North Platte River Projects WY to NE

• Description: related to Platte River Endangered Species Partnership ‎(aka Platte River Recovery Implementation Program or PRRIP)‎
• State: NE
• State: WY
• Basin: North Platte
• Author: U.S. Department of the Interior, Bureau of Reclamation
• Title: North Platte River Projects Wyoming - Nebraska
• Water Supply Pro - Doc Type: Project Overview

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Cover. Pathfinder Dam
To the pioneers traveling West in the
1800's, the North Platte River provided a
valley roadway West across much of
Nebraska and Wyoming.
The emigrants wrote to their friends and
relatives in the East of their arduous
journey. They described such landmarks
as Scotts Bluff and Register Cliff as well
as the dry prairie above the river. Few of
these rugged travelers thought of settling
in this and land.
Around 1900, good farmland in the Middle
West became scarce. Congress passed
the Reclamation Act of 1902 to help satisfy
the dream of those who hoped to farm their
own land. The Act provided for construction
of dams and irrigation systems in the
Western States.
An irrigation project in the North Platte
Valley was one of the first six authorized
on March 14, 1903. Additional projects
have been added over the years to improve
regulation of the river. Meanwhile, the
scope of Reclamation's activities has
broadened to include hydroelectric power
generation, recreation, flood control,
municipal and industrial water, and fish and
wildlife enhancement.
Today, the North Platte boasts five major
reservoirs and six powerplants. Enough
water is stored to irrigate 400,000 acres of
productive farmland. The value of crops
grown each year exceeds the total original
construction cost of $132 million.
Although flood control is an authorized
function only at Glendo Reservoir, the
other reservoirs have provided flood
control as an incidental benefit. Over $35
million in flood damages have been
prevented by the entire system.
The benefits of Reclamation's program
have improved the lives of residents of the
West. The North Platte River Basin is no
exception. Whether it's fishing at a
Reclamation reservoir, turning on an
electric switch, or drinking a glass of water,
Reclamation has made a difference in
western life.