Water resources of Weston County, Wyoming
Surface water is scarce in Weston County, Wyoming. Groundwater has been developed from rocks ranging in age from Mississippian to Holocene. Adequate supplies for domestic or stock use can be developed from wells generally less than 1,000 ft deep, except in the area underlain by a thick sequence of predominantly marine shale that will yield only small quantities of very mineralized water. In the early 1960 's decreases in artesian pressures occurred in some wells completed in the Lakota Formation of Early Cretaceous age and Pahasapa Limestone of Early Mississippian age. Only the decrease in the Lakota was attributed to development of water from the formation. Extensive development of either of these aquifers, however, may result in significant interference between nearby wells completed within the same aquifer. There are other aquifers within a few hundred feet of the overlying Lakota Formation that could be developed as an alternative to the Lakota to help limit the loss of pressure. The much deeper Pahasapa Limestone generally is developed because of the large supplies that are possible. Because there are no other large yield aquifers, there are no alternatives to limit the loss of pressure of the Pahasapa in the event of increased development. (USGS)