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SOUTH PLATTE RIVER AT ATWOOD GAGING STATION <br />SUNINIARY REPORT <br />September, 2005 <br />PURPOSE <br />Installation of new gages on the South Platte River was identified as a Surface Water <br />Planning Need in the Final SPDSS Feasibility Study. The most critical need for additional gages <br />was in District 64, due to the South Platte River Compact with Nebraska. Atwood was identified <br />as a good gage locality for a number of reasons: <br />1. Atwood is about mid-way in the initial 30-mile reach of District 64 between the Balzac <br />gage and the Town of Sterling. Most of the senior water rights in District 64 are located <br />in this reach. (In the summer the river is usually dry below Sterling.) <br />2. Flow data at this location would greatly assist the Water Commissioner in accurate <br />delivery to the Sterling No. 1 ditch, a short distance downstream. This ditch has the most <br />senior right in District 64. <br />3. Website info would allow water users above and below to see that water is being <br />properly administered. <br />4. The channel hydraulics appeared favorable for the location of a gage. <br />GOAL <br />The project goal was to construct a permanent gage on the South Platte River near <br />Atwood to accurately record discharges of up to about 400 cfs for water rights administration. <br />Additional benefit for flood monitoring could be achieved by monitoring river stage on the <br />Website. <br />An important consideration was that the gage should not be labor intensive to operate. <br />Our gages on the South Platte at Kersey, Balzac, and Julesburg require frequent visits to achieve <br />accurate flow reporting. High maintenance is required at these gages because they were installed <br />on bridges. Streambed and flow conditions are unstable at bridges due to the persistent pileup of <br />material on the piers. Bridge locations were used because CDOT or county right of way was <br />available, avoiding the need for private property easements. For a less labor intensive gage, we <br />wanted to find the best channel location possible. This meant avoiding bridges and being <br />prepared to negotiate with landowners. <br />SITE SELECTION <br />The South Platte River channel becomes progressively more braided (multi-channel) and <br />overgrown as it flows eastward. The principal criteria for site selection for a gage in Eastern <br />Colorado is to find an accessible location where the river is all in single channel (At Julesburg <br />there are 4 bridged channels, requiring 3 separate gages to measure.) The ditch dams above and <br />below Atwood have acted against nature to keep the flow confined to a relatively clean single <br />channel. Atwood has one of the few single channel bridges in the reach below Balzac. <br />