244. Report, Wyoming Reclamation Association, 1936

(1)

(2)

YOUR WATER

BY

EDWIN W. BURRITT

STATE ENGINEER

Cheyenne,Wyo.

Wyoming Reclamation

As~ociat:ion,

Casper,Wyoming

April

2- 3, 1936

ELWOOD MEAD

BORN JANUARY 16, 1858 DIED JANUARY 26, 1936 HE WAS INTERESTED IN WYOMING'S WATERS

DURING TENURE OF OFFICE AS STATE ENGINEER OF WYOMING, 1666-1699

(3)

.

TI-lE REASON FOR

St;MINOI;

' ' . I .-;..· • - · ,

PATHFINDER

··· .

.

··

· .

SPILLS!

- • .. . ; - - · w . :... .

(4)

The C(·.!l;)il.A.tion of this r::::_p~~rt has ~·;f;Gn uade possi ~~ll(, du .. ;; t .. .'l t.hc, cuc,pGrat,lon a:nd assi :3t::tnc~.:: c·f c1tany pe·~,pl:..: ~nd I r.:·ish

tc

~~x11r8SS ..

a::t

ap1;-recL1tion tu the f,Jl-J.or.ring:

Hun. Leslie A. ,idller - Gcver11(1r ~1f Wyo.J.ing. Wil.l U. 1vk:tz - q'JPA A.duinistratur fnr V~yo.uing.

Senior Hydraulic ~~ngJ.neer, U.SeG.E1.

Fult"Jn D. 3ell:L·ry - AusistJ.nt. State Engine(:n·, \Vy C; ,.1Jng •

.l!.:ar.l Lloyd - Clvil &.ginec.:r, Che;:ro.n:ne, Wy(;.i;ling. Charlt::s B. Sta.ff:)rd - Dopt. C~>.i1.;1erce & Industry,

Wy Cl.:,ing.

J~)lm E. Dunkin - DraftscoH:in, Chcy.::nna, Nyo.:dng.

(Th0 {{a tar Conaervat1on ProJ act su11ervised by

Lae).

Cht::yennc:, Wy . .1 •• d.ng ,11hrch 50, 19:56

Edwin

w.

·

Burritt

State

Eri~ineer

(5)

Your ~:rater,

SUliPLET 7SFT

---~----. ....,

__

by Edwin W. Burritt, Stat e Engineer ••. •

P

aee

.• l -9

Irrigation - 2eprint ed from "WyoE1in.::; Statisti cs'.'. 1- 6

Irrigated Land by Draina~e Dasins - 1?30 Census.. ..7

Principal Construct ed R~servoirs •.... ~t. •. .•. •.. ~.8

Principal Frppose~,.t lleservoirs... . ._,.,... • •

s

~Jater Flowinc out of '.Iym:~in~ •..• • .·. . . . • •.••. 10 .... 11

Off-seasor;al Fl ovJS leaving 1.~ym:·_ine;. . . . . • . • •. • ~. .12 Interstate s·tre(iiJS • . . . •• . • • • ' . .. . . . . • . • • • • • •. ••. • • • . . • 13

Developrrent under U. S. Indian Service... . •••••.•.•..• 1~1

Develop!L.ent under U. S. 1:~ureau of Tieclarcc"tion.. . ·• ... , ~ .. 15

U.

s

.

Bureau of rt•3clm~•ation Projer.ts. . • , .... • .••.. Casper Alco~a Project •.. •. \\···

Heart ~ountuin rroject ••••.••..•• Riverton Project .. Bull L~~e ?r6ject.

...

.

..

...

'

.

... .

...

.

...

..

...

.•.. . ... 1169-1-22 8 • ~ • • • • ,lo • • • • • 23-24 .. ~ .•. ~ . . . 25 Shoshone ?ro j 8ct ..•••••.•• ~ ~ ..•. , ••.. • .. , •• ~ •.•.•. • ..••• 25-28 Jackson I..aL;::.e J..)roject~ ••• -_ ... . ••..• ·,... • •.••. 29-~0

Intersta-te tanc:tl ,' .. .. . . . ...•..••. · ..•••....• 31

Fort I.arami c:: Cana1.

...

. . . . . • . . . 32

Pathfinder Reservoir ..••..•.••... .• ...• . . . . . 33

G11Eirr1sey ·Reservoir . . . ... , ••.•• ~ •••••••••• 33 Pathfinder-~arren A~t Contracts •.•••••.•••• o •• o •••.••••. 34

Index of Str·e::.:1.~>: Flovv Records on Inte!:'stat e Streams • ~ 0 • • • • 35-36 Letter- Ccmcernin~ Value of £:Cecla:::1ation 2rojectso. 0 • • • • • 0 • • • 38-39

by Ralf Ro 1

Ioo1ey ,- Senior :::ngineer, · U. S. G, ~~ ... o . o • • Early I'riori ties on Wyor"in3 Strear"ls .••..•••••.•.. o • • • • • • • • • • 37 Discussion of IJaw Conce:rEinp: '-"lat er Cor_servation Board

I.~ o·n t a.n.c.t • •••••••••••••• ~ •••••••••••• • ' •• 40 -43

General Plan for C~onstructior.;_ of Rese:r·-t.;ro:Lrs with

(6)

~ .·• . ' . .... . t- -~-.... ! ·' . 1 ·~· • • .BY .. ,.,; . ... j .. •

ED'NIN

vv.

BURRI

rrT

...

.. S

.

T .. -..TZ

..

ENGI~TEER

· ·c

· HE·'

·

·"'·~;·1\Tl\T.:.-, T

";o·

-n,r·

·1'rA

: ·. ·. . f·.i!.J+'W< ~ .l . Vii Y l\~ . , \l \:.T

AT

..

-: ,', .': .

.. t

. .~ . .

·,· THE.

~~

:vior

· .J:rN

6 ·.

nB~ciArur:;:ii.aN·Lsso'cri

~

..

·TioN·.:.

J.l1

1 ~·.dASJ~~R·,.

_{__}

:JfO~EING_~ A~<ai;r.~·;

₂

_:.

_,

1~,36 _._." _{... :}

(Ace

.orl~!C).'~ied

-~r

y

.·.

G·,

:

B-~pi)lemel'tt

;

· pr.e.se~t

.in

:p: ·

variou~

.

facts

,

concerning irri

_._. :~at

io.n

.

arid

:

J

.

i·riG·a

tj~

on

..

]~ro

b1

e_

m

.

s

.

in

Vvyoming.

)

' ' " ... . : . ~ ·.. - . . . ' . . .: - . ~ -~· ·

...

,/A?ER·,

ac

:

c

o-rdi.n[; to

·

-~le

bster·

'

s·

Unabridged~

· is

"the

fluid~

v

· rhich descends .from

·

tl~;e

clouds in rain and which

forms

.

rivers,

.

lak.es, seas

tt. •

'

debs

· ter.

s

.

ays

· it

.

is

tB:ste-..

less,

.

odorless. trans,arent

and

· a liquid,

and

he

.

quali-fies this

.by

saying lt i-s the most im:)ortant

r'f

all

solvents and also states that i t is essential to the

life of animals and plants.

We have all heard about the

young

philosopher who

propounded the query,

"Which

ex:i. sted first, the chicken

.

or the egg?".

vVhere

Mr.

~rVebster

gained the idea that

water first descends from the clouds instead of first

_---·

-rising fro_f£ the earth, I

d.o .not

know.

In

rrhermopolis

'

the

VJELter

o

· f the

springs

may not

truthfully

be

called tasteless

~or

odorless

,

and

the

water in our

muddy

streams cannot

be

called transparent;

furthermore, I have,

.

when sorely pressed for

Jaoi

sture,

drnnk or rather chewed a mixture, passing for water

but

more nearly solid, occur:i.ng in the

stock water

holes of

..

Wyoming's

badlands~ ·

Tt is the life of animals and plants;

(7)

-1-they absorb it, use it and throw it avva.y again.

And ali

in all, during this endless process• the World's total

supply of water varies not at all, and there remains,

metaphorically speaking, the exact number of drops of

water as existed wh@n this planet

became a

solid mass.

Water is a

creato~

and a

d~stroy~r.

The oasic

princip~

or

~eolamation, as

we know the wora, is

using water as a creative agency and

less~ning

its

menace

as

a

destroyine: agent.

Our :reservoirs,

con-·

structed to control

tloo~ fl~ws,

place

a

valuable

com-modity in

· Storage for beneficial use ana. benefit the

stream

~nd

vall$y by destroying the flood menace.

Reclamation must

a~hieve

more.

It must try to make

water

a

tasteless, odorless, transparent liquid and

p

· rovide

ways and means to

reduce alkaline, silt

and

sewage

e~ntents-

It

m~st a~so

provide drainage

so

that water may not

ruin

goo-d farming land

and

in its

capacity

~s

a

sol~e~t be~me

poisoned and worthless for

re-use.

In the year 1889, the Wyoming Constitutional

Con-venti~,

..

after

sev~ral

weelfs of serious debate, dacided

that this fluid, descending from the heavens, called

"Wa"lf~r"

was the

.

property of the State, and prescribed

that

,...~Vater

being

essential

to industrial prosperity,

of limited amount, and easy of diversion from its

natural channels, its control must be in the State,

which, in

p~oviding

for its use, shall equally.guard

(8)

all of the various interests involvod."

(Constitution

of

~~oming,

Art. 1,

Bee.

31.)

~nothJr

section provided

that

"Priority

of appropriation for beneficial uses shall

give the better right," and that "No c.ppropric.tion shall

be denied

except

when

sue~

denial is demanded by the

public interests."

(Art. 8, Soc. 3.)

To further tho

state control of wsters and to protect the public

interest therein, the convention provided for tho

creetion of four water divisions in the State,

and

crested tho office of division superintendent to

preside over

each

division,2nd the office of State

Encincc:r.

On NovGmb

,:;

r 5th, 1889, the pooplo of the

territory c..dopted this constitution, and on July 10,

1890, sftor its ratificotion by the Congress of the

United States, the Stc=.te of Wyoming came into being,

and thst combine tion of two

cases

,

kno-vvn chemics.lly

as H

₂

o,

bocame YOUR

·.vi-:~.TER.

From this beginning, you have continuod, by your

legislature, t'") provide

a

set of

rule~,

called laws,

to

govern

this important :public property.

These rules

ore bused upon the principles set forth in your

con-stitution; your courts have interpreted them, and,

in rare instances, tho Suprome Court of the

Land

has

boon callod upon to dAcide

questions

of great importance

in tho use nnd

abuse

of YOUR \ffiTER.

·with the progression of timG, while you claim the

water

2$ ~roperty

of

your stete

,

your

sister states,

by their constitutions, make similar claims to the

(9)

-3-waters of interstate streams.

Therefore, it has become

necessery

'

to rimicebly divide certuin streLms

bet~e8n

the

· vcrious stafes' or at

.

lc&st to

8

ttern.:pt such

eli

visions.

From an

effort

along this line,

we

obtain

ed

the Colorado

Rive:r• C'tJmpc.ct s.nd made possible thu development of th

(

3 Colorado River

Be.sin

.

-

,/i thout success,

,

dyoming has

"

.

negotiated for comity with Coloradr and Nebr&ska, ond

becuase of this fa:i.luro to agree, Wyoming today is

brought into court and finds herself defendant in a

lew suit over the waters of the North Platte River.

On

her western front, h0r water users

are

having

seri~us

troubles with the

2ppropriators

of Utah and Idaho.

In the C:

t

ssertion of these claims, the effort is being

made to injoct the;: word PRIORITY, or the ox:)ression

FIRST IN TTME, }..,IRST IN

RIGHT

,

into

nll

decisions,

concerning tho usEJ of vtct

•,J

r, nnd to

ennihilnte

the words

BENE~ICI1LL

USE from your constitution

~nd

the general

lew of interstate

wntors

.

The history of western irricLtion davolo_,1mont shows

thnt ditchos wore first constructed in thg lcwer reaches

of the str

t:)

c:ms,

c.nd

,

if priority

end

_2nly priority is to

govern the diversion of

w~ter

nnd

these lower ditches

must in c.ll

inst.:~nces

be first considered, tti s means

that

~~~romin{?,

sitting on top of tho Big Divide, must

merely continue to sit

and

,

gazing out towe.rds the

east, north

and

west, see her neighbors plsnt,

grow

and ht:trvGst their crops

while

she -Jbte.ins what solace

possible from her sitting occupation!

But

"B

eneficial

Use" is our Suvivr.

All

c.uthori

ties &greG thB

.

t the

(10)

cr,mplete utilization

of

the waters of

a

st.r

.

3Ftl11 cnnnot

be hod unless ond until upstrcem devslopment mc.y proceed

unhemperod,

end

by rsturn flov1

:J.nd

the principle of use

and ro-use of wc:-

.

ter, 0vcr

end

over

LgEJ.in

,

the gro0test

possible

ecrs&ge

be developed

end

tho public welfare

thereby !Jrotected.

I know th2t some of you who

ere

present may not

ngree

in whole cr in pc,rt vvi th the

principle herein

expressed

o.s being just and equi tc.ble

to a prior

eppropric..Ltor

whose beo.uti.ful farm. is loceted

nuar the mouth of

s.

stroam and which c

G. rri

es

v1i th it

the oldest priority richt of diversion, but,

in

thinking

this over, please remember thet the

Wb.ter

is

the prop

er!.z

9f

th~

Stnte, n0t of the individucl, and, if in the

development of_the stream i t becomes necessary t0 deny

I

this right

of

diversion f')r the nubli c

welfa~~t

the

recourse open for

the

individual rests in b8ing paid

f~r

his d&mage.

((I

do not·wish, in mnking this

state-ment, to infer thctt our present _stc:tutes contemplc:::tte

anythinr.

Jf

this kind.

Pref

erentiol

uses for which

irrigction rifhts

may

be condemned

2ra

clearly

de-scribed.

I cnly Vlish t0 0.n.ll

ottenti.on

to the fc.ct

thet under our consti tuti

')U

I 'believe

"..:;e

hev

o

the

prwer to

}):.':'escribe

G.

chc..nge in

B•.ineficic::cl

U..,:;;s to

mc~e

possible

such

a

re&djustment.))

Tl.1e Public Interc::st is to develop

s

.s

mc..ny

productive s.cres with

our

v1~ ...

tor supply c

.

s possible.

However, the threat to

esrly

Ep?ropriLtions by

applic&ti~n ~f

this view of beneficicl use is in

(11)

-5-fact more apparent than real, because of two import&nt

fnct!irs, closeiy interwcven, which appear on most of

the strerums of this State. First, our narrow valleys

are of limited irrigable ucreage, which acreage may be

further reduced by soil classification, and second, we

have, in most instoncas, an abundnnce of water

if

properly conserved end

ased.

I etated

previously that

we

are now in serious

controversy over the

North Platte

River caused, beyond

any rensonpble douot, by the

d~sire

to consider the word

-~~ari~·the

ull-ruling factor, this in f&ce of the fact

that thore exists an extensive report mnde by the

u, s.

Army

En~-~ineers

cftor yeers

of

reseurch, proving

con-clus'ivoly thct this river produces

a

sufficient sup"':flY

Of

1Vat·~!_'

to J)roperly recla:fm e.n

r...ddi

tional

900,000

G!Cres

of land when c::.nd

if

propE-rly conserved.

To

a.

more or

less extent, cdditioncl lands

m~y be

irriected from most

Wyoming

streums,

lnrge or

.

sm&ll, within the

s·~c....

te

c,nd

interstc

,

te. All

of

us hr..ve fec:2rGd, from time to

time,

that the

terms

of the Colore.J.o

River Compact are such

us to rob us of a

ch~nce

for future development.

Under

the terms of this c orD:prict, the Upper Basin Ste

.

tes,

.

which include Wyoming, retairt

?,5oo.ooo

~cre~feet ~f

~-ter c~ch

year,

plus

c

certain proportion of the

un-d~vided s~plus,

end I believe thRt never

in the history

of· the State

will

there

come tc

time

when our Green

River

Arec. will be hampered

in

its a.evelopment by the terms

,,

of this compact. Lest

January,

n fcmous engineer, upon

(12)

. ...{ .... ~ .

.

comp~ctio:p.

of o

.

n

.o

xh

c

.ust:i. ve study of

th~~

Colore do River,

r •.· .

. .

stct~d .

the:. t

)1$ .

oouJ

.-

d not s

?

e

l~ow t~e U~per Be sin Stc tes

.cyuld

o

v

e

r be cc.ll

{_;

d upon for

c

ny

\

v

cter

c:.

nd th

::

t

we

hsd

, · ~· -~ ...

nothin

g

to f

o

qr,

~nd\~

boli

e

ve that his deductions ere

correct.

The gr

3&

t problem confrontin

G

' • ...._ I ":' ' 1~ '

us tod

e

y is how

vve ' ,.

mGy best proceed

~n s~.4ving.

this surplus

yn~.ter.

The

Fedoro.l Government,

.

e.

s

rs:pr~sent.~d~

to us by the Bureau

:. \ . '

of

Rec~amation,

is engaged in

.

buildin

g

some wonderful

• : ,_ ~ t :· •) ' .. 4 ' ~

pr0ject~ i~

our State

• .

Agcd.n, ns

repres~nted

by the

N

c.

tion

s

.l RQsources B'J

...

Lrd

and the W<::

.

ter Resources

Com-f • t·~ t

mittee of .t,his B-,L

.

rd, it is c.ssis

.

tingt. in the

develop-mont of lo!}g_ term P

.

l

u.

n.s for stroo.m utilization

n

nd

methods

lf

finance nnd construction in conn

s

ction

there-with.

Many ?th

e

r

Fed~rLl

Agenci

e

s

e

re doin

g

their pert

; ~ . ( • ' I . - • ' ~ ( , . : ' ' # ' • '

in .this

impq~tcnt

conserv

a

tion progr

c

m, including the

. . . . .

U. s.

Goclo

r

icnl Survey

sn~

the Division of Irricction

of

t~e _Depnrtme~t. o~

Agriculture.

Ou~ St~~G,

County

c

:

.nd City G?V

8 r:q.ments

.

c.

re

coo:D.~?.:~rctin~

in

ev:~rY.

possible

wcy

• .

Our

people

Lre

l

e

ndin

g

h

e

lpin

g

h

r:

nd

e

nd our

politicel pLrties er

e

striving to t

c

kG wLt

o

r out of

politics.

de

stc:..nd with

c.:.

unit

e

d front insof

a

r us

PRINCIJ;LE is concern

e

d c.nd diff

o

r only

[;..S

to PrtOCEDURE.

S

o

me of us beli

e

ve

th~t

wo cannot afford to spend

mere then

.

fifty

,

cents p

e

r

ecre~f9ct

initi

u

l cost of

s~prcge

f

a

cilities; oth

e

rs, p

c

rh

E

ps tQo optimistic,

f

.

oel that we 'Will be r

?

p

u.

icl

a

t

c. ..

ny pri

.

ce

_

.

Personclly,

(13)

-7-I incline toward the lc:.tter theory.

All

pro sent plc:

,

ns

require repe.yment during terms of less thnn fifty yco.rs,

even though we know thut these facilities will serve

the ownGrs for perhnps

G

thouse:nd years.

The lP

c

nds,

"~Nhich

hc

.

ve been bonded for this repeymcnt,

o.ssume

the

entire cost

t

o.nd yet th,3 tovvns which develop, the

fcctories which

c.:~re

built,

Gnd

the othor lands

irrir:c~ted

from

'

resulto.nt return flow owe their o.ll to these

bonded

c~cres.

For ex8.mple, Puthfinder

·

W£:~ter

used

on the North Plstte Project has developed seversl

hundred thousLnd ceres of Ncbrnske lend from return

flow,

which lands &ssume none of the cost of building;

towns nnd factories he.ve grown arid continue to grow

in the B&sin , nor do thoy assume a portion of the

financial burden.

The Burecu

of

Reclamation, interested only in

vast projGcts, always builds substcnticl structures.

Occosionnlly, privote interests do likewise, but in

the majority of our sme

.

ller

projE~cts,

vve find thc.t

there hes been

o.

le.ck of basic engineering inform.s.tion

_

~nd ~

set of standcrds

adopted

_

in the construction,

too low to mc::.rk the

~ro

ject

c~s

c

.

pGrmr

,

nent irn.]rovement.

Some of our smeller du.ms occupy sites cepo.ble of

o.

lcrger structure

snd

c.

groctly

incrGc.sed storcge

c&pacity, but not

~~ving

been constructed with o.n

enlc ..

rgement in view, must

:

be remo.ted before

c.

higher

or hec.vier dam me.y be

ht..~d.

It is

a

common thing for

(14)

construction

and

omission cf tests to select proper

mc

.

terinls.

Time will not permit

c

longer discussion of this

subject,

end

I hove, therefore,

prepcrod e

booklet,

which is

G

vnilc bl

e

for di stri buti on,

gi

v l.ng

c~

gr

• 3n

t

me.ny ff:cts concerning

"vVyoming wc.ter, end.

two or three

other crticlcs bec

.

ring upon the subject

of

construction

of

reclc.mo.tion

projects;

included

elsa

is

::

· brief

summery

of

the

Montone

Statuto crcrtinc;

c..

Wuter

Con-servction

Bocrd

under

which projacts

h~ve

been

c~~roved

for construction

with

federsl funds.

I

em certsin

th2t

there

vv:Lll, eventuc:..lly,

be

D.

system

ostcblished

whereby

federr,l funds ffi(_,

y

become~

c

lvLil:J.ble

for

our

smo.ll

project

development.

I wish to

assure Lll of you

thct the

office of

the

St& te Engineer is

c:.nxious

to coop

ert

;

.te

vv-i th

your

c.~s

sociation

Gnd

the

water

users of the Stcte in sponsoring

any

constructive movement

.

tending to obtuin

ndditionnl

irrigc.ted lc:

· ·.nds or

to imnrove the

irrig~

tion interests

n0w

existing.

You mby ull

cssist

me by

giving expreBsion

to your idees,

~nd

especi&lly

in the nGxt

yerr,

do I

need your

c~cti

ve

hel~_)

in designing proposed

c

.

greements

concGrning interstate

\reters.

I tho.nk

you.

(15)

-9-The following fiv~ pages are a rJvision and

reprint of an article published in the lOth isPue (1935) of a pampb.let compiled and distributed by

the \Jyor11ing State Dep .. u·trnv-nt of J~.griculture under

(16)

I R R

I

u

A T

I )

N

ED\IYIN W. BURRITT, STATE ENGINEER

Many major streams have their source in the mountains and lakes ef Wyoming and the prGper utilizatir:n of the Wtl~ers cf these streams has made possible the deYel·-pment of largtJ areas of

agricultural land in Wyoming, almost wholly dependent ~n irriga-tie:m for cropped agriculture. Further conserv.?~tion of theso waters

by the construction of additional storag0 reservoirs will, in the f'ut1.1ro, insure a dependable water supply for lands now having an insufficient supply and will greatly increase the area of land under cultivtttion.

Tho Public Wcrks Administration has t=~pprovod a loan for the construction of tho Greybull (Upper Sunshine) Reservoir, and, although legal difficulties. have held up c0nstruction_, this reservoir will, no doubtt be built in the near future. Th~

Semina·.~·,_ Alcova and Bull Lake Roserv'Jirs are now under construction by the Un~ted States Bureau of Reclamation.

The mean annual discharge of Wyoming streams acr~~ss the state line is nc£1.rly 15,')00,)00 Rcre-foct, and a vast area ;:;f good land is foasiblo of irrigatLJn and will ultimately bo reclaimed.

The first farming in Wyoming by means of irrigation was done by Mormou il11h1igrants in the vicinity of old Fort Bridger about

185·±. Irrigation was not very e'·tonsive prior to 1880, but, since

that time, development has eontinuod until, at the present time, it is estimated that about 2₁600,000 acres ::>f land are irrigated or arc unrler completed irrigation systems.

Tho large~t reclamation devclopmoht in Wyoming has come through individual, partnership and cooperative ditches. In most case$, those lands arc lQoated in the stream valleys and the ditches and canals were easy to construct. The larger areas under the Carey Act Projects and the Projects of the Bureau of Recla-mation mostly lie upon tho bench lands where long and expensive canals were necessary and large reservoirs were reouired to store the water.

The fol~cwing table gives the areas of land now irrigated and sus;:!cptible of irrigation under completed tanals or ditche~ in Wyoming and, also, an estimate of futur~ development:

. .-.':.

(17)

ACREAGE IN vVYOivUNG U:JDER CO!·.npLFTED SYSTEMS

STREAM

North Platte River

&

Tributarie~

Snake River

&

Tribut.arie~

Big Horn River &

Tribu-b.arie~

Green River

&

Tributarie~

Powder

&

Tongue Rivers

&

Tributaries

Miscellaneous

Total~

:ADjUDICATED !UNDER ~TOTAL :ADDITI~NAL :ESTI

MAT-TO :PERMIT :(UNDER :PROPOSED :ED TOTAL

:JAN. 1, 1936: ( CONSTRTJCTED): CCNSTRUCTED:UNDER PRE- :DEVELOP

-782,061 123,334 400,392 377,165 261,427 215,159 :2,159,538

:(ESTIMA'2_1ED) :SYSTEMS) :SENT PERMITS:MENT

.

114,000 896,000

,

8,000 131,000 194,000 594,000 95,000 472,000 15,000 276,000 24,000 239,000 45o,ooe 2,608,000 : (EsrriMATED) :WITHIN :40 :YEARS 200,000 1,096,000 25,000 156,000 300,000 894,000 240,000 712,000 . 50,000 326,000 40,000 79,000 855,000 :3,464,000

(18)

Under the Carey Land Act, w11ich is administered by tho Ca.roy

Act :Cepartmont in the Office of the Conrrniss ioncr of Public Land"s

of the State of Wyoming, a total of 28 irrigation projects has

been completed. The state has secured patent to 222,072 acres of

land under tho projects, and settlers have boon placed on 172,545

acres. Thoro is about 51,000 acres of land still open to entry

under the eompleted projects, and anyone interested can secure

information on this matter from tho Commissioner of Public Lands,

Cheyenne, Wyoming.

Tho following tabulation lists the acreage patented to tho

stat&

a~d to tho s0ttlers under eaoh:

Completed Projects

Project Acres Patontod Acres Patented

to State to Settlers Bench Canal 16,02 7 ,.,06 12.,506.28 John Soott 160.00 160.00 Cody Canal 19,228.04 16,868.26 Sidon Canal 19,307.08 18,478.76 Fitzsinrrnons 160.00 160.00 Elk Canal 2,480.21 2,101.~2 Polo Creek 320.00 320.00 Sage Creek 784.43 791.80 Whalen Falls 13,384.94 13~064.94

Big Horn Canal 19,468.23 17,878.05

Boulder 5,936.16 5,341.17 Lovell 11,020.05 10,432.17 Han ever 8,804.01 6,643.85 lNheatland

_N••

1 10,563.23 2;698.56 Sahara 3, 728.92 3,688.92 La Prole 7,620.72 7 ,420. 72 Eden ~7,880.25 12,187.83 Lakeview 9,272.46 4,923.99 Shell 6,888.30 2,109.70 Reynolds "320.00 · 32C. 00 James Lako 10,851.75 5,453.99 Hawk Springs 14,580.37 13,580.37 Bertram 918.37 918.37 Fremont Lake 1,992.35 474.22 North Laramie 3,145.21 200.00

S ixty-S evE.m Reservoir 2;160.00 960.00

Rock Crook 4,429.81 4,029,81

John Hay 639.33

222,071.88 163,713.18

(19)

Gcver:rnr01~t Reclamation Projects

Tho United States Bureau of Reclamation is at present engaged in the construction of three major projects in the state, tho Riverton project, diverting water fro::n Wind Ri~rcr and proposing to reclaim an area of 100,000 acres of land ncar Riverton, Wyoming, when compl~)tcd; tho Casper-Alcova Projec-t;, diverting water from

the North Platte River and proposing, eventually, to reclaim an area of approximately 66,000 acres noar Casper, Wyoming; and the Heart Mountain Division of tho Shoshone Project which will irrigate an area of 42,000 acres in tho victnity of Cody, Wyoming. Tho

Scminoc Reservoir is being constructed for tho storage of irriga-tion water and for power purposes in connection with tho Casper-Alcova Project. The Bull L~ko Reservoir, now under construction, will provide additional storage for the Riverton Project.

The development of tho above projects will eventually provide

for tho reclamation of 208,000 acres of land in Wyoming in addition

to the lands now reclaimed under tho Shoshone Project and tho North

Platte ~~ojoct of tho Bureau of Rcclanmtion.

The United Stat6s Indian Irrigation Service has constructed

irrig~~tion works for tho reclamation of a largo area of land upon Indian reservations in tho state. According to tho 1930 Census, tho Indian Service has constructed ca~als a~d ditches to supply water for irrigation tt~ 57,668 acres of irrigable land and pro -poses an Bltimate development of 78,660 acres, Of this a~roagc,

21,636 acres wore shovm as irrigated during tho year 1030. The source of water supply for those lands is lNind River and its tributaries.

Land is available for settlement under tho Shoshone Project and tho Riverton Project, and inquiries, relative to those projects, should be addressed to tho Buroau of Reclamation at Powell, Wyoming~

for tho Shoshone Project and at Riverton, Wyoming, for tho Riverton Project.

Tho following table shows tho acreages susceptible of irriga-tion in Wyoming by the projects, novv- under development by tho Bureau of Reclamation, with tho clas~ification of land:

(20)

----~..,_...,_ . ...,..

.

PUBLIC LAND :PRIVATE LAND

-

·

WITH-: STATE:

.

_•

:ENTERED:

OPEN:

DRAv\[N: LAND :INDIAN :RAIL-: OTHER TOTAL

PROJECT AND DIVISI~N :UNSOLD:LAND :ROAD :

:ACRES

;ACRES: ACRES:ACRES ACRES:ACRE0: ACRES ACRES

..

.

North Platte Project:

:

.

Interstate Division 743 129:

.

I 1934; 2806

Jf6rt

Le.~o u~.-~ f !~lll. 1 c. 1152:

at;GO-t.

_~_- 29778: $1541

'Fotals for Project 188$4 1281: 2500: 31712: 54347

Riverton Project 11.3'91 3606! 53803:

: J.Ooo

30000: 100000.

Shosho:ao Projoct:

Garland

Division 37110 190: 2071: 252: 2362: 41895

Fra.rrnic Divi~.:lon

•

1411\) t 544:

3177:

311;., _235: _1564: ₁₉₉₄₁

WillW6od DivisiQn 6004 3843c

l3QS:

'305: 319: 1184@

Heart Mt. Division loO 38'602: 1907: ~74: 1195: 42038

Oregon Bf)..sin 1-'ivi•i&n 45000: 2000: 1000: 48000

Tot~J.~ fcrr Proj-ect 57384 4577: 90219: 4775: 409: 6440: 163804

Casper-Alcova Pro&cct

.

₆₆₀₀₀

~

72

75;

:

Totals 87829 8183: 145303: leiOO 409: .~8152: 384151

Note: North Platte Project ac:rca;,es from 31st Annual Report, Commissioner of Reclamation (1932 ).

~ State and private lands totals io not include those areas in Caspor-Aleova Project ~n which figures ate not available.

(21)

A1:ea I1·riga- Irrigable Area

Dr::inage Bnsin ted, 1929 in E.:lterprises,

1930

-Acres Acres

Missouri River Drainage 900,523 1,449,857

Big Hurn River and Tri~utaries 318,607 623,351

Tongue River and Tributcries 52,195 57,917

Powder River and Tributaries 49,135 57,844

North Platte River and Tributaries 452,752 671,716 Tributaries of South Platte River 17 ,34:0 19 '748

Colorado P.iver Dratnage 228,699 360,974

Gr8ftt Salt Lake Drainnre 47,379 59,351

Coll..llllbia RiveT Drainage .59,554 87,965

(22)

Nmne of Heservoir Pathfinder Jackson Lake Shoshone Gusrnse.y Pilot .3utte \iyoming Dev .#1

Wyoming D&v. ii-~2

Lake Hattie Janes Lake Hawk S;)rings La Pr:..;le Goshen Hole Gosh on Piorco

Sprine Creek Lake Granite Sprin8s Crystal Lake North Crow

\lyoming Ho1·eford;~;l

Hymning I·l\:n•-:f ordif2

Edc~n

li

l New Fork Lake 'vl i llow Lake

Bouldvr La.~.::e

Fremont Lake 67 Res. Lake De Smc:t

Big Gooso Park

Big Eorn

Lake Ad.:.;laide

Ray Hes.

Emma ivia t i ida

Uinta if3

l~brrw~:'" I_,akc

Stream

----No. Platte Riv~r

Snako Hivc;r Shoshonu E.iver

No.

Platte Hiver

1Vind Ri vr:.r

Laramie :Fd ver

Laramie i.~i vGr Laramie ~-h v t.. r

Lj_ttle Laramie r~i v0r

Horse Cl .. oek I.B Prc.lc: Croek B:o1 .. se Creek :rorse Creek · ~qock Creek Spring Creek Crow Creek Crow Crt:;;ok

North

Fk.

Crow Creek.

Crow Cred-c

Crow Creek

Big Sandy

Wust Fk. Now Fork

·v,iillow Creek 3ould8r Croek Pine Creek No. :?incy Crook Pino:r Cl'eek Big Goose C1·oss Croek .. :\.delaide Creek

South

Fk.

Little Wind

Hivdr Snako River Blacks :Fork Pine.r Creek Total S-8 1,070,000 847,000 456,570 72,700 30,000 5,360 90,000 68,500 41,100 19,443 20.,000 4,961 6,288 2,415 4,970 7,367 4,513 1,868 878 795 18,490 23,788.8 15,120 23,095 10,763 4,329 25,000 7,395 2,620 3,187 7,360 1,710 4,000 2,500 2,904,085

(23)

P~·HIJCil?A.I_ -~ 7()POS:!ZD 1-C:Sl'~nVOIRS.

--,---

·

.-

· -

· - · -

·

-··--NaT"te of Rf.ist.rvoir

- - - ·

.

*Seminoe *Alco....-a *Bull Lake Upper Sunshine Coyote Creek Anchor Lnh:e Creek Tsnsleep M~adows HorsG Crc:..:;lc E 7 !iicDott&ld

*vJyomiEg Dev .if3

North Piney Black's .iork SavGry

Big

Bendrfl Ra.whi de Creek Red £'ork · Caballo Cottonwood So.lt River

Cottonwood (Platte Co.)

Cr·ow Creek Ttes.

Grc.:.ss Creek Res. C(='LStGll Bosler Ma thr .. ,'h'SOll Cron0c.rg Halleck M-Bar EJ.d Hollow Prosser

Gre6n River Lakes

·1.1iddle PintJy La Barge Di:c.woodic L:~~k8 l,ouis Lake Solitude Oregon Basin

Cottont'Jood( I,ittlc Powder)

*Un<ter const,ruction.

North Platte River

"

Bull Laku Creek Grt:y'!Jull Ri vc:~ B::;ar Ri vor Owl Cre-.-k n Lake Greek 'J:Gnslc:ep Creek

North Plfitto ~ivcr

Hors.-j Greek

"

L::~.ram}.e Ri Vt)r

North Piney Creek

Black's Fork CreBk

Savt.iry Greek Mnddy Creek Rawh:Ld.e CrtJek H0d Fork(Powd0r River} B'.;lle F'ourche Cottonwood (Balt IH v .. r) Salt Hiv0r Cottonwood Crow Cr~.;ok Grass Cre;.;:k B.Lg Creek .Rock Crc •. k Jack Crouk l.Ldi c inc Bow 1-q. Vt:.r

"

_"

Capacity 1,360,000 170,000 155,000 49,458 45,370 12,464 l,24'J 12,353 57,029 8,800 21,540 ~)' 585 12,064 45,763 42,724 34,755 31,8~0 58,787 4,962 4,293 4,200 2,677 2,596 66,200 58,000 17,900 13,500 16,490 North L!iramie Hi vc~r 17,900

Elk Hollow

&

3rush Creek 11,000 2,312 160,000 11,000 4,030 23,000 8,000 6,000

s

.

Fk. Shoshone 250,000 Dale Creek Gre-en River MiG.dlc; Piney La Bargo Dtnwoodie CrE>Jk Little Popo Agie

Paint Rock Creek

Cottonwood (Little Povidor) 4, 960

(24)

Slireqm

Mea sure.tl Ru.n-off

I..oc. of Gc.ge Years of Pecor(1

Aver&ge .Ann~al T'liscb.ergc at st. Lino-Acre

Feet.

---...---.--

....

· ----

-

---

· -

-Rvdwator Crouk Belle l!'ourchG Tiver

Little

Missouri

Ri v

· .:;r

Powdor River

Tongue

"

Big For•n ~~ Clarks Fcrk Yellov.r~:?-tono H.

Gt:irdinor R.

Snakp -;;,. SHlt R.

Buar ?

.

Boar R

.

G-:: .. con ?. Little S.~tt'tkO Crovv c~-. c~~ow

C:...

Ledge Pvle

C

l

.

:~o~:sc C:r. :·Torth I)lattc ? • Niobrara P. Cr .. eyonne ,.

Beulr:h,

nyo.

Hulett

,

~fyo. f.:lzada, ~lant. ?'.Jear Arvft da , Hyo.

Decker,

Mont

.

K[.',ne , -~!yo.

c·~~ance, .Mont.

Curwin Spring£,

rwnt

.

~.1arm:noth :~~)t

S:prin@:fl,

\'J:ro. Al;...ine, IC.BbO .~,.1. bine, Idn.ho !-Iarer, Idaho

E-vanston, ·:Jyo.

LllwJood, Utah~ SLate Lin~,.? ( Co .... put((d) c~--eyonno ' ~:yo. S"'vc; tc lrin·:; ( C~·mputoc)

Y\Jdor,

~iyo. 'J:' o-NfJb. Sta

tc

I.ine D\.:m.;Lf··tp , Ft! br. Ecgemont, S.D. 1923-1931 1929-1932 1929-193~ 1924-1903 1928--1933 1929-1933· 1924-1933 1924-1933 1924-1933 1916-1918 1917-19~8 1924-1933 1924-1933 1929-193~ 1917-1922 1923-1924 1931-1933 1928-1933 1929-1933 1931-1933 1928-1933 T~ta1 Estimc:.tod Flow C:!·ossing tho Ststc L:.Lne i l l

Stro?ms,

F:..y

_:L:ry_;

NC? Gr~_E.g S_t~_tiont.

-H~·!:/ C1·cek

Cl·OVJ' C~ook

Thompson C:r· •

L:ttle Pdr.

R

.

Bitter C:r·.

J_,i tt1e ~~~o:rn. c

.

:t urcupine

c-

-

.

Gallatin ~·

.

i'.1t~.di son

f

.

F"'lls 'R.

...

~,J

•

F~~ • rl;~ton

_R.

County Estimated Dr&inage f.rr;;n in 1rro. Sq. - - - -·- ·----·

;<

ilo~

-·

---Crook 97 Sr_•. Mlles do. 45 11 :; do. 23 ri n c~npbell 1470 ·:T

"

do. 128 'li if Sl.!Crioan 330

_"

Big

Eorn

165 II tf Yellowstone " 54 Vf

,

J:o do. 660 .i H ti'l18 r~-:rk & 220 " :t L: ~·col.n Co • Li~1coln C::;. 120 H tT s-10 39,000 129,000 69,000 3671000 338,000 1,?92,000 689,000 2,134,000 123-.000 4~865,000. 280,000 323,000 147,000 1,258,000 547,000 13,000 8,000 19,000 1,140,000 31,000 175,000 14,486,000 7,900 2,700 1,400 147,000 12,800 25,800 13,000 6,500 78,600 25,100 13,700

(25)

Estime,ted 11'Jovl Crossing t~1e S+ate Ljne in

Streams, Ravine 1\J.o G8ging 2t::J.t ion.s. ( C:.Jnt 'd)

·· ·· ~---··--·-·.!~.ii~tod Dr.ainage-Avorage Annual

Stream County Are3. in Wyo. Sq. Discharge at St.

Thomas Cr. Do

3ridgsr Cr. Do

S8n.q

Cr.

Sweetv.rater

Ca:rbon

Dale Cr. Albuny

Lone

Tree

Cr. L'3.ramie

Indian Cr. Niobrara

&.

1.1i.J.es. Line-Acre Feet.

~--·-·-· 15 Sq.. 56 tt 250 n 90 n 1~0 H 90 n Miles

"

n n n 1,700 5,600 7,000 2,500 3,600 2,500

Average Annual Outflow CrosEing St3.te Line 14,843,000

1t

should be noted,howovEr, that this 14,843,~00 acre-feet of

water is not all unappropriated v,atbr, b,Jt is lar8el7 used in the

states of Idaho, T\1o:ntana, Nebra:Jka, South D:.1kota, Colorado and

Utah, and a ·considerable amount of it is stored in the .American

Falls Reservoir, Bear Lake :Rt::;se:i'Voir, BouJ.der Dam Roservoir and

the Sutherland Reservoir.

Based upon records of existing projects this quantit~r of water

would I1_{eclaim about 9, 895,000 acre2 of la.nd}_,_assuining_{a consumptive}

uso of 1.5 acre feet, and that the entire auount of water could be

beneficially used.

14,843,000 acre-feet of water is sufficient to fill Pathfinder

(26)

AvYK.AC·_, ANNUAL OFF .... SZASONAL FLO\JS

OF

P£UNCIPAL IlJT.ERSTATE S11_REA.TtJS

Stream

Loca-tion of sage nearest state line

Redwater Cr.:Beulo.h, Wyo

Belle Fourche

R. Hulett, \/yo. Little

Miss-ouri R. Alzada,

Mont

•

Powder R. Arvada, -~iyo.

Toneue R.

Decker, r.Iont.

Big

Horn

11. Kane , ~Jyo.

Clarks Fork Chance, Mont. Yellowstone Convin Springs R. Mont.

Gardiner

H.

Mammoth Hot Snake ::!.. Salt R. Benr

:t.

B6nr }t. Green

H.

Little Snake ~~.

Crow Cr.

Lodge Pole Cr.

Horse Cr.

No.

Platte

R.

S!:Jrings, ~Jyo. Alpine, Idaho A~.pine, Idr:.ho Harer,

Idaho

Evanston, ',;:ro. Linwood, Utah State

Line

~couputed) Cheyenne,

U

yo.

St!ite Line ( c onrra ted) Yoder, vlyo. \!yo. N::~br.

line

Averaee annual discharge at state line Acre-feet 39 ,02C· 129,000 68 ,8ti.5 36o,540 2•38 ,05(' 1,792,000 689,460 2,133,?80 122,600 4:,864,800 280,000 323~000 l47,0SO 1,258,400 5-46 '500 13 ,t_.~O 8,320 19,300 (outflow) 1,140,400 do Colo-Wyo. line (i~flow)

Niobrara R.

Dunlap,

Nebr.

Cheyenne R.

EJgcraon t , S • D •

603 ,0~~0 30;800 175,860 Averae,e annual seasonal flow Nay 1-Sept. 30 Acre-feet 20,310 36,~2~ 22,780 ' 170, ?50 267,105 1,21?,840 608,610 1 '64,± ,490 86,990 4,021,330 272,500 163,930 99,290 891,62C ~29,170 7 '8~20 ??0 5,920 646,800 238,965 10,810 89,420 Average annual off-seasonal flow Acre-feet 18,710 92.5?5 46,065 195,?90 70 t 945 5?4,16"' 80,850 489,290 35,610 843,470 7,500 154,070 4?,800 366,780 117,330 5,620 7,550 13,380 493,600 364,055 19,990 85,640

Total avernge off~seBson flow-- 3,402,670

A.F.

(27)

The question of interst:J.tc division of water occu2.:-s viith

t!le states of lvionta:1a, Idaho, Ut~h, Colorado, Nebraska and South Dakota. The followi~g stre8ms either leave or enter

Wyoming and are tabulated hy counties. (f.'Iinor st'rsams not listed.) Crook do Campbell Sheridan Big :r:orn B)rder State South Dakota Montana do do Park Yellov:stone national Park do do do do Idaho Teton do Lincoln do do Utah Uinta do Sweetwater do Carbon Colorado Albany do Laramie do do Nebraska Goshe.n do Niobrara do

1-Jiobrara South Dakota

\Jeston do

Strea111s

- -

·

-Bell€l Fourche Hivcr, Redwater Creek, Hay Creek, Crow Creek.

Lj. ttle L1i sGouri

:u

vGr, Thompson Creek.

Pov..·de::r

:-a

v~::r, Little POINder River,

:Sitter Cr$ek~

Ton₂~uo :Ki ver, Little Horn River.

Big Horn rtiver, Porcuptne Cre8k.

C]ark Fork

Yullovv-stone River, Gardj ner River,

Gallatin River.

:ladison River.

Falls ~iver, No. Fk. Teton River.

SLake River, Salt Hiver, Bear River(out)

Bridt_:er Creek.

BE:;ar River (in) ; r.2hor;J.a s Creek.

Bear River(out); 3ear River (in);

Blacks Fk. (in) ; Henrys Fork (in) • Green River, Henrys Fk. (out);

No. Platte Ri~er, Little Snake River

(out) ; Little Snake River (in);

Enc~i:Clp;·1cnt rti ver (in) • Laramie River (in). Crow Creek.

Lodgepole Creek,

No. Platte River (out); Horse Creek. Niobrara River

Cheyenne River. "Seaver Creek.

(28)

~"!YOHING

IRRIG/-;.TION DEVSLO.:.:t&:N1.1 _{illJDER U. S. I:Nl)Itl. I::?RIGA}_;l;_{ION SERVICE}

""·-

..

-

··-

- - - -··

- · -

---·~---·-..

-

·-Unit

Upper l!ind River

Johnstown LeClair Sub-Agency Ray Coolidge Ultimate Develo~ment

_,(Acre~-

-

-17,414 2,208 8,517 12,973 .17,996 1}_2~3 Under Cunstructed Canals _ _ _ (Acre_s_L __ ,_ 11,686 2,103 6,441 10,888 14,643 11 ,68~ 78,661 57,443

Under constructed canals, 57,433 acres

Ultimate area to be reclaimed, 78,660 acres

Total cost of development, when completed $823,141

(29)

W¥0MIN..Q.

IRRIGArriON' DEVELOPivTinNT UNDER U. S. BUREAU OF RECLAMATION

__________

..

__

_

________________

.;....;;...._

Wyomingls contribution to Reclamation Fund

to June 30,

1933,

Acreage under Completed Systems:

Ft.

Laramie Canal,

Interstate Canal,

Shoshone Project,

Riverton Project,

$401165,757.09 55,437

acres

3,184

_"

73,581

,,

32,000 n

Total,

l64,202

acres

Acreage

under

Projects under Ccnstr1,.1ction:

Riverton Project (Addit;.onal),

Casper-Alcova Fro

j

ect,

Heart

Mountain

Project,

Acreage

Irrigat~d

in

1935~

Ft. Lqramie Canal,

Interstate Canal,

Riverton Project,

Shoshone Project,

Amount Expended to

June

30,

1933:

Riverton Project,

Shoshone

Project,

Total,

North :Platte Project (Hybming' s share) ,

Total

,

k..&ount to be Spent on Projects unde::r- C•.

)nstruction:

Casper-Alcova Project,

Heart

MountB.in

I

'roject,

Riverton Project, (Includes Bull Lake)

rrotal

,

68,000

acres

66,000 u 42,000 n 176,000

acres

50,000

acres

2,800

_"

7,532

_"

- · 531754

_"

114,086

acres

$

3,888 ,65€. 50 10,008,828.62 4,615,000.00 ~18,512,405.12 $22,700,000.00 5,800,000.00 6,066,000.00 ~34,566,000.00

( E8t.)

"

The U. S. Bureau of Reclamation has placed settlers· on apDroximately

(30)

CAS..:)F.R-.A"!.3CCVA PHO J 2:CT

-~-·

_

_... .. ,...-...__... .... _ ,

-

-·

Tl1₈ C:.:.sr8.r-Alcov:-J. P_·ojoct is locat::Jd in central

Wyo-ming in the vicinity of Cas~or, enJ th0 lrriffable lands are

all located in Natrona County, 'vfyoming. The proj Get

con-sists ·'Jf tl1e Semin6u storar~e and power dam and an

irriga-tion u::1i t, c·Jnsisting of tho Caeper-.Alcovf.l di Vl:::;l·sion da"ll.

und 106 milo r.anal to supply v~ator to an ar~;a of 6u ,000

acres of irrisable land l:;in,c:~ rort:'l, vmst 11nd south.vlr:Jst of

Cespcr.

T::e iru-igablo land, vvh~.ch 5.ftcr thorough soil

ex-aminations ha8 bc;an care!ully s .. .;lsctcct froa 2. tract of:

over 220,000 .s.crcs, totals 6~ ,000 acr.:.;s. Grcascwood

lunds, roue:_ h &rcas and 9-hallo\r.r soils vmr0 excluded. The

o.rea uxtcnils :1orthoast from ncar Alcov5. Gap in a co.mpara-ti v·.:;ly narrm..f striiJ for ~bout :~o :t~ib:s alon,a: the J.~orth

Platt.o Ri vBr end then wtdons out n,;rth of lliisr3nt Gap

Hide:c to a muxir:mm cast-west. width of about 23 niles.

Tho ~o juct he.s a maxir·1um lf1nzti1, :·wrth ~_tn.d south, of

!37 P1iles.. The i.rri.f',;e.ble ar<::m is cut up by bodies of

non-agricultural land. Nearly all of the irrig~ble lunds ar~

in :pri vn to ovmorship and aro ~ oVI us6d as .~-razing land.

\iAT2R S'tJP:PLY:

Wat:r for th~ irrigation of ln~ds in tte

CaspGr-Alcova ProjGct will be su,9licd f7on th~ ~ircct flow of

tho North Plg;.ttu Hi V3J' and fr01a water stored ir. tl'lc Scminoo

Res0r~Qjr, which is undor coPstructioY: and ~gill h·]ve a

ce.paci ty ~ l ,050, OCO ccr,;; fc.et.

Tho Sem.inoc J:{\:;S...;l'Voir vlill be formed hy

construc-tion of the Semino8

Darn,

which is to bo built ecross the

North Platt3 Ri vcr a few milf'.;·s o.bove the upper end of the Pathfinder RGservoir and about 65 miles southeAst of

Casper, ·wyo:ning. In ~!.ddition to :pro-v-idinc storage of

1,050,000 acre-feet of' wat0r for irrigation, tho Se111i!10G

dam is to provide storc_ge and head for the development of

power. This dam will bo a concrwtc arch dfl..m, 185 fe::;t in

height, above tho stream bed.

A hydro-electric power plant if to bo built at the

dov.rnst'I'Jan too v:hich is expected to dc.v ...;lop 38,400 kw.

of Llectrical :powr;r fron v:ratc.-r dir:cbcrged fror.1 the rc.:s:3r

-voir.

The irrige,tion unit calls for the construction of Alcova Dan to bo built o.n tho North Platte River at tho

lower end of Alcova Ca~yon, about 32 miles up the riv~r

(31)

fr·on G~spor, \Jyoi.nj nt~• fll.e AlC'.ovn l)mu v~il1 bB an earth

nnd !'(1~.:.\. fi1l structur.:J ,. 2?;,~ fec;i: :cj gh anc1 a!Jout 1000

feot l:Jng at th·3 crcH.'t. An outlc: t tu"'l~tel, 20 f<:ot in

dj_amcter, ha..s ba~n corn-plGted ttu~ourr,ht tbo Eouth wall

of tre -can:_ron. Thir: dam r!ill rciie.·J t1_~u_wat::;r _PIC' _feet

for di v.srs~;.on to th:.;. mai.n supply canal tl1rough hcadv;'orks

locat8d abuut 1 milt..:: to the west of the dam. The canal

sys:tc;m cor11prises 106 miles of main cannl and 32 milos

of latarel canal.

Tho nain C3nal will have an initial C-'.lpacity cf

1200 second-f..::et, a.1d, as the upper part is throue;h a

rough bl'okc-;n country, 1 t will roquiro tho construction

of ~bout 4 milQs of concrst~3-lin:.;d tunnel and a nu..-nber

of' re'i:nf'orccd-c?na!'etc &1pllons, c:roes-dra:Lnage structure.s

and vJast ;ways.

It is prdposed at t.b,is tine: to construct the system

for the irrig~tion of abQ~t ~,000 acr~s of land in

what io called the f~rst unit arid lr::ttor to co~pleto the

systo,m f"o.r the irrigr.tie;i of the ontiro 66,0CO acros.

The total cost of the 0ntirc ~rojoct has been

cstirJated at ~22,700,000. ~STih::ATED COST Scr1i!W€".J Dam Power Plant Transmission Lines Total A.J.aova Dam Main Cc~nal l,at.:::rals

Drains

rrr:lep.Q.ono S~rst3I!l. Total Grand Total

$

3,785,000 2, 2,80, 000 .._0365,000 8,430,000 3,039,000 &,853,000 2,077,000 1,980,000 __ 56 , ()O..Q. 14,305,000 22,735,000

It is. p-ro-posed to r\.:.pay p::1rt of th-~ cost by a ehargc

of $DO .00 :per £'~Cro aeainst tho irrie;.ablG acrenge; to be pP..id

over a perio-' of 40 :;oars. !he re:t:unincler or the cost,

..a.I!lount-ing to abcu~ $17,000,000, is to bo rcpuid by pov·1er sales.

TRANSPORTATION:

T'tte C.B. & Q,. and the C. &. N.W. Railro~1ds run from

(32)

lanrls Jn t,rl8 pre>jcct as ~l8o douf U. S. 20, tho

Ycllow-sto~o IIi2?;1

LVva:r, 'l.n oil surf'F!ced highw'ly. U. S. ~Ughway 87

E runs so 1thT.rcst fror:1 Casper to Alcova throu~h tho upper end of t}l G ir ri gublo area. U. S. :-:Ii.gh1·my _87, b ?.tWcGn Casper

a~d ShorjJcnJ is located &long ~h2 oart ad~J of thu irri-gnblc lands. C~spcr, a city of ab~ut 17,000 pvpUlRtion with thrEY; larg:; oil rt-finerics, is lor.atc:-d near the

south-JflSt ~dg0 of tho project. TOPOGF.P..PHY AliD SOILS :

T.u.e land-s lio at an cL::·v~tion of slj_ghtly over 5000 feet. The to:9ography varivs from fs.irly s:rJ.ooth to f'Ot1•,;Whrtt rough and rolling. The soils rang~; fro.'U sandy to sandy clay loam vii th a tendency to h6aVy clay in some of the lov:or ar0as. PRESENT CONST:?.UCTION:

.. -.. -..._ ...

The Casper-Alcova Project was approved, by the Prosi-d&nt, on July 28, 1933, for construction und--:r tho Public norks Administration, and an allotmc-mt of $2'', ?CO ,COO was made ~y tho Secretary of tho Int(.rior on Aue;ust 1, 1933.

Roads havo bx:;;en construct___.d to th(; Scmino-J D8II1 r.i to and a construction canp built. A .rart of the r(;s8rvoir site has boon cleared of logs, troos and brush, and a largo aflount of diaTiond drilling and other exploratory work

compl8ted. Actual construction of tho d~ is now starting. The Alcova D~u1 diversion and outlet tunnel hns been completed, the foundations strippod and prepared for tho earth and rock fill.

The upper 3.6 miles of the; Casper Can11l is nearly

completc:1d. This section consjsts of Q r!ldial t;at-3 intake

structure, 2 tunnels with a combinod lonc~th of 7200 foot, one cpncr:;te highway brid~.J, tvJO 14 fo-Jt diar1et~ r concrete siphons and about

2z

miles of open cut canal excavation.

A pJvrcr line has bec3n const.:--uctcd from C·.-.spor to Seminoe via Alcova and a tol0phonc line from the Pathfinder

line near Aicova to Alcova and Seminoo. CHOPS:

T:w area is in the cent or of an oxte::nsi ve ranee county and tho chief market will bE.- to suppl~.r winte;r feed for live-stock. Under jrrigution, excellent yinlds of alfalfa, sugar boots and all grains would be assured. Drrir:r farming vmuld bo profitable with a near c.arkct at Casper and tho Salt Croek oil field.

(33)

The Heart Mountain Prdject consists of what has been

called the Heart Mountain Division of the Shoshone Project of the United States Bureau of Eeclam.ati-vn.. The Shoshone Project is located in Park and Dig Horn Counties, Wyoming, c.nd lies just east of Yellowstone I)ark. The constructed portion of the project consists of the Garland, Frannie, and Willwood Divisions. 'l;1_{he entire project contemplates}

the construction of the Heart Mountain and Oregon Basin Divisions.

IRRLGABLE AREA:

~~

-The irrigable area in the main Heart Mountain Division lies in a eompact bcdyt beginning with a width of about

two

miles at the upstream ext~e~ity ne~r Cody, Wyoming; .and ex-tends in a widening strip in the nortrwasterly direction for a distance

of

about twenty-three miles to

a

point west and a li tt~.a north of the ToV~m of Powell, Wymning, where the width is about e;i.ght ar;d one-ha~f Pliles. -~o extensions of this area ·consist qf the Chapman Bench nnd the Pole Cat Bench. rrhe ~aproah 'Bench eBbraces ah area of atout 7, 'JOO acres of land, lying almost directly north of nea~t Mountain, and is in the Clark's Fork River Drainage~ The Pole Cat Bench e]"\braees an area of 23, 00~ acres of irri,r~able land located

on the bench north of Fewell, yJyoming. The Pole Cat .Bench area, however, is not included as a prn·t of the Heart Mountain development now under construction.

HATER SUPPLY:

-The Heart Mountain Division will be served by a high-line canal, diverting water from the Shoshone River at the Shoshone Daxn. This canal will be of an average-elevation of about 4800. The vvater supply is from th'e natural flow of the Shoshone River and storage in th-e Shoshon-e Reservoir alrGady constructed. The Shoshone Reservoir has a construc-ted capacity of 456,6JO ac~e feel•

TRANSPORT..:-VIIOt~:

-

. ....

The land·~.!>" :)£'" the He.art Ivlountain Division are served. by a branch line of the C. B.

& Q,.

R~ilway System, which runs from Cody to a connection with the main line at Frannie, Wyoming. This railroad runs along the south boundary of the irrigBble lands and would be within about eight miles of any point in tbe :r:tain area of the lands. The Powell-Cody Highway adjoins the southern bound.a.ry of the division for a few miles below RalstGn, Wyoming, and parallels it at a distance of one or two :;J.iles throughout the remainder of the distance to Cody. The Powell-Billings Highway traverses the Pola Cat Bench, and the Black and White ·Trail cuts through the Chapman Bench and jo1ns this area with Cody on the

south and Belfry and Red Lodge on the north. The ,r~ject is, therefore, well served wlth transportation facilities.

(34)

J'.1ARKETS:

Tho main production of the; H.:K.trt rliountain J.qnds vrill

probably· br: cr~ps t"!1at can bc,st be r1arl~eted by fo:.;ding to li vcstock. Largo nwnb .. ~rs of cattle and 3bcep are grazed

in tho imm-::diate vicinity, and grazj_ng lund 0djoin.s tho -yroject. Dairy pr~ductS' co.n b0 Pl'lrkot:~~d nt the cr~~~am ·ric.~s

at Billings, Cody, and Powell. Produc~s of t~e project will bJ shipped ~~rincipally to Denver, O';labrt, :.:md ~";)nn

oc:polis.

T1•G irr1f:~ablo s.croaf)0 in this division totals 41,000

ao-rss·, of vihich 32,000 acrGs ara in. t!lu main Hoo.rt lVlountain

Di vi sior::., 7, 000 u.cr~; s are in the Chapnan B:..nch ar:;a, and

~~, 000 a crt";;~- aro undc;r a -vrop.osecl punping unit.

"r:~.._ lands in tl::.is division consi.st of a S~:;:rios of

benches, risi~g from the 'resent river level to elevations

above the proposod canal~ T':1_Cs _J lands h~:nr:::: _<\ smooth

topogr0phy, slopin~ from west to oast vdth a fall of 9bo~t

100 feet to the mil0 in the upper ~or~ions a~d nbout 60 fEot

to ths mile in th~ enstGrn nart.

Tt

c

to9 soils aro sandy

clay, ve.ryj_ng in

~L3:~

th

from"' l·ili· to 4 fc.·ct, V/i th a

gr

A

V

~::.:

l

sub-soil. T ... c soils do no.,t hnva E:JXces::iv•.:; alko.li cop.tcnt and

tlcc producti Vt; cn~)aci :C:r of the soile. is considered as good

ns n.Hy of tbG l1-1nds in th"' :projuct.

Tho vm t r;r supply f'or the: IIue:.:-t ;:iountain Di visi ::>n will

be di ver·te;d from the Shoshon~; H.k 1.rcr t11l'O'.lfh tho C._.nyon Canal

~1ich pro~osas to supply weter for all new areas to be da

v-c:lope:d in the; Shos~onG P!·..)~Cct. rr;l\., cs.nal is locatnd on tho

south side of tho Shoshone: Ri vcr and oxtonds fro.I!l tbe S.~\oshone

D...J.L1 to ths mouth of ShoshrJnE: Canyo~l, q dist!lnco of e.bout 3

miles. From thL:~ psint, tho Hc::1rt lvl:uun tain C.~•Ylal crqsses the

S!t~ .... ~.one Ri vel' in a concr~:;te and steel plpe: si·phmJ.} havinc a

total longth of 2200 foct and a :r.mxj.mun hcgd of 203 feet .

Fron the ond of this siphon, the Cffilal extends in a north-easterly diroction for about 25 mi.lcs. Tnis canal v.rilJ. have

a capacity of,about 910 second-foot.

COSTS:

---

-SeE; table.

Contract has boon let for thJ construction of tunnels

Nvc .. 1, 2 and 3, which a:f") locEttf;d on tho Shoshone Canyon Cn!tdui t.

(35)

RE:t:Jo:rr ON SllOSEONE FHOJEGri 4.:XT·:.:l,1SIONS,

J.TI. Iakisch, 1931.

Heart Mountain Division, Shoshone Project

Wyoming.

SummGry of Costs

Ft:ature Estirn.ated Cost

-~---

-*Exar:J.inc.tion c..nd Surveys, Past and Future

**Canyon Canal, length 2.90 miles, 9~- of total cost 1510 IIain Canal, Head to South Ear1r=nc st Creek,

length 21.37 miles

I.~ain £an3.l, Sou t]"', })1.€;1 ene~:t Cre(::k to end,

length 6.10 miles

Chapman Latsral, length 8.05 miles

Ralston Lateral, longth 4.36 miles Pumpin~ Plant

Telephone line, ~)0 r'1iles

Camp buildjng~, 2 CC:linps

Operetion L:.nd Iviaintc·nance durin:?, construction at ~5.00 per acre

SettleQent a~d Dev3lopment at ~~.00 per acre Drainage at ~20 per acre

Total

·$·

.

'

:$

99,000 956,148 2.' 253,591 862,729 319, C89 63,436 70,000 21.,000 8,000

..

205,000 123,000 820 '0_00 5,800,993 ;$142 *Inclwles cost to August l, 1931, amounting to :t79, 150. **Balance of total cost amounting to -,t630,428 charg(:;d to

Oregon Baein Division and Grey':mll Valley Irrigation District.

(36)

PRESENT COHSTHUCTIOH:

- - - -

··

- - -

·

---·-An allocation of

ERA

funds, in the amount of $1,500,'JO,

has been mG..dP for this :rroject, and bios v:ere roc-.;ivvcl on December 5, 1935, for tho construction of throe tunnels with a total length of 3.bout 11,200 feet or O'rt r t"'v'JO miles. Tpose tunnels have nn inside dia~eter of about 12 fo· t ~nd a c~pncity

of 1200 second-feet. The rcnaiP.dc·· of the canyon section of the C3.nal wher.::; tunnsl is not r.~;;uir~~;~ will bo a clo:.3cd and

covt:.~'i:.;d condni 't.

P:'ob~J.ble c::.""OP2· to bt:: grmJn on t:·.cs~-~ lands a:-e AJ..!'alfa,

Pot:?, tOGS' B~.,'.l!lS' Sugar B·Jots' GJ..•aLJ.S' 3.lld rrurk;.;ys.