| News
Release U.S. Department of the Interior U.S. Geological Survey
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Address 2617 E. Lincolnway, Suite B Cheyenne, Wyoming 82001 |
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| Release
September 6, 2001 |
Contact Kirk Miller Cheryl Miller Myron Brooks |
Phone (307) 778-2931 |
Fax (307) 778-2764 |
USGS: Western Wyoming Streams Set Record Lows In August
Streamflows in the western two-thirds of the state continue at record and near-record lows for the third month in a row according to preliminary data from the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS). Streamflows at four reference stations where USGS collects data with local, state and federal partners, were less than one-half the average for August.
"In fact, flows at two of the stations -- on the Tongue River near Dayton, and the South Fork Shoshone River near Valley -- set new record monthly low flows for August, flowing at only about 40 percent of average," said hydrologist Kirk Miller of the USGS Wyoming District.
On the Tongue River, record daily low flows were measured for 23 days in August. "That gage has been recording data for 71 years, a period including 3 long-duration hydrologic droughts," Miller said.
Near-record daily low flows also were recorded for much of August at the North Platte River above Seminoe Reservoir and Fontenelle Creek near Fontenelle stations.
Web users are able to access daily updated information on the drought in Wyoming at the USGS Wyoming Drought Watch web site: http://wy.water.usgs.gov/projects/drought.
Since 1895, the USGS has collected streamflow data at more than 2,000 sites throughout Wyoming. About 150 streamflow data collection stations currently are in operation. Additional information, including current streamflow conditions in Wyoming, can be found by accessing the Water Resources of Wyoming on the World Wide Web at: http://wy.water.usgs.gov/
The USGS serves the nation by providing reliable scientific information to: describe and understand the Earth; minimize loss of life and property from natural disasters; manage water, biological, energy, and mineral resources; and enhance and protect our quality of life.
Data in this release are preliminary. Final data will be published in the yearly publication, WATER RESOURCES DATA, WYOMING
NOTES TO EDITOR: (1) ft3/sec is an abbreviation for cubic feet per second which is the rate of discharge representing a volume of a cubic foot of water passing a given point during one second and is equivalent to 7.48 gallons per second or 448.8 gallons per minute.
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