WSP08921

• File Number: 8443.100
• Description: Narrows Unit - Project Description
• State: CO
• Basin: South Platte
• Water Division: 1
• Date: 1/1/1967
• Title: Report on the Narrows Unit Colorado South Platte Division Missouri River Basin Project part 2
• Water Supply Pro - Doc Type: Report/Study

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South Platte River, Bear Creek, Clear Creek, St. Vraln Creek, and
the BIg Thompson and Cache La Poudre Rivers. These streams head
along the ContInental DIvide. TributarIes that drain lower eleva-
tIons are Plum, Cherry, Boxelder, KIowa, BIJou, Badger, and Beaver
Creeks from the south; Lonetree, Crow, WIldcat, Pawnee, Cedar, and
Lodgepole Creeks from the north.

ElevatIons of the South Platte RIver draInage area range from about
2,800 feet near the mouth of the South Platte River to 14,000 feet
on the ContInental DIvide.

Since the turn of the century, IrrigatIon diversIons and Importations
of water have greatly altered the flow of the South Platte River.
There are 45 diversions from the river between Kersey, Colorado, and
the Colorado-Nebraska State line, and 16 systems that Import water
Into the South Platte RIver Basin. DurIng the perIod from 1952 to
1963. streamflow records for the South Platte River at the Narrows
Dam sIte show a maxImum dIscharge of 14,200 second-feet and a minImum
dIscharge of 43 second~feet. The high floods of 1965 far exceeded
these amounts when Plum Creek and BIJou Creek alone exceeded 150,000
and 446,000 second-feet, respectIvely.

SoIls of the valley range from sandy loams to dark silty-clay loams.
ThIs materIal overlies older stream~deposlted sand and gravel.

The clImate In the vicInity of the proposed Narrows ReservoIr Is
characterized by low relatIve humIdIty, lIght raInfall, warm summers,
cold winters, consIderable wind, and large varIations In annual
precIpItatIon. Over a 72-year period of record. the average annual
precIpitation at Fort Morgan was 12.9 Inches. The average frost-free
season Is about ISO days, wIth the last kIlling frost In the spring
occurrIng about May 1 and the first kIlling frost In the fall about
October I.

The project area Is readily accessIble. An Interstate highway,
U. S. highways, state hIghways, and a network of township and
county roads serve the area.

Agriculture Is the principal Industry of the project area. PrIn-
cIpal crops are sugar beets, alfalfa, corn, beans, potatoes, and
small grains. Dairy and beef cattle are the prIncipal lIvestock
raised on the farms.

The total population of Logan, Morgan, SedgwIck, and Washington
Counties In 1960 was 52,361. It represents an Increase of about