WSP06116

• File Number: 8407.400
• Description: Platte River Basin - River Basin General Publications - Nebraska
• State: NE
• Basin: South Platte
• Water Division: 1
• Date: 9/27/1979
• Author: Lance-Cox-Stansbury
• Title: Improved Irrigation and Energy Efficiency in Central Nebraska
• Water Supply Pro - Doc Type: Report/Study

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the existing main canal and lateral systems could not meet

these peak demands.

In fact, the original systems were

designed for a cropping pattern that required significantly

less peak capacity.

The irrigation systems now serve many additional acres of

land that were not contemplated when the systems were built.

In many cases, the main canals and laterals are not capable

of supplying water to these added lands and private, shal1o~

wells have been drilled.

The original irrigation systems did not provide drainage

facilities to handle a rise in the ground water table. A

ground water mound has built up as much as 26 m since the

project was constructed and has created a nunber of water-

logged areas within the project service area.

As the number

of private wells increased, it became readily apparent that

there was a need to conjunctively operate the ground and

surface water supplies to more efficiently run the irri-

gation systems and provide a degree of control over the

ground water levels.

As the need for increased water demands occurred, flow rates

were increased in the main canals and laterals, which caused

severe erosion and deposition.

The highly erosive loessial

soils of the area have sloughed into the canals which

reduced transport capacity and increased maintenance costs.

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