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Diminished Sweetwater River Flows
From the High Cold Desert Region of Wyoming

By: Raymond V. Corning
MS Zoology (Limnology),
Colorado State University

February 13, 2002

Notes: (1) click on any image in this report for a larger view, (2) this report is also available in an 11mb PDF file.

Contents

• Foreward
• Introduction
• Background Information Concerning Local Wetlands
  • Origination of Wetlands and Production Rates
  • What Makes a Wetland Unique
  • Humus, Humic Materials, and Humic Production Rates
• Impacts of Cattle Grazing on Local Riparian Wetlands
  • Sheep versus Cattle Grazing
  • Effects of Overgrazing
  • Specific Examples of Grazing Abuse
• Avoiding the Loss of Riparian Wetlands and Their Water Supplies
  • Management Practices
• Downstream Consequences of Riparian Wetland Abuse
  • Impacts affecting the North Platte River Wyoming-Nebraska Interstate Compact
  • Overall Impacts
• Remedies
• Conclusions
• Literature Cited
• Other Online Resources

Author Raymond V. Corning holds a B.S. Degree in Fisheries Management and a Masters Degree in Zoology (Limnology) from Colorado State University. At various times he held the positions of Assistant Chief of Fisheries for the Virginia Commission of Game and Inland Fisheries, Principal Fisheries Biologist for the Bureau of Land Management in Washington, D.C., and Aquatic Habitat Specialist with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service.

His most cherished award has been the Wildlife Federation Governors Award as Soil Conservationist of the Year in Virginia. Raymond is now retired and works part time as an environmental consultant. He currently serves as Wyoming Outdoor Councils’ representative on the Total Maximum Daily Load Work Group, Water Quality Division, Wyoming DEQ. He has also served as an expert witness on various environmental matters, including a Coal Bed Methane Court Case in Colorado.

Raymond has been a member of the Green Mountain Common Allotment Planning Group since it’s inception in 1997. He is also active and an Interested Public on the Atlantic City Common Allotment, Granite Creek Common Allotment, and Silver Creek Common Allotments, Lander Field Office. The same relationships hold true for the Pacific Common Allotment and the Little Sandy Common Allotment, Rock Springs Field Office, and the Lower Bench Corral Allotment, Pinedale Field Office.

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