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<br />CHTlP'l'SR II - NIOBRARA IIND LO\'If.R PL"TTE RIVE~{ Bf,SINS
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<br />NI RA.~~E_ J~~'\'l'~_ ~'f-:~-:~~~J~~_T IN ~J:~~_l_~~~Y-A
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<br />GENERTlL
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<br />i'JiobrJ.rc; f::Lvcr flo\-,If; and nox eutte ReSL~ rvoir st:ordg~ 9ro\'i~.le a ....;.::..tel:~ SU!..)-
<br />ply \".'hicl! iE'. not:llli:.l.lly j.Il::.iuffic:i r>.nt to 0.chi2Vt~ ffia:d Tr.L..JIl ~lields from the
<br />II, 66 2-uC)~.2 Hi ral]C' ;:"lats ::::1::1"j q;;I tion Di.s lrict. The: J lP.Jj ec L ~'lat-.t:r supply
<br />\d.Jl y.i(:-~ld 21/l a'l..:'rClCJ(~ divel~:::;.ioll of one c:md a half C'I;:To-.feet J:!!.:r acre y:hich
<br />is ahnut 01J.c:!-1lA.lf' ("ere-fooL per ,JeTe short of the:: long..terrll cJ.vcLdge fOj" a
<br />full \.;,-lt21- sl.,llJply. Scvera.l 0[ the Janjow'H::rs in the di~:::rjcL. hi-lve. (h-il.1ccl
<br />ir}~i<Jilt ion wl~.ll~~ cl!,j a sou.r:cc: of .,:: SIJp?J.cIfl~ntal su,;.:"pl)/. Thee: farmers thLlt:
<br />(lwn \0.'2115 share the ~:(;-~Jl ',vdtcr ....,ith thpjr nei~fhbo1"s Lut tll,~ \\'(:} 1,5 a.rc
<br />too ff:.'~'l ill nWllbel' to fully sLlpplePlcnt the project \'.'a(8'L~ supply.
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<br />Duriny til::> 1974 irrigutjon seC1S0Il, IJl::T:-:;(Jnnel from the Kansas RivECT Pl:ojcct,s
<br />Offic(' aj c1ed ilTj_0fOtti0n di si:ricL pcrs(l]lrl(~l in conducting a study to detcr-
<br />rr:i:12 botc'J los~l~s il,l1c1 1.-.'ils'te fl'OIll tho,,! i LTi gd tjon S~"stC'!Il. Se\/pral re.cOrc.el"S
<br />'i,.,"~Ye j 11S r~.:tllc::d en '."':::'3. t.Chr-:l.,!~ ann fIo...,' mC.:'Jsuremcnts \..'cre ta.}~E:.-';1 thl-Qughou t
<br />the SLJ;lLl"['~r. As t.he: eJata fo:':" 1974 was inconclusive, the st'..lUY '.,,',lll be
<br />cOI~t.i.r~1](~c1 in 131':'.
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<br />'l'he t.nYrlqp j'lats J :LT19<J.t:.irm lJis-r-:rj c-t: rOOpt..,yEttps wit~-l thp. Nenr(1s'Kd GiJTW2 .:.nd
<br />P0.r},;s Cc:mr.d.5sic:n by oper2ti:lg tile Box Butte Dam outlet ....:orks gat":'s and. tho
<br />D;"mlCil) [Jj vl'Tsiol"l Dar,1 g,.:ltes in c) wanner that avoids la1-ge SUd(~C.!l cl1a.r,lJes- in
<br />the flvv.':-:. or tho.:: (~iobrora riv2r.
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<br />1974 Slil,jf1ll!(f
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<br />The NiQ~lrc1ra ~v<2r flo\'ls a;ld the ca~'ryover storage in Box Butle Reservoir
<br />W2:!.:e: insufficient fOl:' a full \..lr:.ter supply for the Hil"3.ge Flats IJ.Tiqation
<br />Disl.l.."ict lands and the ilctive storage \"05 evacuated J)Y August 30 whc;,n the
<br />o\..:.tlp."L gate was closed. 'fhis is the fifth COl\sc-~cntivc yeat t.hiit a1.1 of
<br />the aVL:ilable active st.orage v,'us used. ThC2 total precipitation in the
<br />Hi~-aqt~ Flat.s area \vCl.S 10.37 inches, which is 63 percent of normal.
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<br />There v,'(~re 10,977 iJ.cres irrisratE::d, which is 95 percent of the acres \vi th
<br />sel'vie,:;,; available. Tlle farm deliveries from the p.coject \-later sLlpply were
<br />0.81 acre-foot per acre. llrl. additi.onal 0.5 ft. of water was p.covided by
<br />priva1.:ely o...mcd irrigation wells. The 91"05S crop value was $2,791,900
<br />which is 153 percent of the-, 1973 value.
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