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The Wyoming Department of Environmental Quality (WDEQ) has received a request from Engineering Associates, on behalf of the Town of Saratoga, for State water quality certification of U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) Nationwide Permit #58 to discharge dredged or fill material into the North Platte River, Cadwell Slough, and South Spring Creek in Saratoga, Wyoming, to replace existing municipal sewer infrastructure.
This section of the North Platte River is a designated Outstanding Resource Water where point source discharges are prohibited, except for stormwater and construction-related discharges. Certification requires compliance with the provisions of Chapter 1, Section 13(a)(iii)(A) and (D) of the WDEQ Water Quality Rules and Regulations, which allow these discharges under specific circumstances.
Proposed activities include removing and replacing the existing sewer infrastructure spanning the North Platte River, Cadwell Slough, and South Spring Creek. To secure the new infrastructure, concrete anchors will be installed below the channel beds of all three waterbodies, and two concrete encasements will be installed below and across the North Platte River. Additional project activities include restoring channel bed elevations to pre-construction conditions, replacing existing manhole structures, and installing riprap to protect sewer infrastructure along the North Platte River. Existing sewer lines will be decontaminated prior to removal, and temporary "port-a-dams" will be installed to divert flows and reduce downstream disturbances during construction.
To facilitate this work, approximately 598 cubic yards (CY) of alluvial material will be excavated from the North Platte River, 40 CY from Cadwell Slough, and 13 CY from South Spring Creek, followed by the placement of 567 CY of concrete, redistributed alluvial material, and HDPE pipe within the North Platte River, 40 CY within Cadwell Slough, and 13 CY within South Spring Creek. No permanent impacts to wetlands are anticipated.
Requests for information about the proposed water quality certification should be directed to James Tarzon by email (james.tarzon1@wyo.gov) or phone (307-777-6701). Written comments must be addressed to James Tarzon, Wyoming DEQ/WQD, 200 W. 17th Street – 4TH floor, Cheyenne, WY, 82002, and be postmarked on or before 5:00 p.m. on August 5, 2026, to be considered. Electronic comments may only be submitted through and accepted by the Wyoming DEQ comment portal provided at http://wq.wyomingdeq.commentinput.com/. Phone comments will not be accepted.
Para español, visite deq.wyoming.gov. Americans with Disabilities Act: special assistance or alternative formats will be made available upon request for individuals with disabilities. Please provide at least fourteen (14) days before the close of public comment period for such requests.
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