WSP03410 - Laserfiche WebLink

Home Browse Search

. . . ~i [~ ") . . ~ , U >j I. ,.I j t UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR BUREA.U OF RECLAMATION Washington '2.5, D. C. February 18, 1952 The Secretary of the Interior Sir: This is ~ proposed report on the Braziel Dam and Reservoir, Nebraska--Supplemental Works for .the Fort. Laramie Division, North Platte Project, Wyoming-Nebraska. This report is based on and. includes . the , attached report of the Regional .Director of the Bureau of Reclamation dated December 15, 1950, and contains the recommendation that the Braziel Dam and Reservoir not be developed by the'Bureau of Reclamation at this time. The Fort Laramie Division of the existing North Platte Reclamation project, cOllsisting of the Goshen Irrigation District and the Gering and Fort Laramie Irrigation District receives its water supply via the 1]0 mile long Fort Laramie Canal. The potential Braziel Dam and Reservoir, Scottsbluff County, Nebraska would ~e located on Dry Creek Drain in the Gering and Fort Laramie Irrigation District, south of the North Platte River and just east of the Wyoming, Nebraska boundary line. This reservoir would store water for the benefit of irrigation, which is now being wasted in the area. The low water velocity in. :the Fort Laramie Canal, coupled with its 1]0 mile length, makes the delivery of water very inefficient. It takes approximately 5 days for water to flow the length of the canal. This time lag leads to waste which the regulatory effect of the Braziel Reservoir, located just off the canal at approximately mile 88, would oountertlct to some extent. The 8,650 acre-feet oapaci ty 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 North Platte Project area. The estimated cost of the dam and reservoir based on February 1948 prices is $1,382,600. This entire amount would be allocated to irrigation and thus be reimbursable. Repayment would be the responsibility of the irrigation 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 reluc tance to pay for any additional 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,