Vigil Network Site: Drainage Area Number Two Near Lance Creek Village, Wyoming, U.S.A.
Submitted by: William W. Emmett
U.S. Geological Survey, Washington, D.C. 20242
Drainage Area Number Two is a small ephemeral basin in an area characterized by discontinuous gullying. It is located 2.40 miles northeast of the new (approximately 1950) post office in Lance Creek Village on the north side of Wyoming state highway 1401. It has its origin on a rocky knoll on the south side of the highway, but the active gullying in this basin is only on the north side of the highway. The main drainage flows through a culvert under the highway into an ephemeral, discontinuous gully which eventually empties into Lance Creek. The general area is included on the topographic map published by the U.S. Geological Survey entitled "Newcastle, Wyo., S. Dak.; Neb." scale 1:250,000 (part of which appears in this folder, figure 1). The coordinates of Drainage Area Number Two are lat. 43°03'04" N., and long. 104°37'30" W. in the SE 1/4 of T. 11 S., R. 65 W.
The general area is within the Lance Creek Oil Field and the land is presently being used for grazing of cattle. The vegetation is of various rangeland grasses and sagebrush (Artemisia). The approximate elevation is 4400 feet above sea level and the relief in the surveyed area is about 37 feet. The size of the drainage area has not been measured but is of the magnitude of 50 acres draining into the surveyed reach. Precipitation averages about 15 inches per year.
At the time of preparation of this file, four field surveys had been made; July 15, 1950, August 12-13, 1962, June 5, 1963, and July 5, 1968. The 1950 survey consisted of a planetable map (scale one inch equals 100 feet, see figure 3) showing the general configuration of the discontinuous gully system, location of some secondary headcuts, and a few spot elevations. No permanent reference points were installed during this survey.
The 1962 survey consisted of a more detailed planetable map (scale one inch equals 100 feet, see figure 2) along with the establishment of ten permanent reference points shown on figure 2. Each permanent reference point is a four-foot length of 1/2 inch diameter steel rod driven in the ground and protruding about six inches above the ground surface.
The principal measurements consist of six cross-channel land-surface profiles surveyed at locations specified in table 1 and shown on figure 2. These cross-sections were initially surveyed in 1962 and resurveyed in 1963 and 1968. Cross-section data are listed in tables 2-7. The right bank reference pins at stations 0 and 327 feet have a metal tag affixed to them on which is imprinted the pin description and elevation. Also in 1962 a longitudinal profile was surveyed over a distance of 1600 feet beginning at the fence along the highway and extending downslope through part of the discontinuous gully system. Profile data are listed in table 8.
To measure the rate of headcut retreat, observations are made of the location of headcuts and referenced to channel stationing or reference points. These data are listed in table 9. Most data are from the 1968 survey, but additional data on headcut retreat may be obtained from the planetable map of 1962 (figure 2) and the 1962 longitudinal profile (table 8).
The file of original field data includes both original planetable maps, black and white and color ground photography (1962, 1963, and 1968), and low altitude aerial photography (1963). Original data is on file with William W. Emmett, U.S. Geological Survey, Washington, D.C. 20242, U.S.A.