WSP01441

• File Number: 8407.500
• Description: Platte River Basin - River Basin General Publications - Missouri River
• State: CO
• Basin: South Platte
• Water Division: 1
• Date: 12/1/1971
• Author: Missouri Basin Inter
• Title: Missouri River Basin Comprehensive Framework Study-Volume VII-Plan of Development and Management-Appendix
• Water Supply Pro - Doc Type: Report/Study

Throughout the basin, uses of water for domestic
purposes are assigned the highest priority under State
law. This is not the case in some States with respect to a
preferential status for livestock water. Quantities with-
drawn and consumed for both of these purposes are
relatively small. However, the storage of surface waters
for livestock use results in depletions due to evaporation
losses in the arid portions of the basin and could result
in competitive demands for scarce supplies.
The economic and social necessity for livestock water
use dictated action to provide for such use in plan
formulation. The great variance in, and localized nature
of, the problem required general treatment after con-
sideration of the available supply of ground and surface
water, water quality, climatic conditions, and distribu-
tion of electric power supplies.
The projected future water requirements for livestock
use are dependent on base projections. These projections
indicate a significant increase in livestock production.
From a regional standpoint, economic and social objec-
tives are aimed at dampening, to some extent, the loss of
farm population and intensifying agricultural produc-
tion. The initial projections are, therefore, adequate for
planning purposes, but will have to be reviewed, and
adjusted as necessary, taking into account the effects of
a long-range plan.

Electric Power Water Supply

Studies to project the future electric power needs of
the basin were conducted as an integral part of the
Federal Power Commission's National Power Survey.
With minor exceptions, the power study area coincided
with the externai boundarIes of the Missouri River Basin.
However, the subbasin boundaries and population dis-
aggregations used in the comprehensive framework study
did not lend themselves conveniently to power analysis.
Therefore, projected electric power requirements were
based on the FPC Power Supply Areas (PSA's). Each
PSA represen ts essentially the service areas of related
groups of major electric utilities. The projected PSA
power requirements and consumptive water use were
then disaggregated to the subbasins.
Power studies covered hydroelectric and thermal
sources as well as private and public sources and
distribution systems. While the location of fuel reserves
was reported, the study is not in sufficient detail to
permit a firm location of future generating plants or
distribu tion lines.
Water requirements for hydropower production are
non-consumptive and are limited by the existing pattern
of operation and the few remaining structural sites
suitable for development. Cooling water requirements
for thermal-electric plants were determined for each
subbasin in terms of condenser cooling water require-

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ments, required streamflow diversions, and cooling water
losses. This degree of estimating is adequate for the
purposes of this study. It does reveal that each future
proposal for locating thermal-electric power plants must
seriously consider the effect of withdrawal and con-
sumptive use of water, and the temperature effect on
other wa ter uses, both locally and regionally.

Although the projections of future water require-
ments are documented, the demands for cooling water
are not susceptible to simple evaluation. The complexity
of the evaluation can be traced to the alternatives
available for cooling purposes. The cheapest cooling
form is a flow-through system with a very small part of
the water lost through consumption, but with significant
temperature rises in the return flow. As an indication of
the magnitude of such future cooling water require-
ments, a summation of projected gross withdrawals
approach 4.9 million acre-feet annually by the year
2020, which allows for the use of supplemental type
cooling systems. By introducing closed systems and
cooling towers, problems such as temperature increases
and water quantity are minimized, but this can be
achieved only through additional cost. Within the plan
formula tion process, therefore, it was necessary to
weigh all factors in order to determine the best possible
course of action. These included recognition of bene-
ficial as well as detrimental effects, the costs involved,
and the probable reaction of the consumer and his
willingness to pay for maintaining certain economic and
social values that may otherwise be lost.

Water Supply for Mineral Development

Additional water required for future mineral develop-
ment and processing is projected for all subbasins. Gross
water withdrawal requirements for metals, non-metals,
fuels, and sand and gravel approach 538,000 acre-feet
annually by year 2020. Of this amount, 346,000
acre-feet are for sand and gravel processing.

FISH AND WILDLIFE

The demands and desires for fish and wildlife in the
Missouri Basin and its subbasins were determined by the
several State fish and wildlife agencies and the Bureaus
of Sport Fisheries and Wildlife and Commercial Fisher-
ies. The study included an inventory of lands and water
dedicated primarily to fishing and hunting, and areas
where fish and wildlife is an ancillary use. The single-
purpose category includes lands owned or controlled by
State fish and game agencies and the Bureau of Sport
Fisheries and Wildlife. Primary use lands are public and
private lands where fish and wildlife is one of the
principal multi-purpose uses. Identified also were the
areas of habitat or range for select fish and game species