WSPC02224

• File Number: 8408
• Description: River Basin General Correspondence
• State: CO
• Basin: South Platte
• Water Division: 1
• Date: 5/16/1991
• Title: Platte River Evaluation: USBR - Platte River Evaluation Update - Publication
• Water Supply Pro - Doc Type: Publication

000426

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Platte River Evaluation

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Bur~.1,J ~r R~d!m!!!~~ E\':!:.::H:i. :~-:!';~ Of'i'iiiiuo 01 Exi5Ung Projects on ,he
Plane RIver for the POfentlal 10 Atfec1 Threefen&d and Endanger..d Species.

North Plane Rrver ProjKtl OffIce, MlUs, W)'omlng

Hydrology study Team Meeting Minutes
May 16, 1991

The study team meeting was held May 16, 1991, in Denver, Colorado, at
Reclamation's Denver Office Building # 56, Room 2770. The meeting started
around 9:00 am with introductions of the study team members present.
Informational reports requested by study team members at the February , meeting
were handed out. The second agenda item was reviewing Reclamation's schedule
for model development. The attached description and tables showing the
schedule for each work task were discussed. Based on the schedule,
Reclamation wants to have a present condition North Platte River model run by
September 1992, allowing 4 months for calibration with input from the study
team between May and September 1992. It was noted the present condition run
would include a groundwater component.

Reclamation reviewed for the group the data bases being assembled for use in
model development. Reclamation is in process of pulling together diversion,
flow, ~nd reservoir records from different sources... USGS, USSR complied and
provisional data. Changes in water use in the basin are needed to determine
present condition water supply. It was asked what the difference between
industrial and municipal use was, and the study team agreed it was basically
how the diversions and return flows are made to and from the river. The
question was asked if Wyoming had water rights for industrial use, and Becky
Mathisen responded that they did, giving Dave Johnston Powerplant as an
example. The term hydraulic capacities refers to river channel capacity as
well as dam outlet capacities and reservoir storage capacity. It was noted
that channel capacities change over time and flood releases were a
consideration of the Corp of Engineers flood control operations.. The climate
?ata base is being assembled for uses outside the model like anaryzing the
present condition water supply and computing project diversion requirements.
Aquifer data consists of observation well records and well registration data
from which transmissivity and permeability can be derived. No plans have been
made to develop a geologic data base.

The water operation criteria are the rules that will be defined based on Water
Rights, Decrees, Compacts and Contracts for use in the model so simulation of
water use and reservoir regulation can be computed.

Historic runoff and historic demands need to be analyzed to see if the long
term records represent current conditions and if not corrections would be
developed. The study team members will be reviewing and commenting on the
computations made to develop present condition runoff and demands as the
process is refined. The question was asked about how present condition stream