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Know how. Know now. NP River Irrg GLS 08-2013 Gary Stone Extension Educator University of Nebraska Panhandle Research & Extension Center Scottsbluff, NE The North Platte River: Surface Water Irrigation Projects & Power Generation
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North platte river irrigation system v2.1

May 22, 2015

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A basic history of and information about the North Platte River U.S. Bureau of Reclamation projects – surface irrigation, power generation and other related irrigation and power generation projects – on the North Platte River drainage. By Gary Stone, Extension Educator, Panhandle Research & Extension Center.
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Page 1: North platte river irrigation system v2.1

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GLS 08-2013

Gary StoneExtension Educator

University of NebraskaPanhandle Research & Extension Center

Scottsbluff, NE

The North Platte River: Surface Water Irrigation Projects

& Power Generation

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A Brief History & General Background On The Irrigation & Power Generation Projects Along The North Platte River & Upper Platte River In

Nebraska & Wyoming

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Information Obtained / Interpreted From Reference Material Provided By The

US Department of the Interior / Bureau Of Reclamation

“History of the North Platte Project” Nebraska-Wyoming, 1902-1913, Volume 1, Andrew Weiss, Project Engineer

“Project History Of The North Platte Project” Nebraska-Wyoming, 1921, Volume 1, Andrew Weiss, Project Manager

Pathfinder Irrigation District

North Platte Natural Resources District

University Of Nebraska

Nebraska Department Of Natural Resources

Central Nebraska Public Power & Irrigation District

Nebraska Public Power District

NRCS Web Soil Survey

Google Earth

And Others

Thank You!

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Acknowledgements

Dr. Gary W. Hergert, Professor Of Agronomy, University Of Nebraska

Dr. David J. Aiken, Professor Of Economics, University Of Nebraska

Dennis Strauch, Manager, Pathfinder Irrigation District

Tom Hayden, Nebraska Department Of Natural Resources

James Ostdiek, Nebraska Department Of Natural Resources

Harry Labonde, Wyoming Water Development Office

US Bureau Of Reclamation Office, Great Plains Region, Mills, WY

Thank You!

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Item of Note:

“One Government experiment farm is maintained near Mitchell, Nebraska, and another near Torrington, Wyoming. Both farms are of great value to the farmers of the valley. During the past year six cooperative retail stores and one wholesale store have been in operation. A cooperative cow testing association is doing great work in improving the quality of dairy cattle. There were twelve Farm Bureau local clubs and about the same number of Boys and Girls clubs in active existence throughout the year. Farmers of the valley are also active members of the Western Nebraska Potato Growers Association which is responsible for the valuable ‘Potato Grading Law’.”

Taken from “Project History Of The North Platte Project”; Nebraska-Wyoming; 1921; Volume 1; Page 11, Paragraph 25. Andrew Weiss, Project Manager

The University of Nebraska Panhandle Research & Extension Center Celebrated It’s Centennial In 2010.

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Precipitation Varies Across Nebraska, Hence The Need For Supplemental Irrigation In The Western Part Of The State, ~ 1” For Every 25-30 Miles

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~1 Inch Precipitation For Every 25-30 Miles

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75% Of The Water In The North Platte River

Comes Above Alcova Dam

25% Of The Water In The North Platte River Comes

Below Alcova Dam

(Karl Musser Image)

Wyoming

Colorado

Nebraska

South Platte River

Platte River

North Platte River

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Great Plains Region North Platte River Basin . . . It’s Source, Major Tributaries & Reservoirs

Glendo

Guernsey

Pathfinder

Greyrocks

Inland Lakes

McConaughy & Ogallala

(US Bureau Of Reclamation Image)

Seminoe & Kortes

Alcova & Gray Reef

North Platte River Headwaters

Laramie River Tributary

Medicine Bow River Tributary

Sweetwater River Tributary

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What Are “cfs” & “Acre-Foot”?•cfs Means “cubic feet per second” OR

“second-feet”

•One Cubic Foot Of Water Equals 7.48 Gallons Of Water

•One Cubic Foot Of Water Weighs 62.4 Pounds

•1 cfs = 449 Gallons Of Water Per Minute OR= 646,272 Gallons Of Water Per Day OR= 1.984 Acre-Feet Per Day

•1 Acre-Foot = 325,829 Gallons Of Water

•1 Acre-Foot = 43,560 Cubic Feet

North Platte River Basin Projects

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US Department Of The Interior / Bureau Of Reclamation Projects Located In Central / East-central Wyoming & The Nebraska Panhandle Along The North Platte River:

•North Platte (Sweetwater) ProjectPathfinder / Guernsey

•Kendrick ProjectSeminoe / Casper-Alcova

•Pick-Sloan Missouri River Basin ProjectKortes & Glendo Units, Oregon Trail Division

North Platte River Basin Projects

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North Platte River Basin Projects•North Platte Project (Sweetwater)

•The 1891 Drought Led To The Reclamation Act of

1902

•Originally Named The “Sweetwater Project”,

The Dam & Reservoir Were To Be Located At

Devils Gate On The Sweetwater River In

Wyoming

•Insufficient Flow Of The River Prevented This

(Image Courtesy of Pathfinder Irrigation District / US Bureau Of Reclamation)

Devils Gate WY

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North Platte River Basin Projects•North Platte Project (Sweetwater)

Devils Gate WY Today

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North Platte River Basin Projects•North Platte Project (Sweetwater)

•Authorized 1902 Reclamation Act

•Pathfinder Dam, Dike & Reservoir•Completed June 14, 1909

•Located In The “Big Canon” (Fremont Canyon)

•One Of The First Dams Constructed By The Reclamation Service

•Arch-Cantilever Dam With Granite Block (Face) Construction

•Reservoir - 1,016,000 Acre-Feet Capacity

•22,014 Surface Acres Structural Height Of 218 Feet

•Base Width 96.5 Feet Crest Width 10.9 Feet

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North Platte River Basin Projects•North Platte Project (Sweetwater)

•Pathfinder Dam, Dike & Reservoir – Trouble!!!•From The Middle Of & To The End Of June 1909,

Water In The Reservoir Rose Four Feet Per Day

•Run-off Was A Million Acre-Feet Above The Average

•Dynamite Was Placed In The Dam To Blow The Top 40 Feet Off, To Prevent The Unfinished Dike From Washing Out

•A 1949 Regrouting Project On Pathfinder Dam’s Downstream Face Revealed Five Sealed Drill Holes Loaded With Live Dynamite!

•After The 1909 Spring Flood, No-one Went Back To Remove The Dynamite

•The Dynamite Was Neutralized & Safely Removed

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Pathfinder Dam Site Prior To Construction 08-17-1905

(Upper End Fremont Canyon)

•A Tunnel & Shaft For Gate Valves Were Established On The North Side Of The Canyon & Also To Serve As A Bypass For River Flow Before & During Construction On The Dam

Freight Wagons To Dam Site (Lower Right)(Images Courtesy of Pathfinder Irrigation District / US Bureau Of Reclamation)

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Pathfinder Dam Site Prior To Construction 08-17-1905

(Upper End Fremont Canyon)

•A Tunnel & Shaft For Gate Valves Were Established On The North Side Of The Canyon & Also To Serve As A Bypass For River Flow Before & During Construction On The Dam

Freight Wagons To Dam Site (Lower Right)(Images Courtesy of Pathfinder Irrigation District / US Bureau Of Reclamation)

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Pathfinder Dam Site•Clearing The Bedrock For The

Foundation (Left)

•Pathfinder Dam First Block In Place 08-15-1906 (Lower Left)

•Dam Nearing Completion 1908 (Below)

(Images Courtesy of Pathfinder Irrigation District / US Bureau Of Reclamation)

1908

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Pathfinder Dam Construction Phases

1905 - 1909(Images Courtesy of Pathfinder Irrigation District)

Wages Were $0.30 To $0.85

Per Hour

06-08-1907 190811-29-1907

10-7-1909

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Pathfinder Dam Completed

Construction June 14, 1909

(Image Courtesy of Pathfinder Irrigation District / US Bureau Of Reclamation)

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Pathfinder (Dam) Dike Construction 05-17-1910(Image Courtesy of Pathfinder Irrigation District / US Bureau Of Reclamation)

Core Wall Of Pathfinder Dike

Pathfinder Dam

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North Platte River Projects & Systems•Pathfinder Dam Tragedy

•Various Injuries Occurred During Construction Of Pathfinder Dam

•On February 9, 1912 Construction Work On The Concrete Ladder Located On The South Wall Of The Canyon Was Taking Place

•Three Anchor Cables Broke For The Main Cableway

•The Main Cable Swept 5 Men Off The Top Of The Canyon To Their Deaths

•The Coroner’s Jury / Inquest Determined The Accident Was Unavoidable & Was Not Caused By Carelessness Or Negligence Of Any One

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North Platte River Basin Projects•Pathfinder Dam Spillway Modification

Project – Completed 2012 •Will Increase Pathfinder Reservoir Capacity By Approximately

54,000 Acre-Feet, To Recapture Storage Space Lost To Sediment

•A Weir (Ogee) Was Constructed To Raise The Spillway 2.39 Feet

•34,000 Acre-Feet Of The Modification Would Go To The Platte River Environmental Account

•20,000 Acre-Feet Of The Modification Would Go To Municipalities, Replacement Water To Meet Wyoming’s Obligations Under The Modified Decree, Mitigation Water For New Wyoming Depletions To Satisfy The Requirements Of The PRRIP & Additional Water For The PRRIP If Wyoming Does Not Need The Water

•The State Of Wyoming Will Pay For The Modification

•Part Of The Platte River Cooperative Agreement / Recovery Program

•Both Accounts Carry A “Change Of Use” To The 1904 Water Right, With A Limitation On The Ability To Call For The Water

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North Platte River Basin Projects•Pathfinder Dam Spillway Modification

Project – Completed 2012

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(R.D. Dirmeyer Photo 11-02-1949)

Pathfinder Spillway Modification Site

Pathfinder Dike

Aerial View Of The Pathfinder Dam Site, Dike & Spillway

Spillway Direction Of Flow

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Pathfinder Dam Spillway Overflow “Old Weir” 07-10-1986

Pathfinder Dike

Gary L Stone Image

Gary L Stone Image

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Pathfinder Dike

Pathfinder Dam Spillway Overflow

“Old Weir” 07-04-2010 & Similar In 2011

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Initial Interstate (Pathfinder) Canal Opening July 4, 1906(Images Courtesy of Pathfinder Irrigation District / US Bureau Of Reclamation)

Note The Landmarks & Compare The Change In Vegetation To The Next Slide

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Whalen Diversion Dam / Interstate (Pathfinder) & Goshen / Gering-Ft Laramie Canal Area On The North Platte River 2008

Gary L Stone Image

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Initial Whalen Dam Construction 1909

(Image Courtesy of Pathfinder Irrigation District)

Current Whalen Dam Construction 2008

Old Bridge Footings

Gary L Stone Image

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(Image From “Irrigation Works Constructed By The United States Government” A P Davis 1917)

(Image Courtesy of Pathfinder Irrigation District)

Early Whalen Dam Photos

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Construction Work On The Interstate (Pathfinder) Canal(Image Courtesy of Pathfinder Irrigation District)

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Summer & Winter Construction Work On The Interstate

(Pathfinder) Canal

Raw Horsepower & Hand Labor!

(Images Courtesy of Pathfinder Irrigation District / US Bureau Of Reclamation)

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Construction Work On The Interstate

(Pathfinder) Canal(Images Courtesy of Pathfinder Irrigation District /

US Bureau Of Reclamation)

Some “Modern” Equipment Was Used

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First Water! On The Interstate

(Pathfinder) Canal(Image Courtesy of Pathfinder Irrigation District)

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Bureau of Reclamation, North Platte Project Include:

•Pathfinder Dam, Dike & Reservoir1,016,000 Acre-Feet Capacity + 54,000 Acre-Feet

•Guernsey Dam, Reservoir & Power Plant45,612 Acre-Feet Current Capacity

•Inland Lakes & Dams(Minatare, Big & Little Lake Alice, Winters Creek) 73,215 Acre-Feet Capacity

•Canal / Carriage FacilitiesWhalen Diversion DamInterstate (Pathfinder) CanalHigh-Line Canal (Interstate / Pathfinder System)Low-Line Canal (Interstate / Pathfinder System)Goshen / Gering – Fort Laramie CanalNorthport Canal / Carriage Facilities

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North Platte Project: Area Irrigated

(WaterHistory.org Image)

Whalen Diversion Dam For Pathfinder & Goshen /

Gering-Ft Laramie Canals

Farmers Irrigation Canal Diversion Dam

Scottsbluff

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Pathfinder Dam & Reservoir 2008Gary L Stone Image

North Platte Project:

Supplies Water To 332,892 AcresFull & Supplemental Irrigation Service

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North Platte River Basin Projects

•Kendrick Project (Casper-Alcova)•Authorized 1935

•Wyoming Water Ownership

•Seminoe Dam, Reservoir & Power Plant1,017,279 Acre-Feet Capacity

Usually “Fills” 1 In 10 Years

•Alcova Dam, Reservoir & Power Plant184,208 Acre-Feet Capacity

24,265 Acres Full Irrigation Service

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North Platte River Basin Projects

Seminoe Reservoir(DigitalGlobe Image / Tele Atlas / Google Earth)

Seminoe Dam

North Platte River

Medicine Bow River

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Seminoe Dam & Reservoir 2008

Seminoe Dam & Power Plant 2008

Gary L Stone Image

Gary L Stone Image

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North Platte River Basin Projects•Pick-Sloan Missouri River Basin Project

Kortes & Glendo Units, Oregon Trail Division / Authorized 1944

•Kortes Dam, Reservoir & Power Plant4,765 Acre-Feet Capacity

•Glendo Dam, Reservoir & Power Plant795,196 Acre-Feet Capacity

•Gray Reef Dam & Reservoir1,800 Acre-Feet Capacity

•Fremont Canyon Power PlantPathfinder Dam & Reservoir

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North Platte River Projects & Systems•Pick-Sloan Missouri River Basin Project

•Kortes Dam, Reservoir & Power Plant•500 cfs Minimum Flow Established For Miracle Mile

•“Black Start” Procedures Have Been Developed

•These Address Re-Start Capabilities Under Severe Transmission System Disturbance

•Kortes Could Be Used As A First Step To Re-Start Seminoe, Fremont Canyon & Alcova Power Plants

•These Plants Could Then Be Used Collectively To Start The Dave Johnston Power Plant

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North Platte River Basin Projects

•Glendo Reservoir•40,000 Acre-Feet Available For Irrigation Annually,

Not To Exceed 100,000 Acre-Feet In Storage

15,000 Acre-Feet To Wyoming

25,000 Acre-Feet To Nebraska

•Excess North Platte Project Water Ownership Storage (Warren Act Water)

•Remaining Storage Serves As The Flood Pool

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Glendo Power Plant & Surge TowerGary L Stone Image

Gary L Stone Image

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North Platte River Basin ProjectsOther Projects

•Dave Johnston Power Plant, Glenrock, WYOwned By PacifiCorp (Berkshire Hathaway) Coal-Fired, Uses North Platte River Water For Cooling

•Grayrocks Dam & Reservoir – Laramie River Station Power Plant, Wheatland, WY104,109 Acre-Feet Capacity

Coal-Fired, Uses Grayrocks Reservoir Water (Laramie River – North Platte River Tributary) For Cooling Plus Well Field Water

Owned By The Missouri Basin Power Project / Basin Electric Power Cooperative

Lincoln Electric System, Lincoln NE – Coop Member

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North Platte River Basin ProjectsOther Projects

•Lake McConaughy & Kingsley Dam & Hydro Power Plant

Authorized 1935 By The Public Works Administration

Owned By Central Nebraska Public Power & Irrigation District 1,900,600 Acre-Feet Capacity

•Gerald Gentleman Station, Sutherland, NEOwned By Nebraska Public Power DistrictNebraska’s Largest Power PlantCoal-Fired, Uses North & South Platte River Water For Cooling Plus Well Field Water

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Platte River Basin ProjectsOther Projects

•North Platte Hydro Power Plant & Lake Maloney

•Kearney Hydro

•CanadayAll Owned By Nebraska Public Power District

•Jeffery Lake, Johnson Lake No. 1 & No. 2 Supply Canal Hydro Power PlantsAll Owned By Central Nebraska Public Power & Irrigation District

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(Central Nebraska Public Power & Irrigation District Image)

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North Platte River Basin ProjectsPower Generation(Western Area Power Administration)Guernsey - Completed 1928 - 6,400 kW - IntermediateAlcova - Completed 1938 - 41,400 kW - PeakingSeminoe - Completed 1939 - 51,750 kW - IntermediateKortes - Completed 1951 - 36,000 kW - Peaking / IntermediateGlendo - Completed 1958 - 38,000 kW - Seasonal / IntermediateFremont Canyon - Completed 1961 - 66,800 kW - Intermediate

Other Power GenerationDave Johnston - 816.8 mWGrayrocks / Laramie River Station - 1,660 mWMcConaughy / Kingsley Dam - 50,000 kWGerald Gentleman Station - 1,365 mWLake Maloney / North Platte Hydro - 24,000 kWJeffery Lake - 20mWJohnson Lake No. 1 - 20 mWJohnson Lake No. 2 - 23 mWCanaday - 109 mWKearney Hydro - 1490 kW

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North Platte River Basin Projects•What Is It All Used For?

•Irrigation

•Hydroelectric Power GenerationPotential For Water To Pass Through 6 Hydro Plants In Wyoming & 6 Hydro Plants In Nebraska

•Flood Control

•Recreation

•Municipal & Industrial Water Supplies

•Sediment Retention & Pollution Abatement

•Endangered Species, Fish & Wildlife Habitat

Gary L Stone Image

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North Platte River Basin Projects•How Is It Allocated?

•It’s Complicated!

•Decrees, Agreements & Laws Governing Water Rights

•Use & Quantity Are Allocated For Certain Defined Purposes:

•A Priority Basis – “First In Time, First In Right”

•A Proportionate Share Basis

•Natural Flow – 25% Wyoming, 75% Nebraska

•Storage – 18% Wyoming, 82% Nebraska

•A Geographical Source Basis

(Paul Stanton Image)

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North Platte River Basin Projects•How Is It Allocated?

•The Following Slide Shows The Nebraska* North Platte River Surface Water Diverters / Irrigation Projects, That Include:•Date Of Appropriation / Water Right*

•Amount Of Diversion*

*Some Wyoming Diversions Are Included In The 1904 US Bureau Of Reclamation Projects; Exact Dates Of Appropriation And Amount Of Diversion Will Vary By Individual Diverter / Irrigation Project Within The Year Stated

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NEBRASKA NORTH PLATTE RIVER SURFACE WATER RIGHT HOLDERS* WATER RIGHT DATE

AMOUNT cfs

Kearney Canal 1882 162

North Platte Canal (Platte Valley Irrigation) 1884 201

Farmers Irrigation District (Tri State Canal) 1887 862

Minatare Mutual Canal & Winters Creek Canal 1888 204.5

Bridgeport (Belmont) Canal, Castle Rock Irrigation & Enterprise Irrigation 1889 313

Central, Chimney Rock, Gothenburg, Mitchell & Union Irrigation / Canal 1890 310

Empire Canal 1891 29

Alliance & Browns Creek Irrigation / Canal 1892 177

Birdwood, Blue Creek (Hooper, Meeker / Graft), Cody-Dillon, Lisco, Nine Mile & Short Line Irrigation / Canal 1893 368

Beerline, Cozad, Dawson, Gothenburg, Keith-Lincoln, Midland-Overland, Paisley, Paxton-Hershey & Suburban, Six Mile Irrigation / Canal 1894 1185.8

Orchard Alfalfa (South Side) & Steamboat Irrigation / Canal 1895 / 96 89

Gering Irrigation 1897 187

Farmers Irrigation District / Tri State Canal 1902 48.36

Pathfinder, Gering-Ft Laramie, Northport & Inland Lakes Irrigation / Canal 1904 2703

Thirty Mile Canal 1926 275

Central Nebraska Public Power & Irrigation (Tri-County), Nebraska Public Power District 1934 1,890,000 Acre-Feet

Storage Right

Court House Rock – Valid Holder - Not Used

Western Irrigation* (South Platte Water Right Holder For North Platte Diverter) 1897, 1926 & 1950 176.26

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How Much Water Is It?•Total Nebraska* Water Right Diversions On The

North Platte River Are 7,290.92 cfs (Does NOT Include McConaughy Storage)

•= 3,272,165 Gallons Of Water Per Minute

•= 4,711,917,450 Gallons Of Water Per Day

•= 14,461.3 Acre-Feet Per Day

•= 131.4 Days To Fill / Drain Lake McConaughy

•= Enough Water For 47,119,174 People @ 100 Gallons Of Water Per Person Per Day

•= Enough Water For Nebraska Domestic Use For ~ 25 Days (~ 1.8 Million People In Nebraska)

*Includes Some Wyoming North Platte Project US Bureau Of Reclamation Rights

North Platte River Basin Projects

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North Platte River Basin Projects•Who Runs The Show?

•For USBR Projects Water Right Holders & Hydroelectric Power Generation: Bureau Of Reclamation Great Plains Region, Wyoming Area Office Mills Wyoming 82644

•For The State Of Wyoming:The Wyoming State Engineers OfficeCheyenne WyomingSurface & Ground Water

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North Platte River Basin Projects•Who Runs The Show?

•For The State Of Nebraska:•Nebraska Department Of Natural Resources

•State Controlled Surface Water Rights, Some Ground Water, “First In Time, First In Right”

•Exceptions / Priority Basis:

•#1 - Domestic Use

•#2 - Agricultural Use

•#3 - Manufacturing Use

•23 Nebraska Natural Resource Districts•Ground Water Only, Correlative Rights

“Share And Share Alike”

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http://www.usbr.gov/gp/hydromet/teacup_form.htmlUS Bureau of Reclamation Web Site For “Teacup Models” For Different River Drainages. Select “North Platte Basin” From The Drop Down Box & Then Click The “Select” Tab. This Will Give You The Reservoirs In The Upper North Platte Drainage, Their Inflows, Outflows & Current Capacities; From The North Platte River Flow At Sinclair, WY To Whalen Diversion Dam, WY.

http://waterdata.usgs.gov/ne/nwis/rtUSGS Web Site Is For Real-time Stream / River Flows For The State Of Nebraska. You Can Select Other States From The Drop Down Box In The Upper Right-hand Corner Of The Web Page. Select One Of The Makers From The Map And Click On It To Get The Stream Flow For That Site.

http://www.wrds.uwyo.edu/wrds/nrcs/snowprec/snowprec.htmlUniversity Of Wyoming WRDS / USDA NRCS Web Site For The Snowpack Levels In Different Drainages Across Wyoming. Look For The Upper & Lower North Platte River Drainages, Sweetwater & Laramie River.

http://www.usbr.gov/gp/lakes_reservoirs/wareprts/wygraph1.htmUS Bureau of Reclamation Web Site Showing The Snow Water Content For The Upper North Platte River (Seminoe) & The Lower North Platte River (Glendo). Click On The Charts For A Lager View.

More Information Sources:

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• The mention of trade names or commercial products is solely for the information of the reader / listener and does not constitute an endorsement or recommendation for the use by the authors or the University of Nebraska – Lincoln Extension.

• Extension is a Division of the Institute of Agriculture and Natural Resources at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln cooperating with the Counties and the U.S. Department of Agriculture.

• University of Nebraska-Lincoln Extension educational programs abide with the non-discrimination policies of the University of Nebraska-Lincoln and the United States Department of Agriculture.

Disclaimer

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(Associated Chambers Of Commerce Of The North Platte Valley Image)

Gary StoneExtension Educator

University of Nebraska Panhandle Research & Extension Center

Scottsbluff [email protected]

http://panhandle.unl.edu/

THANK YOU!

North Platte River Flooding At Scottsbluff, NE; Prior To The Construction Of Glendo Dam

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(Associated Chambers Of Commerce Of The North Platte Valley Image)

Gary StoneExtension Educator

University of Nebraska Panhandle Research & Extension Center

Scottsbluff [email protected]

http://panhandle.unl.edu/

THANK YOU!“Keep The Water As High As You Can

For As Long As You Can & Make Sure You Derive

Some Benefit From It When Released”

GLS 08-2013