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<br />~o 0 1'2 G ~I <br /> <br />- 5 - <br /> <br />The Green River drainage includes most of southwestern Wyoming <br /> <br />and we are governed in our uses by two interstate compacts, the Colorado <br /> <br />River Compact of 1922 and the Upper Colorado River Compact of 1948. <br /> <br />This area must be considered an area of surplus at the present time, although <br /> <br />our plans for the future will involve complete utilization of our compact <br /> <br />entitlements, Most of the present water use in the Green River basin in <br /> <br />Wyoming involves the irrigation of hay meadows for the production of hay <br /> <br />which is vital to the stock raising operations in the area. It is common <br /> <br />practice to irrigate these hay meadows quite heavily during the spring and <br /> <br />early summer months when water is plentiful, with a termination of irri- <br /> <br />gation activities about the middle of July to permit harvesting of the hay, <br /> <br />Although large quantities of water are sometimes applied, the annual depletion <br /> <br />rate per acre is not excessive. A gradual transition from raising native <br /> <br />hay to tame hay is taking place in this area which may result in a slightly <br /> <br />increased rate of depletion. In planning for the ultimate use of Wyoming's <br /> <br />compact entitlement of Green River water it was anticipated that a diversion <br /> <br />- <br /> <br />from the Green to the North Platte drainage would be made. <br /> <br />--~- - .....-.----....- -----~_. ..--'-- <br /> <br />We still plan <br />------.--- <br /> <br />-' <br /> <br />to make such a diversion, and preliminary planning is in progress to <br /> <br />-' <br /> <br />--------. <br /> <br />----..----. - ----~.. - - -.-.---- <br /> <br />accomplish this result. <br /> <br />--=-----~.- <br /> <br />Under existing conditions of surplus water supply in the Green <br /> <br />River drainage there is little incentive to foster conservation practices. A <br /> <br />notable exception to this is the Eden Reclamation Project where a short <br /> <br />water supply has prompted a concerted effort to increase irrigation efficiency. <br />