WSP02891

• File Number: 8407.400
• Description: Platte River Basin - River Basin General Publications - Nebraska
• State: NE
• Basin: South Platte
• Water Division: 1
• Date: 4/1/1983
• Author: Nebraska Natural Res
• Title: Policy Issue Study on Selected Water Rights Issues - Interstate Water Uses and Conflicts
• Water Supply Pro - Doc Type: Report/Study

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North Platte River Basin

Description. The North Platte River Basin in
Nebraska is located In the weslern part 01 the
state. moslly in the Panhandle, The fiver heads In
Colorado and flows through Wyoming before
entering Nebraska. where It extends 10 the con-
fluence with the South Platte River near the city
of North Plalte. The basin also includes the
drainage areas of Pumpkin Creek. Nlnemile
Creek. Blue Creek, Birdwood Creek. and several
other tributary streams In Nebraska
The river has cui a valley through Nebraska"s
high plains as much as 1.000 leet deep In places.
producing such bluffs and bulles In the Wildcat

RIdge as SColtsblulf and Chimney Rock. The
upper and lower sections of the river valley are
broad while the central part where Lake
McConaughy is located IS narrower. The Sand.
hills border along the northern side of the valley
in the central and tower sections. The valley is
also characterized by broad tablelands high
above the river valley, wIth steep cliffs and
canyons covered with mostly native grasses.
SOlis In the upper valley are generally very
productive and extensIvely rrrigated. Surface
water IrrigatIon In thIS basin began in the early
1860's and still ranks fIrst among basins across
the state In the amount of surface water diverted
for irrigatIon.

WATER USED IN 1975"
PLATTE NORTH

SURFACE WATER GROUNDWATER
Average Ave.
Total Amount of Total Ami_ of
Acres Amount of Water Used Acres Amt. of GW Used
Irrigated Water Used Per Acre Irrigated GW Used Per Acre
ACRES ACRE. FEET ACRE. FEET/ACRE ACRES ACRE. FEET ACRE.FEET/ACRE
399.240 1.278.120 3.20 122.850 163.400 1.33

The average annual precipItation in the baSin
varies from approximately 16 Inches in the
central part to 18 Inches In the lower.17 The
spring-led Sandhills streams contribute stable
flows to the river whrJe the runoff In the steeper
escarpment areas is more sporadic. Upstream in
Colorado and WyomIng. muCh of the runoff is due
to snowmelt. The flow of the river is regulated by
reservoirs in Wyoming. lake McConaughy and
the various irrigation canals in Nebraska.
The Wyoming reservoirs were constructed as
part of the North Platte Project by the U.S. Bureau
of Reclamation. The prOject was designed for the
reclamation and irrigatIon of land In eastern
Wyoming and western Nebraska. The Pathtlnder
Dam and Reservoir. whIch began operatIon In
1909, is the principal water supply feature of this
project. The Pathfinder holds and stores excess
spring flood flows making the water later avail.
able for summer use. Other structures in the
project include the Guernsey ReserVOir and
Powerplant (1927l, and lakes Alice t 1 9121.
Minatare (1 91 5). and Winters Creek (1912).18
Additional water projects were begun by the
Bureau of Reclamation during the drought years
of the 1930'5 and early 1940.s incruding the
Kendrick Project. consisting of Semmoe and
Alcova Reservoirs.
The major reservoirs in the North Platte Basm

In Nebraska Include. LakesAlice and Minatare in
SCOllsblutf County. WIth storage capaCitIes 01
11.015 and 62.190 acre-feel respectlveJy: lake
McConaughy In KeIth County. with 1,948.000
aCre-teet of storage capacIty. operated by the
Central Nebraska Public Power and Irrigation
District: and Lake Ogallala. located Just below
lake McConaughy and operated by Nebraska
Public Power District, with 13.000 acre. feet avail-
able storage capacity 19
The mean annual inllow lor the North Plalle
River is 554.786 acre.feet. compared with an
outflow at Its confluence with the South Platte
River of 591,329 acre.feet.20
Interstate Arrangements. The flow 01 the
rrver was apportIoned by a U-S. Supreme Court
decree between Nebraska. Colorado. and
WyomIng. Nebraska brought SUIt agaInst
Wyommg In 1934 over the use olthe waters of
the North Platte River for Irrigation purposes. The
State of Colorado and the UnIted Stales were
also made partIes to the suit.22
The Court appointed a SpeCial Master to con-
duct hearrngs and make a report and recorn.
mendallons on the matter. The Supreme Court
revIewed these recommendations and ex.
ceptlons to the report and handed down Its
deCISIon on October 8.1945. The Court made the
following assessment of the SItuation:

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