Coordinated Resource Management (CRM’s) is a voluntary planning process where natural resource managers and private landowners are better able to respond to management concerns, resolve people conflicts, and accomplish common goals.  This process brings all the concerned agencies, organizations, and interest groups together to develop common goals and resolve natural resource issues as a team.  CRM is local people addressing local issues.

The Wyoming CRM Executive Committee, consisting of ranchers, environmental groups, governmental agencies, and special interest groups, provides guidance and direction at the state level.

CRM Guidelines

The District currently has four active CRM’s in Campbell County.  The four are Caballo Creek, Dead Horse Creek, Wild Horse Creek, and Spotted Horse/LX Bar Creeks. 

The District was requested by landowners on Caballo Creek, Hoe Creek, and Bone Pile Creek to host meetings on watershed planning for their area.  Their main concern is the water issue from coal bed methane wells.  The landowners made a decision to use the Coordinated Resource Management (CRM) process to best deal with the difficult tasks of this issue.  These individuals have formed the Caballo Creek CRM committee.  The District has coordinated meetings for the Caballo Creek CRM group as well as the sub committees that have been formed within the original landowners.  Different agencies and gas producers were asked to join the committee.   Meetings were held on March 9, April 9, and April 23 of 1999.  40 people were at the first meeting with more joining the committee as time went on.

          Upon request from other watersheds, the District coordinated the Wild Horse Creek, Dead Horse Creek, and Spotted Horse Creek CRM’s.  The Dead Horse Creek CRM had meetings on Aug. 17, Sept. 9, Nov. 23, Dec. 15, 1999 and Jan. 4, Jan. 27, and Feb 24, 2000.  A steering committee was developed and they have been working diligently on dealing with the cumulative effects of the water on the Dead Horse Creek drainage.  The District, along with Lake DeSmet Conservation District, Powder River Conservation District, and the Sheridan County Conservation District is supporting getting two positions, a technician and a coordinator, to deal with the Dead Horse Creek drainage and the concerns from coal bed methane.

          The Wild Horse CRM was started in February 2000 and had 58 people in attendance at its first meeting on February 7.  They listed concerns on the watershed and assigned committee members to acquire the answers to those concerns.  The steering committee met again on March 22 to compile the information. 

          The Spotted Horse CRM was also started in February, 2000 and had 44 people in attendance at its meeting on February 28.  They reviewed the list of concerns that was compiled by the Wild Horse Creek CRM and added a few to the list.  The Steering Committee met on March 22 to review the information compiled by the Wild Horse CRM.  The two groups had an information forum on May 11 to educate all the landowners on the two drainages of information they have compiled.  The agencies involved included the Wyoming DEQ, State Engineers Office, State Lands, and BLM to present their information along with Weed & Pest, NRCS, and others.