WWRC 97-05n
Utilizing Watershed Management in Conjunction with Wellhead Protection in the Cheyenne Board of Public Utilities Borie Wellfield, Laramie, County, Wyoming
Abstract
The City of Cheyenne has utilized groundwater
from the Borie wellfield since 1945. The wellfield
is located approximately 6 miles southwest of
cheyenne and contains 4 municipal water wells (See
Figure 1). The wells include Borie 1, Weber 1,
Elkar 7 and Finnerty 2. The wells all produce from
the Ogallala and/or White River Formations and
range in depth from 210 feet to 395 feet The Borie
1 and Elkar 7 wells were rehabilitated in 1995 and
Weber 1 was rehabilitated in 1994: Finnerty 2 is
approximately 50 years old. In 1996 the City of
Cheyenne decided to participate in the Wyoming
Wellhead Protection Plan to protect its wells from
contamination.
Lone Tree Creek is an ephemeral stream that flows
east out of the Laramie Range and passes less than a
mile to the south of the Bone wellfield. The stream
is hydraulically upgradient from and recharges the
Cheyenne municipal wells. It is estimated that it
takes less than a week for water to flow 23 miles,
from the headwaters of the creek to the Borie
wellfield. Water from the stream takes
approximately 6 years to reach the Borie 1 well,
based on time of travel calculations. It is highly
probable that any conservative contaminants in the
creek will contaminate the Borie wellfield. To
better protect the Borie wellfield, Cheyenne has
begun to implement a Watershed Management
Program for Lone Tree Creek, in concert with the
Borie Wellhead Protection Plan.
Water Resources Publications List
Water Resources Data System Library |
Water Resources Data System Homepage
