WSP01362 - Laserfiche WebLink

Home Browse Search

. . . ,- UNIrED STATES DEPARTlIENT OF THE INTrnIOR BUREAU OF RECL\l.li.TlON Washington 25 J D. C. February 18, 1952 The Secretary of the Interior Sir: This 1s my proposed report on the Braziel Dam and Reservoir, Nebraska--Supple~ntal Works for the Fort Laramie Division, North Platte Project, Wyoming-Nebraska. This report 1s based on and includes the attached report or the Re~ional ~rector of the Bureau of Reclamation dated Dcceuber 15, 1950, and contains ti.e recoInml:ndnticn that the Braziel Dam and Reservoir not be developed by the Buruu of Reclamation at this time. The Fort Laramie Division of th~ eXisting ~orth Platte Reclamation project, consisting of the Goshen Irrigation District and the Gering and Fort LGramie Irrigation District receives its water supp~ via the 130 mile long Fort Laramie Canal. The potential Braziel Dam and Reservoir, Scottsbluff County, Nebraska would t-e located on Dry Crt;ek Drain in the Gering and Fort Laramie Irrigation District, south of the North Platte River and just east of the iVyoming, Nebraska boundary line. This reservoir would store water for the benefit of irrigation, wr~ch is now being 'Wasted in the area. The low water velocity in the Fort Laramie Canal, coupled with its 130 mile length, makes the deliverj of water very inefficient. It takes approximately 5 days for water to flow the length of the c.oi.nal. This t1ce lag leads to waste which the regulatory effect of the Braziel Reservoir, located just off the c.lnal at approximately mile 66, would cOWlteract to some extent. The 6,650 acre-fEet capacity of the reservoir would store water not now being utilized. The reservoir would directly benefit 8,700 acres in its immediate vicinity by assuring a readily available water supply when needed and also would free water, formerly used to irrigate these lands, for use elsewhere in the !lorth Platte Project <irea. The estimated cost of the dam and reservoir tased on Februar,y 19L8 prices is $1,382,600. This entire amount would be allocated to irrigation and thus be reimbursable. Repayment would be the responsibility of the irrit;at1on districts of the Fort Laramie Division. Current repay- ment contracts with these districts exceed previously allocated construc_ tion costs by approximately $1,060,000 and the districts have expressed their re1uc tance to pay for a.ny add! tion31 work, thE cost of Which would exceed this amount. Also, both districts desire that this amount be expended for improvements to their individual areas. In these Circumstances, -