WSP11733

• File Number: 8407
• Description: Platte River Basin - River Basin General Publications
• State: CO
• Basin: South Platte
• Water Division: 1
• Date: 1/1/3000
• Author: Velehradsky - Turner
• Title: Water Reuse in the South Platte River Basin
• Water Supply Pro - Doc Type: Report/Study

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WATER REUSE IN TIlE

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SOUTH PLATTE RIVER BASIN
By John E. VelehradSky(l) and Charles D. Turner(2)

INTRODUCTION

Water supplies in the South Platte River basin are overappropriated.

After the gold rush of 1859, agricultural development in the South Platte

River basi~ led to the construction of irrigation systems and the subsequent

diversion of stream water. Around the turn of the century, JIIlI,I1y of these

systems were improved by providing holdover reservoir storage (11).

Since the late 1920's, ambitious diversion works have been constructed

to bring Colorado River basin water into the South Platte River basin for

agricultural, municipal, and industrial uses. Competing uses of western

slope water, environmental concern over the potential adverse effects of

additional diversions , and the potential need for large quantities of water

for oil shale development make necessary the better utilization of existing

water supplies within the South Platte River basin. One very important

constraint present in the system is Colorado State water law. A complete

and thorough water law analysis must be undertaken whenever water management

opportunities are discussed. Hopefully, better utilization of water supplies

can be accomplished with the overall effect that additional beneficial

opportunities wo~d be produced.
PHYSICAL DESCRIPTION OF THE BASIN

The South Platte River basin includes a total area of 24,030 square miles

(62,238 km2), of which 19,022 square miles (49,261 km2) are in COlorado,

3,011 square miles (780 km2) are in Nebraska, and 1,997 square miles

(5,172 km2) :are in wyoming. The western edge of the basin contains the

(1) Chief, :Urban Studies Branch, Omaha District, Corps of Engineers
(2) Civil Jilngineer, Urban Studies Branch, Omaha District, Corps of Engineers