7409

• UCREFRP Catalog Number: 7409
• Author: U.S. Department of the Interior.
• Title: Quality of Water, Colorado River Basin.
• USFW Year: 1991.
• USFW - Doc Type: Progress Report No. 15,
• Copyright Material: NO

32 Chapter t?r-Present and Future Development

Ranger Ditch-Ranger Ditch diverts water from
North Savery Creek for delivery to Willow Creek
in the North Platte River Basin. Estimates
made in 1974 indicate that annual deliveries
average about 500 acre-feet, and it is believed
that this figure remains unchanged.

Continental Divide Ditch-Continental Divide
Ditch diverts water for 473 acres from Little
Sandy Creek to the North Platte River Basin.
Estimates made in 1974 indicate that annual
deliveries average about 1,040 acre-feet, and it is
believed that this figure remains unchanged.

North Fork of Little Snake River to
Cheyenne-Diversions from the North Fork of
the Little Snake River to the city of Cheyenne
were 12,489 acre-feet in water year 1989. Over
the period 1980-89, deliveries averaged
8,046 acre-feet.

In 1980, the Wyoming State Engineer stated
that he anticipated that out-of-basin diversions
will increase to 50,000 acre-feet by 2010. The
50,000-acre-foot depletion to the Little Snake
River will occur not only as a result of the
Cheyenne-Laramie Diversion (estimated to
ultimately amount to 20,000 acre-feet), but also
as a result of the development of stage III of the
proposed Little Snake River Water Management
Project which will divert additional water across
the Continental Divide to the North Platte River
Basin for the use of downstream communities
such as Casper, Glenrock, and Douglas.

Industrial Uses

The State of Wyoming has stated that
considerable potential exists for increased use of
water for industrial purposes such as thermal
electric generation, trona mining and processing,
coal gasification, coal coking, and oil shale
development.

Most of the water that is and will be used for
industrial purposes will be provided by
contracting with the State for water out of
Fontenelle Reservoir. See the discussion for the
Seedskadee Project.

Thermal Electric Power-Major thermal
electric powerplants in operation in 1987 are as
listed below.

Power:plant

Megawatt
(M\I\l)

160
220
330
500
500
500
--6QQ
2,710

Viva Naughton No. 1
Viva Naughton No.2
Viva Naughton No.3
Jim Bridger No.1
Jim Bridger No.2
Jim Bridger No.3
Jim Bridger No.4

The Viva Naughton No.1 unit was in operation
in 1965, and its water use is included in the
Comprehensive Framework Study value for
thermal electric power. Records supplied by
Utah Power & Light Company show an average
annual net use (diversion less return flow) of
5,670 acre-feet over a 7-year period (1977-83) for
all three units at Viva Naughton. About
4,000 acre-feet of this amount are used by unit
Nos. 2 and 3. Records provided by Pacific Power
and Light Company indicate a level of use of
about 25,000 acre-feet for all four units at the
Jim Bridger Powerplant. Depletions in 1989 for
thermal electric units built since 1965 are
estimated to be 29,000 acre-feet a year.

The Wyoming State Engineer estimates that
water uses for new thermal electric power
generation will increase by 12,000 and
22,000 acre-feet in 1990 and 2000, respectively.
Also, an additional 10,000 acre-feet of depletion
will develop at the Jim Bridger Powerplant
when transmission restrictions are lifted. Water
for the Jim Bridger Powerplant is provided out
of Fontenelle Reservoir by contract with the
State. Water for the Viva Naughton Powerplant
is developed from a private water right.

Mineral-Considerable development of the
trona, oil, and natural gas industries has
occurred in the Green River Basin since the
Comprehensive Framework Study was made. In
1982, the Wyoming State Engineer estimated
that 23,700 acre-feet of additional depletions
had occurred in the mineral industry since 1965.

The State Engineer projects that depletions will
increase from 40,000 acre-feet in 1990 to 62,000