WSP00328

• File Number: 8027
• Description: Section D General Correspondence - Federal Agencies
• State: CO
• Basin: Statewide
• Date: 7/1/1971
• Author: DOI-BOR
• Title: Annual Operating Plan - Western Division - Pick-Sloan Missouri Basin Program - 1971-1972
• Water Supply Pro - Doc Type: Report/Study

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DESCRIPTION OF SYSTEM

Basically, the system consists of a number of individual water resource projects
that were planned and constructed by the Bureau of Reclamation. The individual
projects were combined into an integrated sysfem to achieve operating economy
and to produce increased multiple-purpose benefits. The system is located gen-
erally in northern Colorado, across much of Wyoming, and in western Nebraska,
as shown on the cover. It encompasses part of Bureau of Reclamation Regions 4,
6, and 7 ~md is c onfined primarily to the western mountai nous area of the Missouri
River Basin.

The maj or storage reservoirs are located at relatively high elevations in the Rocky
Mountains. The water supply of the system is primarily from melting snow. In
most areas of the system, 70 to 80 percent of the annual streamflow occurs from
snowmelt runoff during the April-July period. The primary water use is irrigation,
and the period of demand normally extends from May through September. The
system furnishes irrigation water to over 1,200,000 acres of land in Colorado,
Wyoming, and Nebraska.

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The system includes the Colorado- Big Thompsonproject in Colorado, the Kendrick,
Riverton, and Shoshone projects inWyoming, the North Platte project in Wyoming
and Nebraska. and the Kartes, Glendo, and Boysen units of the Pick-Sloan Missouri
Basin Program in Wyoming. The four maj or rivers in the system are the South
Platte River in Colorado, the Colorado River in Colorado, the North Platte River
in Colorado, Wyoming, and Nebraska, and the Wind and Bighorn Rivers in Wyoming.

There are 22 reservoirs, 16 powerplants, and three pumping plants in the system,
as shown in Tables 6 and 7. One-half of the installed capacity and power output of
the Yellowtail Powerplant is also allocated to the Western Division System. The
power features of the system are interconnected by over 3,000 miles of electrical
transmission lines as shown on the map at the back of the report. The power sys-
tem is also interconnected with other Federal. public, and private power systems.
Bulk power is marketed to about 100 preference customers within the system and
results in annual revenues of about 13 million dollars. Much of the additional
electrical energy needed in the system is provided by the P-SMBP Eastern Divi-
sion System which markets power from the large powerplants on the main stem
of the Missouri River constructed and operated by the Corps of Engineers.

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