WSP04272

• File Number: 8277.600.10
• Description: Big Sandy River Unit - Colorado River Salinity Control Program
• State: WY
• Basin: Colorado Mainstem
• Date: 3/1/1989
• Title: Planning Report Concluding the Study on Big Sandy River Unit - Wyoming
• Water Supply Pro - Doc Type: Report/Study

~

CHAPTER I

INTRODUCTION

resulted in deterioration of the facilities. Under the Eden
Project by Reclamation, the Eden Reservoir was rehabilitated and
the Big Sandy Reservoir was constructed in early 1950 to provide
increased capacity and to allow additional acreage to be
irri~ated. Approximately 15,700 acres are presently irrigated.

Eden Project Water Supply Improvement

A comprehensive study on canal and lateral seepage of the Eden
Project was done in 1965 and 1966. The canal and lateral reaches
were found to be leaking significantly and were earth lined
during the 1966-72 period to save water and expand irrigated
acreage. Of the total 20.8 miles of Eden Project canals,
11.6 miles, or 56 percent, were lined. The canals and laterals
left unlined were not believed to be leaking enough water to
justify the cost of lining.

Seedskadee Project

:-/

,.,.

The Seedskadee Project, located along the Green River northwest
of the unit area, is a federally constructed multipurpose
project. In 1964, Reclamation completed construction of
Fontenelle Dam and Reservoir on the Green River, 34 miles
upstream from its confluence with the Big Sandy River. The water
supply was intended primarily for irrigation and for use at the
Seedskadee National Wildlife Refuge established in 1965.
Initially, the project was to irrigate 57,000 acres of full
service land, but this was later revised to 34,000 acres.
Construction of the irrigation features of the project, however,
was deferred pending completion of further studies. In the
meantime, industrial water requirements increased substantially.
The State of Wyoming by contracts with Reclamation in 1962 and
1974 acquired the use of 120,000 acre-feet of storage capacity in
Fontenelle Reservoir from which they can assign water rights.

The Seedskadee National Wildlife Refuge, which receives water
diverted from Fontenelle, presently encompasses 22,000 acres of
marsh and meadow along both sides of the Green River from
Fontenelle Dam to 15 miles below the confluence of the Green and
Big Sandy Rivers. The primary objective of the refuge is to
provide nesting and habitat for migratory waterfowl.

,~

,-..,

Soil Conservation Service Salinity Control Study

~

Under the Colorado River Basin Salinity Control Act, the
Department of Agriculture was charged with studying on-farm

:-~

5

r;-

GvlZ;~3

, ~:~