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H('" O!:' , , Niobrara River Basin Description. The Niobrara River begins as a small stream in eastern Wyoming entering Nebraska in the northwestern corner of the state. It then flows eastward roughly parallel to the northern boundary of the state until it discharges into the Missouri River above Lewis and Clark Reservoir in the northeastern corner. Ponca Creek enters Nebraska from South Dakota In Boyd County where it then parallels the Niobrara River and empties into the Missouri River up- stream from the Niobrara's mouth. The western or upper part 01 the basin IS characterized by flat tablelands bordered on the north by the Pine Ridge. The Sandhills region extends into this area and the central part of the basin. In places in the basin, the river has formed a narrow valley with steep walls rising hundreds of feet to meet the uplands. The enltre area provides many scenIc vistas wIth coniferous trees and rock outcroppings in the western reaches and the remainder covered with a mixed forest of eastern hardwoods and western pmes. Major tributaries of the Niobrara River include the Keya Paha River. the Snake River. Pine Creek. Plum Creek. Long PlOe Creek, Eagle Creek and Verdigre Creek. The steady flows of the Snake River. Plum and Long Pine Creeks and other Sandhllls streams contribute to the con- stancy of the Niobrara's flow The flow 10 the western section is variable. Of approximately 7.582.000 total acres7 almost 2.2 million acres.8 mostly 10 the western part olthe basin, are SUitable for Irrigation. How- ever. only about 347.540 acres had been devel- oped for irrigation in 1975." WATER USE IN 1975'0 NIOBRARA- PONCA CREEK SURFACE WATER GROUNDWATER Average Ave. Total Amount of Total AmI. of Acres Amount of Water Used Area 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 54.600 115,100 2.11 292.940 389.600 1.33 The average annual precipitation varies from approximately 15 inches In the west to 24 Inches in the east.11 There are two major reserVOirs In the basin which measure over 500 acres In surface area: Box Bulle ReserVOir in Dawes County, operated by the U,S. Bureau of Reclam- ation with a surface area of 1.060 acres and a storage capacity of 31.060 acre.feet. and 'Aerrltl Reservoir In Cherry County. also operated by the Bureau with a surface area of 2.906 acres and storage capacity ot 74.500 acre-feet 12 The po. tentlal O'Nelll Unit which would Include the Norden Dam and ReservOir. IS located In the central part of the baSin. The mean annual inl!ow for the Niobrara Rivet at the state hne IS 2.936 acre. feet compared with a mean outflow at Its mouth of 1 124.103 acre. feet.13 A number of streams ariSing In the Sandhills contribute to the Nlobrara's flow. There are also plentiful supplies of groundwater throughout most of the baSin. The Quallty of groundwater In the sandstone aqUifers In the west and In the Sandhills area has been described as excellent Soils. for the most part, range from coarse sands in the Sandhi lis regIon to silts and clays on the lablelands More productive soils can be found on Ihe Box Butte tablelandS and In the western MIrage Flats area, Interstate Arrangements. Two interstate compacts have been negotiated on the NIobrara River but only one has been finalized. The Upper Niobrara River Compact between Wyoming and Nebraska was ratllled by both Legislatures in 1963 and the proposed Lower Niobrara River and Ponca Creek Compact between Nebraska and South Dakota was ratihed by the Nebraska and South Dakota Legislatures In 1961. but has never been approved by Congress. The South Dakota Legislature subsequently repealed the compact The Upper Niobrara River Compact Includes the area In Nebraska and Wyoming which IS naturally drained by the Niobrara RIver west at Range 55 Wesl of the 6th P.M (west of Agate. Nebraska). II essentially gives Wyoming unre. stncted use 01 the surface flow of the river With the exception of those restrrctlons Imposed by Wyoming law and a few minor reqUirements refatmg to the size of storage reserVOHS with prrorlty dates after August 1. 1957. and to when water may be stored during the year for storage 1.5