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Water Quality Program |
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Water Quality World Water Monitoring Day The monitoring tests are safe, easy and may be performed anytime from September 18 through October 18. |
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Converse County Conservation District |
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They include dissolved oxygen (DO), acidity (pH), turbidity (or clarity) and temperature. Macro invertebrate (“bugs”) studies may also be reported.
WWMD data will be published on-line each year at www.worldwatermonitoringday.org so people all over the world can see the monitoring results.
Converse County Conservation District and Converse County School District #1 8th and 4th grade students participated in World Water Monitoring Day on the North Platte River in September 2008. Many student/scientists took samples and tested them for dissolved oxygen, acidity, turbidity and temperature. |
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WELL WATER TESTING DAY For over eight years Converse County Conservation District and Natural Resources Conservation Services hold a well water testing day for drinking water wells during the month of May. The 2010 date is Tuesday, May 18th. |
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Bottles (for bacteria testing only) may be picked up at Converse County Conservation District, Converse County Clerk’s Office, and Cooperative Extension Office in Douglas or the Town Hall in Glenrock. Water samples should be taken as close to testing as possible. Please take your sample no earlier than the morning of Tuesday, May 18th. If you wish to have your water tested for nitrates, pH or hardness, bring a separate water sample in a clean container. This program is available only to rural Converse County residents. Water samples taken from city water supplies will not be accepted for testing. We will test ONLY rural water wells used for human consumption. If you have any questions please contact Michelle at Converse County Conservation District— 358-3050 ext. 109. |
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Last Modified on July 12, 2010 |
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2009 theme is "Dig It! The Secrets of Soil." This years' Stewardship Week is April 26-May 3.
Water Quantity Water is the most limiting resource in Converse County. Landowners manage for maximum beneficial use from all water, whether livestock, domestic, or irrigation. This requires management diversity for everything from flood events to drought conditions. Within the Northern/Cheyenne River Watershed, surface water sources include Antelope Creek, Dry Creek, and Lightening Creek. These are ephemeral steams in Converse County. In the Southern Converse/North Platte River Watershed, the North Platte River and its many tributaries are vital sources of water. Since surface water is a limiting factor as well as spacing between streams, groundwater is extremely important to the area. There are over 6,200 water |
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Michaela Sanchez - 2009 Stewardship Poster Contest winner |
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wells which provide over 95% of the stock and domestic water used. Wells, springs, and other water developments are vital to production agriculture, wildlife, and domestic needs. Water quantity is the number one natural resource issue facing the district according to survey results and discussions. The Converse County Conservation District views water developments as a priority in this plan. The county has about 21 bedrock formations consisting of over 16,000 feet of sedimentary rocks. Nearly all of these, although deep, may be limited by water quality or low yields. Natural gas and salts in some aquifers may cause water quality problems. The Converse County Conservation District see water quality as an issue in Converse County, although the water quality is believed to be very good at present. The district views water quality as a place to be proactive rather than reactive.
We work on water quantity issues in the following ways: Assistance with xeriscape design Assistance with drip irrigation systems Wyoming Water Development Commission Small Water Development grants Participation in the Platte River Basin Advisory Group SMALL WATER DEVELOPMENT PROJECTS CCCD and Thunder Basin Grazing Association continued the groundwork for the small water development projects. Geological reports were completed on the 17 projects which required them. The USFS is completing their assessment studies of the Thunder Basin Grasslands in conjunction with these projects. |