The North Platte River in Wyoming has been removed from the state's impaired waters list due to successful efforts to reduce selenium levels. Non-point source pollution from irrigated agriculture was causing elevated selenium. Through funding from EPA grants and local partners, over 1,600 acres of flood irrigation have been converted to sprinklers, reducing contact time between water and selenium-rich soils. Piping earthen ditches has also helped to minimize the transport of selenium in the watershed. Through these projects, selenium levels have declined sufficiently for the North Platte River to be delisted.

2. Wyoming

5. • Headwater to the Missouri-Mississippi River
Basin
• Blue Ribbon Fishery – Over 600 pounds of
trout per mile of river
• The NPR is in the top 3-5% of fisheries
in the state of Wyoming
• Drinking water supply for the City of Casper
and surrounding area
• Important for Tourism, Recreation

6. Search EPA Success Stories, Wyoming, North Platte River

7. EPA Pilot
Project:
In-Depth
Success
Story

8. Eight waterbodies on WDEQs Impaired
Waters 303(d) Report listed as impaired for
elevated levels of selenium.
̴ North Platte River (36.8 Miles) –
REMOVED in August of 2018!!
̴ Casper Creek (21.1 Miles)
̴ Poison Spider Creek (13.1 Miles – 3
Segments)
̴ Poison Spring Creek (8.2 Miles)
̴ Oregon Trail Drain (8.6 Miles)
̴ Rasmus Lee Lake (85.2 Acres)
̴ Goose Lake (30.1 Acres)
̴ Illco Pond (1.1 Acres)
̴ Thirty-Three Mile Reservoir (30.2 Acres)

9. Selenium comes from the Cody
Shale that underlies much of
Natrona County and is readily
transported through our
waterways.
Selenium is a heavy metal, thus
a priority pollutant per EPA.
Per the WDEQ Impaired Waters
List, selenium in our waterbodies
comes from “Irrigated Crop
Production and Natural
Sources”.

10. Precipitation and irrigation of
selenium rich soils can dissolve
and mobilize selenium to surface
and ground waters.
• Selenium can accumulate and
form deposits in the topsoil
altering the beneficial use of the
land.
• Selenium is particularly
concentrated in areas of pooling
water, ie. ponding from flood
irrigation or wetlands on
selenium rich soils.

11. Research has shown that the practices of lining or piping ditches
and conversion from flood irrigation to sprinklers minimizes the
transport of selenium in the watershed.
• Minimize Contact Time between Water and Selenium-Rich Soils
• Eliminate Pooling/Ponding of Water
• Minimize Wetland Development on Selenium-Rich Soils
• Convert from Inefficient Flood Irrigation to Sprinklers
• Convert Earthen Ditches to Pipelines (or Lining)
What Can We Do?

13. • Earning Respect – Landowners, Partners
• Funding Sources
• Very Few $$$ ($), one staff person
• Limited Support –
• NRCS
• City of Casper
• Natrona County
• Casper Alcova Irrigation District (CAID)
• Landowners
“Treat everyone with respect. Then, you will earn respect.”

14. • Ask for Guidance from Other Districts, State
Association, other Agency Personnel (WDA, WDEQ)
• Since 2012 (TMDL), NCCD has Received Four 319 Non-
Point Source Grants
• NRCS Technical Assistance, Partnership with EQIP
• Wyoming Department of Agriculture Water Quality
Grants
• Wyoming Water Development Grants (State In-Kind)
• Casper Alcova Irrigation District Selenium Funds
• In-kind Match from Landowners
• City of Casper / Natrona County Selenium Funds

15. North Platte River Watershed Project –
4 Segments 2012-2022
~ 46 Total BMPS
~ 1660 Acres - Converted from Flood to Sprinkler Irrigation
~ 64,570 Feet of Pipeline - Replaced Earthen Ditch
~ 2,644 Water Samples Analyzed - 11 Annual Water
Quality Reports
~ 500 Acres - Irrigation Water Management (IWM)
Practices
~ 200 Acres – Cover Crop Implementation Practices
4 - IWM / Soil Health Classes
Total Federal 319 Funds -- $1,715,210
Non-Federal Match -- $1,913,232
Other Federal Funds -- $1,124,250
Total Projects on the Ground -- $4,752,692

16. Special Selenium Funding
Natrona County ($140,034) & City of Casper ($200,000)
FY2016-FY2019+
NCCD’s Board of Supervisors partnered with Casper Alcova Irrigation District
(CAID) and Wyoming Water Development Commission (WWDC) on six large
pipeline projects to date.
• 19,500 Feet of Earthen Ditches converted to Pipelines
• $1,044,080 Total Project Costs
• $286,425 City/County
• $30,989 WDEQ 319 Funds
CAID PIPELINES
$1,013,091 Match
Money!!!

17. • Landowners, Landowners, Landowners!!
• Project Sites for BMPs
• Water Quality Sampling Sites
• NRCS Technical Assistance, EQIP
Partnerships
• Casper Alcova Irritation District
• Natrona County and the City of Casper
• Annual Legislative Luncheon

18. Significance of
Delisting the
North Platte River
• Minimize Regulations to Point Source Pollution, ie.
Municipalities (Water & Wastewater Treatment),
Industrial Discharge, etc.
• Maintain Local Control of our Water and our Non-
Point Source Pollution

19. Lisa Ogden, District Manager
lisa.ogden@wy.nacdnet.net
307-261-5436, Ext. 4
www.nccdwyoming.com
AAAAHHH!!!

20. Oregon Trail Drain
166 Acres - Flood to Sprinkler
18,185 Feet of Earthen Ditch Closed
11,943 Feet of Pipeline Installed
5 Lined Irrigation Ponds Installed
319 Funds -- $153,013
Total Investment - $569,780

21. Six Mile Drain
294 Acres - Flood to Sprinkler
25,860 Feet of Earthen Ditch Closed
15,857 Feet of Pipeline Installed
319 Funds -- $72,054
Total Investment - $659,666

22. Casper Creek
436 Acres - Flood to Sprinkler
15,574 Feet of Earthen Ditch Closed
19,110 Feet of Pipeline Installed
224 Acres Under Irrigation Water
Management
319 Funds -- $256,743
Total Investment - $1,197,751

23. Poison Spider Creek
194 Acres - Flood to Sprinkler
12,339 Feet of Earthen Ditch Closed
13,254 Feet of Pipeline Installed
1 Lined Irrigation Pond Installed
319 Funds -- $63,395
Total Investment - $313,670

24. North Platte River
242 Acres - Flood to Sprinkler
12,505 Feet of Earthen Ditch Closed
13,313 Feet of Pipeline Installed
319 Funds -- $57,600
Total Investment - $773,509

26. • 8000’ of Earthen Ditch
Replaced with 4850’ Pipeline
• 75 Acres of Flood Converted
to Sprinkler Irrigation

27. • 1833’ of Earthen Ditch
Replaced with 1833’ Pipeline
• 147 Acres of Flood Converted
to Sprinkler Irrigation

28. Sub-division
• Installed 900’ of Pipeline
• 24 Acres of Flood Converted
to Sprinkler Irrigation

29. • 2780’ of Earthen Ditch
Replaced with 1960’ Pipeline
• 46 Acres of Flood Converted
to Sprinkler Irrigation

30. • 1400’ of Earthen Ditch
Replaced with 1400’ Pipeline
• 35 Acres of Flood Converted
to Sprinkler Irrigation