Briefs: Instream Flow & West Nile

Instream flow hearing

The Wyoming State Engineer's office will hold a second public hearing on Monday, July 28, at 9 a.m. in the Sublette County Library in Pinedale on the Wyoming Game and Fish Department's request for a 40-cubic-feet-per-second instream flow for an eight-mile segment of Pine Creek.

The purpose of the re-hearing is to receive new comments and evidence prior to granting or denying the instream flow applications.

One of the two applications is for 40 cfs throughout the entire year when natural direct flows are available at or near the downstream end of the segment, which is near the confluence of Pine Creek and the West Fork New Fork River.

The second application is a secondary application to use stored water to help maintain up to a 40 cfs flow rate throughout the entire year. This stored water would come from the 952.95 acre-feet owned by the Wyoming Game and Fish Commission in Fremont Lake and from 4,800 acre-feet of the Town of Pinedale's storage in Fremont Lake during a valid lease term when flows are not available at or near the downstream end of the same stream segment referenced above.

Horse dies

The Sublette County horse diagnosed with West Nile Virus a couple of weeks ago has succumbed to the disease.

According to state health officials, about 30 percent of horses in the United States that become infected with West Nile Virus die from the disease. A vaccine is currently available for horses but a human vaccine has not yet been produced.

West Nile virus is a mosquito-transmitted disease that affects birds, humans, and horses. It was first identified in the U.S. in New York City in 1999.

Horse owners throughout the state are asked to be aware of the potential signs of WNV. According to Todd Cornish, Veterinary Pathologist at the Wyoming State Veterinary Laboratory, University of Wyoming, these may include: ataxia (incoordination, stumbling, or staggering), circling, weakness or paralysis of limbs, recumbency (inability to stand), muscle fasciculation (small twitches or tremors), apparent blindness, lip droop, grinding teeth and death.

Consultation on West Nile Virus information and testing for horse owners and veterinarians is available by calling Dr. Cornish at (307) 742-6638.