd
46982
(3,200)
(Madison) (2,500)
generation plant al Osag<
Osage 04
46/63-15
ad
50143
(3,200)
(Madison) (2,500)
Permits 4698, 50143, and
Osage if5
46/63-10
da
50144
(3,000)
(Madison) (2,500)
50144 pending completion
of 6/81.
Salt Creek Water
5600133
A
300
36,000
Purchase
--
__
__
Purchased from Water
Distr Lc l , C of
Unlimited Inc. of Ngwcjsi
Newcasl1e
Water Unlimited Inc.,
5600132
I
120
13,200
Carlson 01
45/61-28
ab
60 7
2,738
Mad i son
1,200
4/1/62
F1 owing wel1.
E of Newcas L1e
'Ddta from U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), 1979, Public Water Supply Inventory, and Wyoming StaLe Engineer's Office (SEO) Files. Parentheses indicate
data were obtained from well permit not well completion statement.
^Owner types: A = association
C = corporation
D = individual
-------
TabLe A-4. Ground water used for secondary and tertiary recovery of oil in the Powder River basin
b
County
In jec Led
No.
Injectors
Injected Wal
Field
Unit
Formation
Ac t ive
(Inactive)
(1979, bb!
Ash Creek
SH
Shannon
Shannon
8
(8)
641291
Barber Creek
CA
Parkman
Parkman
7
(2)
526113
Basin , NW
CA
Piney Ranch
Minnelusa
Minnelusa
1
(2)
15972
Big Muddy
CO
Wall Creek
Wall Creek
6
(34)
390177
Dakota
Dakota
19
(12)
1698533
South Block Wall
Creek
Wall Creek
4
0)
729900
South Block
Dakota
Dakota
1
(2)
78094
East
Dakota
2
(10)
310902
TOTAL
32
(59)
3207606
Bishop Ranch, S
CA
Bishop Ranch
South
Minnelusa
1
(0)
495202
Brooks Ranch
NA
Brooks Ranch
Front ier
1
(0)
17714
Burke Ranch
NA
Dakota
Dakota
4
(5)
495690
C-H
CA
Minnelusa
Minnelusa
4
(1)
1920213
Chan
CA
Muddy
Muddy
4
(2)
844270
Cole Creek
NA
Dakota "A"
Dakota
4
(1)
1342870
Cole Creek, S
CO
Cole Creek lease
Dakota
Shannon
5
?
(18)
238112
59712
Lakota
9
460746
TOTAL
9
(18)
758570v
Coyote Creek
CR
Watt "A"
Dakota
3
(0)
469702
Watt "B"
Dakota
3
(0)
1470469
TOTAL
6
(0)
1940171
Coyote Creek, S
WE
Boxelder Draw
Turner
3
(0)
129883
Dead Horse Creek
CA
Caballo
Ferguson
4
(2)
46800
North Block
Parkman
8
(3)
360162
TOTAL
12
(5)
406962
1979, by field.3 Inactive units are not tabulated.
Produced water
(1979, bbl)
Calculated Makeup
Mater (bbl)
Makeup Water
Source
Remarks
347176
1 5972
417152
178937
0
Ft. Union
Ft. Union
Sundance, Lakota
Sundance, Lakota
Tensleep, Madison
Part of field is in Montana and
may not be included in produced
water volume.
Uses Minnelusa produced water
only .
Also uses Dakota produced water.
Also uses Wall Creek produced
water.
3231329
29514
17714
489480
1248906
115735
1904501
941642
744129
413325
0
465688
0
6210
671307
728535
0
1196042
0
Dakota
Alluvium
Minnelusa
Parkman
Fox Hills
Fox Hills
Parkman
Fox llil Is
Fox Hills
Lance
Ft. Union
Ft. Union
May use only Dakota produced
water.
Uses Minnelusa produced water
only according to Oil & Gas
Commission files.
Uses Frontier produced water
on ly.
Uses Cole Creek South produced
water only.
Uses Cole Creek South produced
water only.
Uses Cole Creek South produced
water only.
65060
341902
-------
Table A-4. (continued)
Field
County
Injected
Formation
No. Injectors
Active (Inactive)
Injected Water
(1979. bbl)
Produced Water
(1979, bbl)
Calculated Makeup
Water (bbl)
Makeup Water
Source
Remarks
Dead Horse
Creek, S
Deadman Creek
Dewey Dome
Dillinger Ranch
Donkey Creek
Dugout Creek
Duvall Ranch
Fiddler Creek
Glenrock, S
Gr ieve
Guthery
Halverson Rancli
Ha mm
Hilight
Hunter Ranch
Keyhole
CR
WE
JO
CA
WE
NA
CR
CA
CA
Hippus SiA
Deadman Creek
Dewey Bradley
CA Minnelusa
CR Dakota "A"
CA
CR
Shannon
Minnelusa
East Fiddler
Creek
West Fiddler
Creek
TOTAL
Gas Draw
Rogers Muddy
Sand
TOTAL
Block A
3lock B
TOTAL
Muddy
Minne1usa
Minne1usa
Minnelusa
Grady
Centra 1
Jayson
TOTAL
Hunter Ranch
16 State
Minnelusa
Sundance
Minnelusa
Dakota
Shannon
Minnelusa
Newcastle
Newcastle
Muddy
Muddy
Dakota
Upper Muddy
Dakota
Lower Muddy
Upper Muddy
Muddy
Minne1usa
Minnelusa
Minnelusa
Muddy
Muddy
Muddy
Muddy
Muddy
10
LI
10
10
20
15
3
18
7
1
26
13
19
66
1
2
11
2?
4
32
10
46
3
1
(0)
(0)
(0)
(3)
(0)
(16)
(0)
(40)
(64)
(104)
(1)
(0)
(1)
(2)
(3)
(10)
(16)
(16)
(47)
(2)
(0)
W
(0)
(5)
(14)
(5)
(24)
(0)
(1)
45227
86155
0?
1290159+
882855
613453
3760419
2216616
1091030
3307646
7547841
1969500
9517341
1025799
20273
4703171
1192694
2163067
9105004
627064
174922
30554 27
992728
844761
22340470
9 704 38
24155669
247233
1570
9490
23803
219
1134921
640753
827237
374194
2576749
9633266
8282155
627285
151932
1880253
628852
35737
62352
0?
155238+
242102
0
3386225
730897
822849
0
22990
L175174
3638 76
Unknown
Fox Hills
Dakota, Lakota
Fox Hills
Minnelusa
Madison
Fox Hills
Madison
Madison
Fox Hills, Lance
Fox Hills, Lance
Alluvium
Al luvium
Madison, Tensleep
Madison, Tensleep
Madison, Tensleep
Unknown
Fox Hills
Fox Hills
Fox Hi]Is
Fox Hills
Fox Hills
May not use any produced water.
Injection wells ordered shut-in
in 1974.
No injection data 1 month.
Uses Minnelusa produced water
from nearby field.
Part of Sussex Field.
May merely be salt water disposal.
Temporarily shut-In, June, 1979,
now Tertiary recovery:
water/polymer.
Uses Muddy produced water only.
21880446
58420
404
2275223
188813
1166
Fox Hills
Lakota
-------
Table A-4. (continued)
Field
County
Unit
injected
Formation Active (Inactive)
No. Injectors
Injected Water
(1979 > bbl)
Produced Water
(1979, bbl)
Calculated Makeup
Water (bbl)
Makeup Water
Source
Remarks
Kuehnc Ranch
Kummerfeld
Lance Creek
Lazy B
Lightning Creek
Little Mitchel1
Creek
Meadow Creek
>
I
hO
00
Mellott Ranch
Moorcroft, W
Mule Creek
Mush Creek
Mush Creek, W
OK
Osage
CA
CR
NI
CA
NI
CA
CR
CR
NI
WE
CA
WE
Kuehne Ranch
Minnelusa
Morrison
Muddy
Newcastle
Minne Lusa
Lakota
Shannon A
Tensleep A
A2 Frontier
TOTAL
Minnelusa
Newcastle
Waters
TOTAL
Argo Lease
Michael
Rogers
State
Thorson
Upd ike
Wade
TOTAL
West Mush Creek
Extension
OK
Juniper Newcastle
Osage
Mi see 11aneous
Osage Juniper
Area
Osage West
Minnelusa
Minnelusa
Morrison
Muddy
Newcastle
Minnelusa
Lakota "A"
Shannon
Tensleep
2nd Frontier
Minne1usa
Muddy
Lakota
NewcastIe
Newcastle
Newcastle
Newcastle
Newcastle
Newcastle
Newcastle
MinneIusa
Newcast1e
Newcastle
Newcastle
Newcastle
1
5
1
5
1
1
4
1 7
4
5
30
2
7
13
2
1
1
1
1
1
6
J 1
3
I
42
34
(1)
(0)
(1)
(0)
(0)
(0)
(5)
(8)
(2)
(0)
(15)
(1)
w
(3)
(7)
(0)
(0)
(2)
(4)
(1)
(7)
(2)
(16)
(2)
(0)
(0)
(0)
(0)
(4)
217832
1000913
27595
779716
35378
36 3685
299435
885120
1784894
348163
3317612
840679
969211
79604
1048815
414604
4363
30107
15172
181
1990
174870
222383
6490
453067
875074
400290
184435
135485
1328661
22228869
629747
194666
101232
3822409
632102
1042969
480136
14989
4817
85603
82347
0
0
149969
0
262453
0
208577
5846
0
207394
1673
Fox HllIs
Fox HiJ Is
Leo Sand
Fox Hills, Lance
White River, Surface
Fox Hills
Mad ison
Mad ison
Madison
Madison
Water source may be Lakota.
Uses Leo (Minnelusa) produced
water only; may be no injection.
Fox HilIs
Dakota
Dakota, Lakota
Dakota, Lakota
Dakota, Lakota
Dakota, Lakota
Dakota, Lakota
Dakota
Mad ison 7
Fox Hills
Madison
Madison, Dakota,
Lakota
Madison
Madison
Uses Dakota produced water from
nearby field.
Tertiary recovery:
and soda ash.
water/polymer
Tertiary recovery: water polymer
-------
Table A-4. (continued)
Field
b
County
Unit
Inject ed
Formation
No.
Active
Inlec tors
(Inactive)
Injected Water ¦
(1979, bbl)
- Produced Water
(1979, bbl)
= Calculated Makeupc
Water (bbJ)
Makeup Water
Source
Remarks
Osage (continued)
Buffalo 028328A
Lease
Newcast1e
10
(3)
152358+
MadJ son
Only 5 mos. data availa
Bradley Newcastle
Newcast. i e
25
(0)
516810
Madison
Somers Area
Newcast1e
20
(0)
309945
Madison
Coronado Shallow
Lense
Newcastle
68
(10?)
1135863
Mad ison
Osage
Newcastle
10
(0)
?
Madison
State Waterflood
Newcast1e
L9
(6)
911490
Madison
Osage
Newcast Le
L6
(3)
276173
Madison
Murray Lease
Newcastle
2
(0)
16131
Dakota
Injection started 8/79.
TOTAL
268
(26?)
5544408+
3827556
1716852+
PickrelL Ranch
CA
Minnelusa
Minnelusa
1
(2)
50830
54715
0
Fox Hills
Pleasant Valley
CA
Heptner
Minnelusa
2
(0)
156889
33997
122892
Alluvium
Poison Draw
CO
Poison Draw
Tekla
1
(0)
0
0
Lance , Lewis
Poison Spider
NA
Bessemer Ch
03787
Sundance
1
(0)
145098
382572
0
Uses Sundance produced
only.
Raven Creek
CA
Minneluea
Minnelusa
15
(4)
5322959
4929200
393759
Fox HiLls
Recluse, N
CA
Muddy
Muddy
6
(22)
770979
680193
90786
Fox Hills, Lance
Reel
CA
Minnelusa
Minnelusa
4
(1)
1590696
755060
835636
Fox Hills
Reno
JO
Minnelusa
Minnelusa
3
(1)
1267206
191971
1075235
Fox Hills
May also use Minnelusa
produced water from Ren
field.
Robinson Ranch
CR
Minnelusa
Minne1usa
6
(1)
1848841
2448863
0
--
Uses Minnelusa produced
water only.
Rourke Gap
CA
Minnelusa Rourke
Sand
Minnelusa
2
(0)
1051445
187828
863617
Fox Hills
Rozet
CA
Muddy
Muddy
25
(8)
3060861
2681341
379520
Fox Hills
Rozet, E
CA
Minnelusa "A"
Minnelusa
1
(0)
228734
Fox Hills
East Rozet Muddy
Sand
Muddy
2
(0)
J 11075
Fox Hills
TOTAL
3
(0)
339809
83828
255981
Rozet, S
CA
Minnelusa "A"
Minnelusa
1
(0)
400773
Uses Minnelusa produced
only.
Mitchell State
Minnelusa
1
(0)
428505
Fox Hills
TOTAL
2
(0)
829238
789966
39272
Rozet, W
CA
Minnelusa
Minnelusa
4
(0)
3766292
1846370
1919922
Fox Hills
-------
Table A-4. (continued)
Field
Sngo Spring
Creek
Salt Creek
County
Injected No. Injectors Injected Water - Produced Water = Calculated Makeup
Forma t ion AcLlve (Inactive) (19 79, bb 1 ) (1 979, bb 1 ) Water (bbl)
Sage Spring
Creek Unit A
Sta1ey Gov't
Light Oil Unit
Lease
Salt Creek
2nd Wall Creek 10
1st Wa1 I Creek 171
2nd Wall Creek 345
3rd Wall Creek 3
Wall Creek 4
(0)
(0)
(86)
(46)
(6)
(0)
1019781
2994985
37615771
125943112
48354
589696
430085
Makeup Water
Source
Mad ison
Madison
Mad ison
Madison
Unknown
Remarks
Tertiary recovery: water/
mice liar.
Salt Creek South 2nd Wall Creek 109
>
I
N5
Ul
Salt Crock, E
Semiek, W
Sharp
Shostak
Simpson Ranch
SkulI Creek
Skill 1 Creek, N
Springnn Ranch
Stewart
Sussex
TOTAL
NA 2nd Wall Creek
Tens 1eep
TOTAL
CR Minnelusa
CA Minnelusa
WE Shostak
CA Simpson Ranch
WE Newcastle
Newcastle
Bock
Donielson
Skull Creek South
TOTAL
WE Skull Creek North
CA Muddy
CA Minnelusa
JO Lakota "A"
Shannon "c"-"E"
Sussex "C"
Sussex "D"
Tensleep "A"
642
2nd Wall Creek 3
Tensleep 1
Minnelusa
Minne1usa
Muddy
Minnelusa
Newcastle
Newcastle
Newcastle
Newcas tlc
Newcastle
Newcastle
Muddy
MinneIusa
Lakota
Shannon
Sussex
Sussex
Tensleep
4
]
(2)
1
1
10
10
3
6
3
32
8
10
1 1
1
I
7
1
5
(48)
(186)
(2)
(0)
(2)
(0)
(0)
(0)
(0)
(1)
(2)
(2)
(1)
(2)
(8)
(1)
(11)
(2)
(1)
(17)
(7)
(7)
(2)
26473746
193075968
989785
33031 7
1320102
479580
259405
Unknown
122871 ?
1288035
722053
J 486J 3
423409
491241
3073351
336731
1669290
3244230
38865
138179
464862
135374
350251
250346003
1218465
566466
32258
Unknown
377
Tensleep
1740819
308859
1475536
1314296
101637
0
227147
Unknown
122494 ?
1332532
27872
193754
1929934
Fox Hills
Unknown
Fox Hills
Lakota
Dakota
Lakota, Dakota
Fox Hills
Lakota
Lakota
Fox Hills, Lance
F ox Hills
Madison
Madison
Mad ison
Madison
Madison
Uses Tensleep produced water
on ly.
Uses Minnelusa produced water
only.
May be no injection.
Purchased water.
-------
Table A-4. (continued)
In Jec ted
No.
Injectors
Injected Water
- Produced Water
= Calculated MakeupC
Makeup Water
Field
County*5
Unit
Formation
Active
(Inactive)
(1979, bbl)
(1979, bbl)
Water (bbl)
Source
Remarks
Sussex (continued)
TensJeep "Bm
Tensleep
] 1
(i)
7151688
Madison
Shannon "D"
Shannon
1
(6)
140900
Mad ison
TOTAL
27
(41)
84 20119
4650459
3769660
Makeup water used may be 213784
bbl less if surplus from Dugout
Creek Unit is utilized.
Sussex, W
JO
West Sussex
Shannon
17
(19)
1568505
1923487
0
Madison
Teapot
NA
Teapot Dome
2nd Wa11 Creek
10
(0)
739713
2515930
0
Mad ison
Tholson
CA
Minnclusa "A"
Minnelusa
2
<0)
485652
162707
322945
Fox
Hills
Tisdale, N
JO
North 11sdale
Curtis Ss.
6
(5)
780497
1475536
0
Unknown
Tertiary recovery: water/therma.
Tomcat Creek
CR
Fall River
Fall River
4
(0)
129882
70 303
59579
Lakota
Utc
CA
Muddy
Muddy
13
(0)
2291718
Fox
Hills
Olmstead
Muddy
4
(0)
369534
Fox
Hills
TOTAL
17
(0)
2661252
513104
2148148
Wagonspoke
CA
Minnelusa
Minnelusa
1
(0)
621024
0
621024
Fox
Hi] Is
Wa I lace
CA
Minnelusa
Minnelusa
9
(0)
2495907
485091
2013816
Fox
Hills
Wh iteta iI
CA
Whitetail Muddy
Muddy
9
(0)
2933594
Fox
Hills
South Whitetail
Muddy
3
(0)
0
Fox
Hills
Injection not initiated until
>
I
hO
On
5/80.
12
(0)
2933594
2689313
244281
l7Data from files of the Wyoming Oil and Gas Conservation Commission and Wyoming Oil and Cas Conservation Commission (1980b).
^County abbreviations:
CA - Campbell County
CO - Converse County
CR - Crook County
JO - Johnson County
NA - Natrona County
N1 - Niobrara County
SH - Sheridan County
WE - Weston County
cAmount of makeup water calculated by subtracting reported amount of produced water from reported amount of injected water. At several fields, notably Salt Creek, Meadow Creek» and
Sussex, the amount Injected may be mostly fresh watnr. with much of the produced water discharged as waste.
-------
Table A-5. Water use by petroleum refineries in the Powder River basin.3
Company
Location
Rated Production
Capacity
(bbls/day)
Water Consumption
Water Source
Discharge
Amoco Oil Co.
Casper
43,000
2,000 gpm
N. Platte River
1 ,400-1,500 gpm
to Soda Lake
Texaco Oil Co.
Casper
21,000
3,082 gpm
N. Platte River
Unknown
Kittle America Refining
Co.
Casper
24,500
34 7 gpm
N. Platte River
Unknown
C & H Refining
Lusk
250
Unknown
Arikaree aquifer
Unknown
Wyoming Refining Co.
Newcastle
10,500
40 gpra
Madison aquifer
Pit
Sage Creek Refining
Co.
Cowley
Unknown
Negligible amounts
Unknown
Discharge to pit
is recirculated
3
Data from authorized personnel at respective refineries.
-------
Table A-6. Water use by active coal mines within the Powder River basin.9
Company
Amax Coal Co.
Mine
Belle Ayr
Locat ion
1979 Product Ion
(million tons)^
Discharge from
Pit and Wells
Portions of T. 68
N. , R. 71 W. and
T. 47 N., R. 71 W.
14.996 Discharge from coal pit is pumped
to NPDES settling ponds where
portions that are not used for
dust suppression are discharged
to surface drainage.
3 wells supply water for dust
supression in coal prep plant and
shop in addition to domestic vise
- 28.9 x 10^ gals. in 1979.
Surface Water Effluent
Discharge Point
Caballo Creek
Overall Water Usec
DS, DOM, Prep plant,
& TRR
Avg. 420,000 gal/
day for dust
sufpressi on.
Amax Coal Co.
Big Horn Coal Co.
>
I
N)
CO
Carter Mining Co.
Eagle Butte
Big Horn
Caballo
T. 51 N., R. 72 W.
T. 57 N. , R. 84 W.
Portions of T. 48
N., R. 70 W., and
T. 48 N., R. 71 W.
3.732 349 acre-feet pumped from pit
and adjacent "clinker" wells as
of May 1, 1979.
3.523 Average discharge from NPDES
settling ponds is 696,115 gal/
day (11-1-78)-(10-31-79).
Maximum groundwater discharge
into pit is 14,400 gal/day.
1.272 Pit inflows estimated at 100,000-
500,000 gal/day.
Water from "clinker" wells is
used for dust control.
Caballo //I well supplies 120
gpm to office and maintenance
facilit i es.
Little Rawhide Ck.
Goose Creek and
Tongue River
Tisdale Creek
DS, DOM, Prop plant
Dust control and
Prep plant
DS, DOM, Maintenance
Most of the water
pumped from the pit
into NPDES settling
ponds is used for
dust control
Carter Mining Co.
Rawhide Mine
T. 51 N., R. 72 W.
3.593
Pit discharge rates are not
available.
Dry Fork Little
Powder River,
Rawhide Creek £<
Red Fox Draw.
DS, DOM, Equipment
washdown
Cordero Mining Co. Cordero Mine Portions of T. 46 N. 3.832 Pit discharge rates not available Belie Fourche River DS , DOM, Plant wasli
R. 71 W., and T. 47 via unnamed drainages down
N. , R. 71 W. Two deep wells supply potable
water Plant washdown is
returned to settling
ponds
Domest ic consumption
is est. @ 15,000 gal/
day for 3 shifts
-------
Table A-6. (continued)
Company
Mine
Locat i on
1979 Production
(million tons)k
Discharge from
Pit and Wells
Wells
Surface Water Effluent
Discharge Point
Overall Water Usec
G1 en rock Coal Co.
(NERCO)
Dave Johnston
Portions of T. 35
N., R. 75 W. and
T. 36 N., R. 75 W.
3.828
All pit discharge water is
used for dust control.
Bishop, Shelly, and
Jeni Draws
DS, DOM, Equipment
washdown
Kerr-McCee Coal
Corp.
Kerr-McGee Coal
Corp.
Clovis Point
Jacobs Ranch
T. 50 N., R. 70 W.
T. 43 N., R. 70 W.
.293 Estimated pit discharge is
600 gpm.
5 wells permitted to withdraw
600 gpm for dust control.
4.681 No pit discharge estimate
available. Barnds reservoir
receives waters pumped from
pit If2.
Unnamed closed basins
locations - T. 50 N.,
R. 70 W., Sees. 22 & 28
East and west forks
Burning Coal Draw
DS, DOM
DS, DOM, TRR
>
I
ro
vO
Thunder Basin Coal
Co., (ARCo)
Thunder Basin
T. 43 N., R. 70 W.
Wells JRM //6 and enlarged JRM
if2 used for dust suppression
fire control and Prep plant
washdown.
6.244 Discharge from BT Pit //I is
pumped to NPDES settling pond
#004. Substantial quantities
of NPDES pond water are used
for dust control. 50,000 gal/
week is discharged from NPDES
Reservoir 004 to N. Prong
Little Thunder Creek.
North Prong Little
Thunder Creek and two
unnamed playas
DS, DOM, Equipment
washdown and sewage
treatment.
Water from NPDES
Reservoir 007 is
used for dust
suppression.
Wells BTF 17-1 , 17-2, and
SWP-3 are used for equipment
wash, domestic, and maintenance.
Wyodak Resou rces
Wyodak
50 N., R. 71 W.
2.364
239.6 gpm discharges from pit
into South Pit sediment pond.
Donkey Creek
DS
Water used for dust control
is taken from pit before enter-
ing pond .
aWater use data from mining permits and annual reports. Department of Environmental Quality, State of Wyoming, Cheyenne, Wyoming.
bGlass, 1980.
Q
DS - Dust Suppression
DOM - Domestic
1RR - Irrigation
NPDES - National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System
-------
Tnble A-7. Existing and proposed coal-fired steam-generated electric power plants within the Wyoming portion of the Powder River
basin.
Water
Used
Nameplate
For
AF Water
Generating
Power
Needed
Capacity
Cooling
Generation
Supplemental
Source and
to produce
Plant Name
Operator
Location
(megawatts)
System
(AF/YR)
Water Source
Domestic
Supply
Megawatt
EXISTING PLANTS
>
I
o
Dave
Johnston
Neil
S impson
0<=age
Pacific Power
and Light3
Black Hills
Power and
LighCb
Black Hills
Power and
5 miles east of
Glcnrock
WYODAK-6 miles:
east of Gillette
(adjoins WYODAK
//I plant)
Osage
750 MW
21.8 MW
35.5 MW
WYODAK //I
Li gh t
Pacific Power WYODAK-6 miles
and Light-Black east of Gillette
Hills Power and (adjoins Neil
Light
Simpson PLant)
TOTAL
330 MW
1137.3
PROPOSED PLANTS
WYODAK if 2 Pacific Power WYODAK-6 miles
and Light-Black east of Gillette
Hills Power and (will adjoin
330 MW
Light
WYODAK if 1)
Wet
Dry
9600 AF N. Platte River
16.1 AF 1 well-Ft. Union
aquifer, esti-
mated yield-10
gal./min.
Wet
Dry
806.5 AF 1 well-Madison
aquifer, esti-
mated yield-500
gal./min.
324 AF Sewage effluent
from Gillette
sewage treatment
facility
10,746.6 AF
Ground water-Domestic supply from 12.8 AF
N. Platte River
Additional well within Ft. Union .74 AF
Fm. capable of producing 95 gal./
min. is used as domestic supply
for Neil Simpson and WYODAK plants,
WYODAK mine, WYODAK Village and
other services within the area.
Additional well within the Madison 22.7 AF
Limestone is used to supply domestic
needs within the plant and for the
town of Osage. Any surplus from this
well is used at the plant. Estimated
yield-200 gal./min.
Domestic water supplied by Neil 1*0 AF
Simpson Plant
D ry
1300-
1450 AF
Negotiations are WYODAK if 2 water requirements for
in progress for electricity production will be the
additional sewage same as for WYODAK if 1. Additional
effluent from
Gillette. Water
3.9-
AF
4.4
water will be used for S0£ emission
control.
from Gillette
Madison Project
might also be
used.
Personal Communication with Herb Roose, Electrical Engineer, Dave Johnston Plant, Pacific Power and Light Co., Glenrock, Wyoming, April 15, 1980.
^Personal Commtinication with Vcrn Scliild, Plant Superintendent, Neil Simpson Plant, Rlnck Hills Power and Light Co., WYODAK, Wyoming, April. 15, 1980.
cPersonal Communication with David Eatherton, Osage Plant, Black Hills Power and Light Co., Osage, Wyoming, April. 15, 1980.
Personal Communication with authorized personnel. Pacific Power and Light Co., WYODAK, Wyoming, April 15, 1980.
-------
Table A-8. Water use by active commercial uranium mines and mills, Powder River basin.'1
Company
Mine
Location
1979
Production^
Water Production
OveralJ Water Use
Exxon Minerals Co.
Buffalo Shaft
Underground Mine
Highland Operations
Surface Mine
T. 36 N., R. 72 W.
131,000 tons 300-500 gpm from 16 dewateriug
of ore wells around underground mine.
400-800 gpm, produced from pit
sumps (includes surface water
runof f).
4 wells supply domestic and utility
water to whole Exxon operation
Surface water runoff and ground water
produced are routed to the mill or
used for dust control.
Mill
Kerr McGee
Nuclear Corp.
Rocky Mountain
Energy Co.
Wyoming Minerals
Corp.
Solution Mine
28-33 Pit
3-10 Pit
Bear Creek
Open Pit Mine
and Mill
T. 37 N., R. 73 W.
T. 38 N. , R. 73 W.
1,154,000
tons of ore
245,165
tons of ore
420,000
tons of ore
Irrigary In-situ
Mine
T. 45 N., R. 77 W.
80,000 barrels of ground water
have been produced from solu-
tion mining pilot leach area.
Average discharge from two
pits is 150 gpm. One
domestic well produces 5 gpm.
Pit B-3: variable discharge
of 400-1200 gpm; Dilts Pit:
450-550 gpm; B-l Pit: 70-90
gpra.
Net production is 10-12 gpm
which is discharged to lined
evaporation ponds. 800 gpm is
the maximum amount permitted
for recovery. Recovery minus
net discharge is injected.
Excess water is released into North
Fork Box Creek via unnamed drainages
according to NPDES standards.
2000 tons/day of solid waste (40%
solids by volume) into tailings pond.
Solid wastes consist of barren sand
grains and spent process solutions
(primarily sulfuric acid).
Most of the water produced is used for
dust control.
Shop well produces 18 gpra for domestic
and equipment water supplies. Dust
control water is taken from pit dis-
charge .
2 wells (300 gpm) supply office domestic
and mill process water. Mill process
water is used in closed circuit.
Excess surface water is discharged via
NPDES settling ponds to Dry Fork
Cheyenne River and Gene Draw.
Two wells currently supply sanitary,
potable, equipment wash, and fire
protection water. Application for
NPDES surface water discharge permit is
pending approval by Wyoming State DEQ.
3
Data from mining permits and annual reports, Department of Environmental Quality, State of Wyoming, Cheyenne, Wyoming.
1979 production figures from John T. Goodier, Department of Economic Planning and Development, State of Wyoming, 1980, personal communication.
-------
APPENDIX B
STRATIGRAPHIC VARIATIONS OF
WATER-BEARING BEDROCK UNITS IN THE
POWDER RIVER BASIN
-------
STRATIGRAPH1C VARIATIONS OF WATER-BEARING BEDROCK UNITS
IN THE POWDER RIVER BASIN
Madison Aquifer System
Cambrian
Basal Cambrian sandstones are potentially important aquifers
(Hodson and others, 1973), but are not extensively utilized currently
due to depth of burial.
The Deadwood Formation, of Upper Cambrian and Lower Ordovician
age, lies unconformably on Precambrian rocks of the eastern basin
study area. It is composed of a basal conglomeratic sandstone, a
middle unit of thin interbedded shales and dolomites, and an upper
massive sandstone, often dolomitic or ferruginous (McCoy, 1958a).
Sandstone porosities of almost 20 percent are present in northern
Crook County (Blankennagel and others, 1977).
In the western Powder River basin Cambrian deposition started
earlier and three distinct formations are recognized (McCoy, 1958a).
The basal Cambrian Flathead Sandstone is similar to the Deadwood.
Overlying the Flathead, and isolating it hydrologically where present
(Huntoon, 1976), are the Gros Ventre Formation, a grey green shale
with interbedded sandstone lenses and flat pebble limestone conglomerates,
and the Gallatin Formation, a grey limestone containing limey shales
and flat pebble limestone conglomerates (Cygan and Koucky, 1963).
Cambrian strata, over 1,100 feet thick in western Sheridan County,
thin to the south and east, and are probably absent in the southeastern
Powder River basin (McCoy, 1958a).
B-l
-------
Ordovician
Where present, Ordovician carbonates have good water-bearing
potential but they have not been extensively developed in the basin
because they underlie the Madison aquifer, which produces adequate
yields.
Found only in the northern part of the basin (McCoy, 1958b;
Huntoon, 1976), Ordovician strata consist of an upper carbonate unit
and lower clastic sequence (Jenkins and McCoy, 1958). In the Black
Hills the upper unit, the Whitewood Dolomite, is a massively bedded
dolomite, equivalent in part to the Red River Formation in Montana
(McCoy, 1958b). The lower sequence includes, from top to bottom,
the Roughlock Siltstone, Ice Box Shale, and Aladdin Sandstone, and
is roughly equivalent to the Winnipeg Formation of Montana (McCoy,
1958b). In the Bighorn Mountains the carbonate unit, the Bighorn
Dolomite, is a massive dolomite, more thinly bedded at the top (Lowry
and Cummings, 1966). The lower thin clastic unit is either considered
as a basal sandstone member of the Bighorn (Lowry and Cummings, 1966)
or separately named (Cygan and Koucky, 1963). Aggregate thickness
of Ordovician strata ranges from over 400 feet, at the Montana state
boundary, to zero, at the Crook-Weston County boundary in the east
(Jenkins and McCoy, 1958) and in southern Johnson County in the west
(Huntoon, 1976).
Porosities over 20 percent have been recorded for both the Red
River and Winnipeg in northern Crook County (Blankennagel and others,
1977). Some secondary fracture porosity due to structural deformation
of the more brittle carbonate units may exist but the present data
base is inadequate for quantification. An active modern karst is
B-2
-------
forming in the Bighorn Dolomite but has not yet become extensively
developed (Huntoon, 1976), and therefore is not an important source
of porosity.
Devonian and Mississippian
The upper part of the Mississippian Madison Limestone is the
most productive part of the Madison aquifer system, primarily due
to localized zones of secondary porosity and permeability.
The Madison Limestone, a regional term for extensive Mississippian
carbonate beds in northeastern Wyoming, is generally used interchange-
ably with the Pahasapa Limestone of the Black Hills and the Guernsey
Formation of the Hartville uplift (Andrichuk, 1955). In the eastern
basin.the conformably underlying Englewood Formation, equivalent
to the Devonian lower Guernsey, has been included in some discussions
of the Madison (Andrichuk, 1955). Devonian rocks of the northern
Bighorn Mountains include the basal Madison and underlying Jefferson
Formation (Sandberg and Klapper, 1967).
The Madison is typically a light colored, massive, medium- to
fine-grained limestone or dolomitic limestone (Andrichuk, 1955).
In the Black Hills the underlying Englewood Formation is moderately
thin-bedded alternating shales and shaley limestones or dolomites.
The underlying Jefferson Formation, only present in the northwestern
corner of the Powder River basin, is predominantly dolomite, with
interbedded argillaceous dolomites and sands (Sandberg, 1963). Also
present only in the northwestern basin is a basal dark dolomitic
shale member of the Madison (Sandberg and Klapper, 1967). In the
southeast part of the basin the basal Madison is an Early Mississippian
B-3
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arkosic sandstone (Maughn, 1963), previously considered the Deadwood
Formation (Condra and Reed, 1950).
Almost 1,000 feet thick at the Montana-Wyoming state boundary,
the Madison thins southward and is only about 200 feet thick in southern
Niobrara County (Swenson and others, 1976), due to nondeposition of
younger Madison units (Andrichuk., 1955). Extensive pre-Minnelusa ero-
sion, which may also contribute to the southward thinning, has resulted
in an upper Madison surface of considerable local relief (Swenson and
others, 1976). Subjacent units become progressively younger to the
north, ranging from Precambrian to Ordovician in age, and reflect
erosional trunction of pre-Devonian rocks. The isolated Devonian
occurrences reflect similar, pre-Madison, erosion.
Porosity in the Madison is intercrystalline, intergranular or
interparticulate, and vuggy, modified by secondary fracturing and
solution (Andrichuk, 1955). Head and Merkel (1977) calculated Madison
porosity from geophysical logsit averaged 5.5 percent, ranging
from 2.3 to 13 percent, and was considered by them to be too low
for economic water well development in the absence of secondary porosity.
Lithologic variation results in stratigraphic porosity zonation
(Woodward-Clyde, 1980).
Geographically localized secondary fracture porosity is derived
from both Mississippian and Laramide deformation. Paleostructural
maps show a system of extensional and pure-shear fracture zones which
resulted from tectonic deformation during Madison deposition (Cushing,
1977). The U.S. Geological Survey test well program found fractures
associated with these zones but they were generally healed below
6,000 feet (Brown and others, 1977). Laramide deformation has also
B-4
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resulted in zones of fracturing and secondary porosity in the Madison
(Huntoon, 1976).
On the west side of the basin the upper 350 feet of the Madison
contains an extensive Mississippian paleokarst characterized by enlarged
joints, sinkholes, caves, and solution zones (Sando, 1974). Many
of these paleokarst features have been infilled by silty Pennsylvanian
sediment (Sando, 1974) and have little modern hydrologic significance
according to Huntoon (1976).
Secondary porosity due to solution is also reported on the east
side of the basin. Huntoon and Womack (1975) report an active karst is
presently developing in and near outcrop areas. Swenson and others
(1976) report locally occurring paleokarst collapse breccias, involving
overlying strata, east of Newcastle. Some water wells drilled in
the Black Hills region have encountered cavernous zones in the Upper
Madison (Whitcomb and Gordon, 1964; Whitcomb and others, 1958), which
are either unfilled paleokarst or modern solution features and yield
most of the well production.
Permo-Pennsylvanian
Permo-Pennsylvanian rocks of the Powder River basin provide
adequate yields to wells but may contain water of poor quality. The
Permo-Pennsylvanian Minnelusa Formation of the Black Hills and eastern
Powder River basin is correlated with the Hartville Formation to
the southeast, and the Casper Formation to the south (Foster, 1958).
Several units of the formation important to oil production have been
informally named, such as the "red shale marker" at the base of the
Permian (Foster, 1958). In the western Powder River basin the Tensleep
B-5
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Sandstone and Amsden Formation are time-stratigraphic equivalents
to the middle and lower Minnelusa, respectively (Foster, 1958).
Minnelusa Formation nomenclature is often used in the entire basin
(Foster, 1958; Tranter and Petter, 1963).
Foster (1958) divided the Minnelusa into three members, separated
by regional unconformities. Locally and regionally changing lithologies
result in variable aquifer characteristics, and interbedded shales
in all three members partially isolate sandstone units. Primary
porosity may be over 20 percent in sandstone with little shale content
(Head and Merkel, 1977) but is generally less (Table IV-5).
The Permian upper Minnelusa is typically thick red and yellow
sandstones, anhydrite, thin limestones and dolomites, and minor
red mudstones (Bowles and Braddock, 1963). The sandstones, informally
called the "Converse sands," are more prevalent in the west and
north parts of the basin (Foster, 1958). Head and Merkel (1977)
report calculated primary porosity is lower near the basin axis,
due to both lower sand percentages and compaction. Anhydrite and
other evaporite deposits are most prevalent in the southeast, but
also occur in the subsurface in the northeast. Secondary porosity,
well developed in the eastern upper Minnelusa near outcrops, results
from brecciation due to collapse after anhydrite dissolution (Bowles
and Braddock, 1963).
The middle Minnelusa, Middle and Upper Pennsylvanian in age,
is cherty yellow dolomitic limestones and yellow sandstones, the
"Leo sands," with thin persistent black shales (Bowles and Braddock,
1963; Foster, 1958). Carbonate percentage increases to the southeast.
Sandstone content increases to the southwest and west (Foster, 1958),
B-6
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and the unit is termed the Tensleep Sandstone in the Bighorn Mountains.
Although the Tensleep Sandstone is a productive aquifer, the middle
Minnelusa is an aquitard in the eastern part of the basin (Eisen and
others, 1981).
The Lower Pennsylvanian basal Minnelusa has, in the east, an
upper interbedded shale and cherty carbonate unit, a middle cherty
limestone unit, and a basal sandstone, the "Bell" (Foster, 1958).
The sandstone, water-bearing and hydrologically connected to the
Madison, is not always present; its erratic distribution is controlled
by the underlying Madison Limestone topography (Foster, 1958). In
the western basin the Amsden Formation has an upper massive cherty
carbonate, a middle red shale and siltstone, and a similar basal
quartz sand, the Darwin (Mallory, 1967). Where it is unfractured
the Amsden hydrologically isolates the Tensleep and Madison (Huntoon,
1976).
Thickness of the Minnelusa Formation and its equivalents varies
from over 1,400 feet in southeastern Niobrara County (Bates, 1955)
to about 200 feet in northern Sheridan County (Lowry and Cummings,
1966), due to both nondeposition and regional erosional truncation
(Foster, 1958). Measured surface sections in the Black Hills may
be 250 feet thinner than nearby subsurface sections due to anhydrite
dissolution in outcrop areas (Bowles and Braddock, 1963).
Permo-Triassic Aquifers
Minnekahta Limestone
The Permian Minnekahta Limestone was deposited over much of
the Powder River basin but is considered a potential aquifer only
B-7
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in the northeastern part of the basin. It is underlain by the Opeche
Shale and overlain by the Glendo Shale. In the southwestern part
of the basin it is often considered a member of the Goose Egg Formation.
The Minnekahata is a thin-bedded limestone in Crook County
(Whitcomb and Morris, 1964). In other parts of the basin it may
be dolomitic or anhydritic (Privrasky and others, 1958). Thickness
varies from 10 feet in the southwestern part of the basin to over
50 feet in the Black Hills. The limestone is absent in Sheridan
County (Privrasky and others, 1958).
Chugwater Formation
The water-bearing Triassic Chugwater Formation of the southern
and western parts of the basin is in part stratigraphically equivalent
to the upper part of the Spearfish Formation in the Black Hills.
In most of the basin the formation consists of 600 to 700 feet of
"redbeds" which are predominantly siltstone, with claystones and
sandstones (Crist and Lowry, 1972; Whitcomb and Morris, 1964). In
the Black Hills area the lower part of the formation incorporates
massive gypsum beds (Whitcomb and Morris, 1964). In Natrona County
the Alcova limestone and Crow Mountain Sandstone members overlie
the "redbed" sequence (Crist and Lowry, 1972) but in the Black Hills
equivalent units are absent (Privrasky and others, 1958). The Alcova
is a 10 to 20 foot thick limestone; the Crow Mountain is a red or
orange fine-grained calcerous sandstone, often silty, which is about
100 feet thick (Privrasky and others, 1958). Porosity of the Crow
Mountain is 25 percent at the Tisdale anticline (Wyoming Geological
Association, 1958).
B-8
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Sundance Aquifer
Sundance Formation
The Jurassic Sundance Formation is present throughout the Powder
River basin and is locally important as a water source in Crook County.
It unconformably overlies either the Jurassic Gypsum Springs Forma-
tion, where this formation is present in the northern part of the
basin, or the Triassic Chugwater (Spearfish) Formation. Contact
with the overlying Morrison Formation is generally conformable and
often gradational.
Typically, the Sundance is divided into the nonglauconitic,
often red and sandy "lower Sundance" and the glauconitic, shaley
"upper Sundance" (Love, 1958), which represent different southward
marine transgressions (Peterson, 1958). Imlay (1947) recognized
five members in the Black Hills; in ascending order they are the
Canyon Springs Sandstone, Stockade Beaver Shale, Hulett Sandstone,
LAK, and Redwater Shale members. The first four of Imlay's members
are equivalent to the "lower Sundance" and the Redwater Shale is
the "upper Sundance" (Peterson, 1958). Contacts between members
of the "lower Sundance" are gradational (Robinson and others, 1964;
Peterson, 1958) while the lower contact of the Redwater ("upper Sun-
dance") is sharp (Love, 1958; Robinson and others, 1964).
The Sundance Formation thickens to the north, ranging from 150
to 400 feet thick in the basin. Thickness of individual members
of the formation is variable but in general shales thin where sand-
stones thicken (Robinson and others, 1964).
B-9
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The Canyon Springs Sandstone Member ranges up to 40 feet in
thickness in Crook County, is discontinuous, and is a very fine-
grained calcerous sandstone which can locally be coarse and
conglomeratic (Robinson and others, 1964). In the Glendo area Canyon
Springs (?) Sandstones range up to about 75 feet thick and are coarse,
quartzose, and may be oolitic (Love, 1958).
The Hulett Sandstone Member is the principal water-bearing
horizon. It is a fine-grained, calcerous, thin- to thick-bedded,
well-cemented sandstone which averages 70 feet thick, ranging from
55 to 90 feet (Robinson and others, 1964). The sandstone
is best developed within the basin in Crook County.
Porosity of Sundance Formation sands ranges from 11 to 30 percent
at producing oil fields in the southern basin (Table IV-7).
Dakota Aquifer System
Lakota Formation
The Lakota, the lower member of the Inyan Kara Group, underlies
most of the Powder River basin and is exposed or near the surface
over large areas on the western flanks of the Black Hills, where
it is an important aquifer. In the southern and western basin equivalent
strata are included in the basal part of the Cloverly Formation
(Waage, 1959). Contact with the underlying Morrison Formation is
variable, ranging from conformable gradation to local angular uncon-
formity, and is often arbitrarily placed at the base of the first
massive sandstone above Morrison claystones (Waage, 1959).
The Lakota is a varied sequence of continental rocks consisting
of overlapping lenticular quartzose channel sandstones and conglomerates,
B-10
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interbedded with siltstones, claystones, and minor limestones and
coals (Waage, 1959). The composition changes rapidly, both laterally
and vertically, but in general the Lakota fines upward into a sequence
of variegated blocky claystones and silty claystones sometimes termed
the Fuson Shale (Waage, 1958). The upper boundary of the Lakota
is a transgressive disconformity (Waage, 1959).
Lakota thickness is extremely variable, ranging from 50 to
300 feet in Crook County (Whitcomb and Gordon, 1964), and up to
370 feet in the southeastern basin (Hodson and others, 1973). The
entire Cloverly Formation is about 150 feet thick in the western
basin (Hodson and others, 1973), but in places only the basal 30 feet
is sandstone (Whitcomb and others, 1966).
Porosity of the Lakota, determined at a few producing oil fields,
is between 15 and 20 percent (Table IV-9).
Fall River Formation
The Fall River Formation is an important shallow water source
in the northeastern part of the Powder River basin. It is the upper
member of the Inyan Kara Group and is principally marine and marginal
marine in depositional environment, in contrast to the continental
phase represented by the Lakota (Waage, 1959). In the western basin
the formation is less distinctive; the "rusty beds" of the upper
Cloverly are equivalent. The Fall River is termed the "Dakota"
by the petroleum industry (Runge, 1968).
The Fall River is dominantly fine-grained quartzose and
locally micaceous sandstones containing significant ferruginous
material (Waage, 1959). Thin-bedded shales and siltstones are
B-ll
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interbedded with the individual sandstone bodies. Extensive blanket
sandstones and more geographically limited channel and bar sandstones
are all present (Dondanville, 1963).
Thickness of the Fall River is fairly uniform, ranging from
110 to 160 feet in the eastern basin (Waage, 1958). At its top
the formation grades rather abruptly into the conformably overlying
Skull Creek (Thermopolis) Shale (Waage, 1959), which is considered
a sealing caprock by Harris (1976).
Sandstone porosity in the formation is variable due to the
wide range of depositional environments, but in general, average
oil field porosities range from 15 to 20 percent (Table IV-9).
Secondary fracture porosity is locally encountered (Runge, 1968).
Newcastle/Muddy Sandstone
Muddy Sandstone is a common subsurface term used by the
petroleum industry in the Powder River basin. It correlates
with the Newcastle and Dynneson formations of the Black Hills (Wulf,
1963, 1968). It is a sequence of at least five lenticular fine-
grained slightly clay-filled quartzose sandstones which are interbedded
with siltstones and shales, lie unconformably between the Skull
Creek and Mowry shales, and laterally grade into these units.
The Newcastle/Muddy is a westward extension of time-equivalent strata
which comprise the Dakota Formation, an important artesian aquifer
east of the Black Hills.
Aggregate thickness of sandstones comprising the Muddy is 0
to 140 feet (Stone, 1972). The lenticular nature of the individual
sandstones and the presence of intervening shales imply that the
individual sandstones could be hydrologically isolated. Limited
B-12
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oil field data (Stone, 1972) and geochemical data (Wulf, 1963) support
this hypothesis.
Average sandstone porosities are 18 and 20 percent for the
lower and upper Muddy sandstones, respectively (Wulf, 1963).
Porosities range from 5 to 27 percent (Table IV-9); reflecting the
litholog'ic variability of the formation.
Isolated Upper Cretaceous Sandstone Aquifers
Frontier Formation
The Frontier Formation is a marine and deltaic clastic unit
present in the southwest part of the Powder River basin. It is
up to 1,000 feet thick in Natrona County and contains several locally
water-bearing sand horizons, known as the Wall Creek Sands, which
grade laterally to shales (Haun, 1958). Formations of approximately
equivalent age include in the west the lower Cody Shale and in the
east the Belle Fourche Shale, Greenhorn Limestone, and Carlile Shale.
The Turner Sandy Member of the Carlile Shale is equated with the
Wall Creek Sandstone Member at the top of the Frontier (Haun, 1958).
The Frontier is overlain by the Cody Shale and underlain by the
Mowry Shale.
The Frontier (Wall Creek) sandstones are more prominent near
the top of the formation and are usually interbedded with and hydro-
logically isolated by siltstones and shales. The sandstones are
typically thinly bedded and very fine to fine-grained but coarsen
upward (Merewether and others, 1976). They are quartzose
but also contain feldspars, chert, and rock fragments (Goodell,
1962) and are often calcerous and glauconitic (Merewether
B-13
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and others, 1976). Aggregate sand thickness up to 300 feet is
present in Natrona County but decreases to the north and east
(Goodell, 1962).
Reported porosities of Frontier Formation oil-producing horizons
range from 12 to 26 percent (Table IV-10).
Cody Shale
The Cody Shale is a thick marine shale which is equivalent to
the lower part of the Pierre Shale and also the Niobrara and Carlile
shales of the eastern part of the basin. In the western part of
the basin it lies conformably between and interfingers with the
Frontier Formation, below it, and the Mesaverde Formation, above
it. In the western and central part of the basin it includes several
shale-isolated potentially water-bearing marine sandstone bodies,
among which are, in descending order, the Sussex, Shannon, and Gammon
Sands (Crews and others, 1976). The Shannon Sands are contempora-
neous with the Groat sandstone bed of the Gammon Ferruginous Member
of the Pierre Shale in Crook County (Robinson and others, 1964)
which may possibly have local water-bearing potential (Whitcomb and
Morris, 1964).
Individual sand bodies are discontinuous, range up to 60 feet
thick, and number up to a dozen (Crews and others, 1976). They
typically occur within limited stratigraphic intervals, are up
to a few miles wide, 30 miles long, and trend approximately
N. 30° W., although the Gammon Sands are interpreted as more sheet-
like (Crews and others, 1976). The sandstones are thin-bedded
and vary from tabular to crossbedded. Usually they are fine-
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grained, glauconitic quartzose sand, which may contain clay clasts
(Spearing, 1976).
Shannon porosity ranges from 12 to 25 percent at producing
oil fields (Table IV-10).
Mesaverde Formation
Within the Powder River basin in Wyoming the Mesaverde Formation
is a relatively untapped potentially important aquifer (Hodson and
others, 1973). It consists of two principal sandstone tongues, the
Teapot and Parkman sands, along with intervening shales. The formation
lies between the Cody and Lewis shales in the western part of the
basin and grades into the Pierre Shale to the east. Within the
basin it is thickest in Natrona County, reaching up to 1,000 feet
thick (Purcell, 1961). The sandstones represent deltaic deposition
during regressions of the sea depositing the Pierre Shale (Purcell,
1961).
The Parkman Sandstone Member represents the base of the formation
and is very fine to fine-grained, micaceous, glauconitic, and cal-
cerous sandstones (Purcell, 1961). Grains are fairly well sorted
and angular. Coals and carbonaceous shales are often present (Headley,
1958). Bedding ranges from thin to massive but continuity of indi-
vidual beds is limited (Purcell, 1961). Net thickness of porous
sands ranges up to 250 feet in Natrona County (Headley, 1958) although
total thickness of the Parkman is up to 500 feet (Crist and Lowry,
1972).
The upper member of the Mesaverde Formation is the Teapot Sand-
stone Member, which is lithologically similar to the Parkman sand
B-15
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but has shale partings. Net Teapot porosity within the basin ranges
up to 100 feet (Headley, 1958).
At the Dead Horse Field west of Gillette porosity of the oil-
producing zone is 15 to 21 percent.
Fox Hills/Lance Aquifer System
Fox Hills Sandstone
The Fox Hills is a distinctive water-bearing sandstone deposited
as nearshore sand bodies in the retreating Late Cretaceous sea.
It conformably overlies marine shales, variously called the Lewis,
Pierre, or Bearpaw, and conformably underlies the nonmarine Lance
Formation.
The sandstone is generally fine- to medium-grained, thin to
massive bedded, weakly cemented, friable, lenticular, and interbedded
with carbonaceous shale and siltstones. In the southwestern basin
the basal part of the Fox Hills is a massive, cliff-forming sandstone
(Kohout, 1957), while the upper part has increased shale interbeds
(Crist and Lowry, 1972). In the southeastern basin limonitic concre-
tions are common (Whitcomb, 1965).
In the southern basin thickness of the Fox Hills ranges from
400 to 500 feet in Niobrara County (Whitcomb, 1965) to 700 feet
in Natrona County (Crist and Lowry, 1972). The sandstone thins
to the north and also contains more shale. In Crook County it is
150 to 200 feet thick (Whitcomb and Morris, 1964). In the northwestern
basin the Fox Hills is not mapped as a separate unit but equivalent
strata are included in the basal Lance Formation (Whitcomb and others,
1966).
B-16
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Lance Formation
The continental deposits of the Upper Cretaceous Lance Formation
are closely associated with the retreating sea which deposited the
Fox Hills. At any single point the norunarine Lance generally overlies
the marine Fox Hills but they may locally interfinger (Lowry, 1972).
The upper contact of the Lance is arbitrarily defined on the basis
of a paleontological change rather than lithology; the conformably
overlying Tullock Member of the Fort Union Formation contains a
Tertiary flora and no dinosaur bones (Brown, 1958).
The Lance is typically interbedded, light yellow grey, fine-
to medium-grained, crossbedded, lenticular water-bearing sandstones,
grey carbonaceous shales, and siltstones. It also contains thin
coals and bentonitic beds (Dunlap, 1958). Individual sandstone
beds are a few inches to a few feet thick. In Montana the upper
part of the Lance Formation is more fine-grained.
Thickness of the formation varies from 3,000 feet in Natrona
County (Crist and Lowry, 1972) to 1,600 to 2,500 in Niobrara County
(Whitcomb, 1965) to less than 1,000 feet in Crook County (Whitcomb
and Morris, 1964). In Johnson County the reported thickness is
1,950 to 2,200 feet (Whitcomb and others, 1966), but this includes
strata equivalent to the Fox Hills and Tullock.
Tullock Member of the Fort Union Formation
The Tullock Member of the Fort Union has been separately mapped
only in the northeast part of the Powder River basin. Both its
upper and lower boundaries are conformable, transitional zones.
Lowry (1972) informally redefined the Tullock as a time transgressive
B-17
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rock stratigraphic unit and recognized equivalent strata in the Upper
Lance in the western basin.
Overall lithology of the Tullock is similar to the Lance but
several differentiating criteria have been suggested. Robinson and
others (1964) considered the Tullock lighter in color, more evenly
bedded, and richer in coal. Dunlap (1958) considered Tullock sands
dirty, conglomeratic, and coal-rich in comparison to the Lance. Lowry
(1972) found that geophysical logs show the Tullock has higher
electrical resistivity and is thinner-bedded than the Lance.
Mapped thickness of the Tullock in the eastern basin is generally
about 1,000 feet but it thins to 500 feet at the Montana-Wyoming
boundary (Robinson and others, 1964). Lowry (1972) found Tullock
lithology, previously mapped as the Lance Formation, varied from 1,400
feet thick in the southwestern basin to about 700 feet near Sheridan.
Wasatch/Fort Union Aquifer System
Fort Union Formation
The Fort Union Formation consists of as much as 4,000 feet of
Paleocene continental deposits, thickest in the southwest, derived
from the surrounding low positive topographic features of Paleocene
time. It is conformably underlain by the Cretaceous Lance Formation
and the gradational contact is arbitrarily defined (see above). The
Eocene Wasatch Formation unconformably overlies the Fort Union.
In the north part of the basin the formation has been divided
into three members: the Tullock (see above), Lebo Shale, and Tongue
River, in ascending order (Robinson and others, 1964). The Lebo Shale
is about 250 feet of dark grey claystone and shale with beds of
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brown carbonaceous shale, thin discontinuous lenses of fine-grained
sandstone, and an absence of coal. Increased shale in the Lebo
in comparison to the underlying Tullock is distinctive on geophysical
logs (Lowry, 1972), and makes the member a partial hydrologic barrier.
The Tongue River is about 800 feet thick in the northeast but thickens
westward. It is light-colored interbedded fine-grained sandstone,
siltstone, sandy shale, and coal. The Tongue River and Lebo are
not differentiated in eastern basin outcrops south of T. 47 N.
In the southern part of the basin, Sharp and Gibbons (1964)
have described a two-fold division of the Fort Union. The lower
member is principally flat-bedded clayey fine-grained sandstone
with minor amounts of siltstone and coal while the upper member
is clayey siltstone containing ironstone lenses and coals.
In the western basin there are localized lenticular conglomeratic
beds and coarse-grained sandstones near the middle of the formation
(Whitcomb and others, 1966).
Wasatch Formation
The Eocene Wasatch Formation reaches a thickness of as much
as 1,600 feet in southwestern Campbell County although in much of
the basin erosion has removed about half the originally deposited
material. The Wasatch/Fort Union contact is a pronounced angular
unconformity in the western basin but becomes paraconformable to
the east. The exact stratigraphic location of the contact in the
eastern basin has been disputed (Brown, 1958; Sharp and Gibbons,
1964), but it appears to coincide with subtle mineralogical and geo-
chemical changes in the sandstones (Connor and others, 1976). The
B-19
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contact with the overlying local remnants of the Oligocene White
River Formation is an erosional unconformity.
Typically the Wasatch is variegated claystones, lenticular
and continuous thin-bedded fine-grained water-bearing sandstones,
and thin coal and carbonaceous shale beds (Love, 1952). The sandstones
are generally more arkosic and variable than those of the Fort Union.
Near the Bighorn Mountains the Wasatch is divisible into the Kingsbury
Conglomerate, containing well-rounded cobbles of sedimentary rocks,
and the overlying Montcrief boulder beds, which include Precambrian
rock fragments (Hose, 1955). Both members grade laterally into
typical Wasatch beds.
Porosity of Wasatch Formation sands measured at the Highland
Mine in central Converse County averaged 29 percent (Wyoming Department
of Environmental Quality mine permit files).
Coal and "Clinker"
Coals in the Tertiary rock sequence are specifically mentioned
because they are the only water-bearing strata within the aquifer
system with areal extent. Individual coals are up to 80 feet thick,
occur most abundantly in the upper part of the Fort Union, and under-
lie most of the central basin.
Associated with Powder River basin coal beds are "clinker"
areas. These are regions of fractured, baked, and fused bedrock,
which result from near-surface burning of coal beds. Clinker bodies
which are both saturated and regionally extensive can produce large
quantities of good quality water.
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Middle Tertiary Aquifers
Within the study area Middle Tertiary rocks are extensively
present only in the southern parts of Converse and Niobrara counties,
where they unconformably overlie older rocks.
White River Formation
The Oligocene White River Formation is predominantly siltstone
and claystone but may also contain numerous channel deposits of sand-
stone and conglomerate. Thickness ranges from about 550 feet in
Niobrara County to a reported maximum of 1,500 in Converse County
(Rapp, 1953).
In Niobrara County the lower 200 feet is a color banded silty
claystone equated with the Chadron Formation in Nebraska, while the
upper 350 feet is a massive pinkish-grey siltstone equated with the
Brule Formation (Whitcomb, 1965).
West of Douglas the formation is a massive buff siltstone but
south of Douglas it is more clay rich and contains increased numbers
of channel sandstones (Rapp, 1953).
Rapp (1953) reports that numerous small fractures within the
formation enhance its water-bearing characteristics.
Arikaree Formation
The Miocene Arikaree Formation is a massive sandstone, containing
lesser amounts of siltstone, volcanic ash, and lenticular well-cemented
concretionary sandstone, and is underlain by a persistent coarse
basal conglomerate. Although about 500 feet thick near Lusk, east
of the study area boundary, it thins to less than 100 feet in Converse
County.
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It unconformably overlies the White River Formation and, because
it is more resistant to erosion, caps numerous ridges within the
area. Locally, where the basal conglomerate is absent, the two
formations appear to be in gradational contact.
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APPENDIX C
CHEMICAL ANALYSES OF POWDER RIVER
BASIN GROUND WATERS
SAMPLED BY WRRI
-------
Table C-L. Chemical analyses of Powder River basin ground waters sampled by WRRI, June, 1980. (Values reported as mg/1 unless specified otherwise).
Luca t ion:
33/75-8 db
40/79-
26 ca
48/64-
18 bd
48/65-
21 bb
55/61-
26 da
55/66-
1 bb
57/61-
27 bd
36/77
5 bbb
37/63-
13 cb
40/78-
26 cba
42/62-
30 aa
45/71-
36 bb
i ui i
O I
t ° 1
Aquif cr:
Madison b
Madison
Fall River
Lakota
Fall River
Lakota
Fall River
Lance c
Fox Hills
Fox Hills
Fox Hills
Lance c
Lance
Field Temperature (°C)
43
74
15
15
15
13
16
18
18
17
15
27
FieJd pH (units)
7.5
7.0
8.4
9.0
8.2
7.3
7.5
8.2
8.5
7.2
7.3
7.8
Conduct ivity
(mlcromhos @ 68°F)
3450
3450
1000
885
3050
2380
435
2000
2225
3775
1400
400
1335
Total Suspended Solids
1.6
10.0
8.8
0.4
59.6
4.8
3.6
2.8
2.0
3.2
2.8
32.2
0.4
Total Dissolved Solids
2954
2886
800
690
2552
2136
316
1524
1728
3074
1070
288
1004
Calc ium
317
327
3
3
68
168
34
9
5
56
42
15
21
Magnesium
60
60
1
1
27
46
16
3
1
15
25
2
11
Sod ium
492
496
250
232
750
436
44
580
625
950
308
96
334
Potassium
50
46
3
2
16
35
7
6
5
10
6
8
6
Bicarbonate
93
122
122
207
305
342
195
669
493
420
634
264
634
Carbonate
0
0
60
48
0
0
0
0
43
0
0
0
0
Sulfate
1200
1075
350
240
1290
1060
85
599
733
1700
330
18
268
Chlor ide
568
648
10
12
128
12
6
10
20
36
12
24
8
Arsenic (0.01)
N.D. 3
N.D.
N.D.
N.D.
N.D.
N.D.
N.D.
N.D.
N.D.
N.D.
N.D.
N.D.
N . 1)
Barium (0.05)
N.D.
N.D.
N.D.
N.D.
N.D.
N.D.
N.D.
N.D.
N.D.
N.D.
N.D.
N.D.
N.D
Cadmium (0.01)
N.D.
N.D.
N.D.
N.D.
N.D.
N.D.
N.D.
N.D.
N.D.
N.D.
N.D.
N.D.
N . D
Chromium (0.05)
N.D.
N.D.
N.D.
N.D.
N.D.
N.D.
N.D.
N.D.
N.D.
N.D.
N.D.
N.D.
n . n
Flour ide
3.5
3.6
0.42
0.80
2.50
0.11
0.40
0.19
0.71
0.33
0.39
1.17
o.'f
Lead (0.05)
N.D.
N.D.
N.D.
N.D.
N.D.
N.D.
N.D.
N.D.
N.D.
N.D.
N.D.
N.D.
N.r
Mercury (0.001)
N.D.
N.D.
N.D.
N.D.
N.D.
N.D.
N.D.
N.D.
N.D.
N.D.
N.D.
N.D.
N.I
Nitrate (N)(0.01)
0.02
0.33
0.02
0.01
0.04
0.02
N.D.
0.04
N.D.
N.D.
N.D.
0.01
0.1
Selenium (0.01)
N.D.
N.D.
N.D.
N.D.
0.02
N.D.
N.D.
N.D.
N.D.
0.02
N.D.
N.D.
N.)
Silver (0.01)
N.D.
N.D.
N.D.
N.D.
N.D.
N.D.
N.D.
N.D.
N.D.
N.D.
N.D.
N.D.
N.
Uranium (U^Og)(0.001)
0.012
0.008
0.019
0.015
0.023
0.010
0.006
0.001
0.020
0.021
N.D.
0.0J 1
0.
N.D. indicates not detected; number in parentheses is detection limit (mg/]).
Owner claims well Is completed in Tensleep and Madison aquifers.
Owner claims well is completed in Fox Hills aquifer.
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APPENDIX D
LOCATION-NUMBERING SYSTEM
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Well locations are designated by a numbering system based on
the federal system of land subdivision.
The first number denotes the township, the second number denotes
the range, and the third number denotes the section. One or more
letters following the section number denote the location within the
section. The section is divided into four quarters (160 acres) and
lettered a, b, c, and d in a counterclockwise direction, beginning in
the northeast quarter. Similarly, each quarter may be further divided
into quarters (40 acres) and again into 10-acre tracts and lettered
as before. The first letter following the section number denotes
the quarter section; the second letter denotes the quarter-quarter
section; and the third letter, if shown, denotes the quarter-quarter-
quarter section, or 10-acre tract (Figure D-l) .
R 66'.V R.65W R 64W R 63W R 62W
Figure D-l. Well identification system based on township-range
subdivisions.
D-l
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