WSP07210

• File Number: 8027
• Description: Section D General Correspondence - Federal Agencies - BOR - Lower Missouri Region - Denver
• State: CO
• Basin: Statewide
• Date: 4/28/1976
• Author: DOI-BOR
• Title: Annual Operating Plan - Niobrara - Lower Platte - and Kansas River Basins - 1975-1976
• Water Supply Pro - Doc Type: Report/Study

00082~

:;~~
~~:?>" .
"~:~:- .,:-.'

->-:..;:"'

.~~;
';;..;":.,

.~ '.
..~::..._.- .':
..........1
:;<..~~:
~.: >;;"':',
'. '.

CHAPTER II - NIOBRARA AND LO\'iER P!.i,TTE RIVER BASINS

~~./.

......

MIRAGE FLATS PROJECT IN NEBRASKA

" .:

GENGRAL

'''.-"
""'::/
:-.~: ."

Niobrara River flows and Box Butte Reservoir storage provide a water supply
which is normally insufficient to achieve maximum yields from the 11,662-
acre Mirage Flats Irrigation District. The project water supply will yield
an average diversion of one and a half acre-feet per acre which is about
one-half acre-foot per acre short of the long-term average for a full water
supply. Seve~-al of the landowners in the district have drilled irrigatioIl
wells as a source of a supplemental supply. The farmers that own wells
sha.re the \-lell water with their neighbors but: the wells are too few in num-
ber to fully sc:pplement the project wilter supply.

~~.~~A~'

...:.:....
':;' .;<;~.;
';*~..\
'::<,.'.

v "'~..'.
~;:~~~~:! ;

Lateral Discharge (Acre-Feet) ~;~~::~ :
WasteyJay July August September Total
Fairfield 29.6 27.4 0.0 57.0
Mirage Fla ts 108.0 72.0 8.0 188.0
Sturgeon 16.7 21. 3 2.9 40.9
Peters 31. 6 33.0 0.0 64.6

; ::~.:.'
t>./:
:. ::-~;.:~
......,
......
.:::...;':",:':"
. ',~.: ;;
'~':"~~"
1}~~11

....:..-.:.~ .:
t;'4~
~~{:;

::....;::;.
;\(/';'1
;t~";~

During the 1975 irrigation season, personnel from the Kansas River Projects
Offi.ce aided irrigation district personnel in conducting a study to deter-
mine both losses and waste from the irrigation system. Four recorders were
operated on ....'aste\rlays and flow measurements \...ere taken throughout the sum-
mer. Results were as follows:

.' ~.
~<'..::. .";.{
::."'.~ ,..'

The r.1.:i.rage Flats Il-rigation District cooperates with the Nebraska Game and
Parks Commission by operating the Box Butte Dam outlet works gates and the
Dunlap Diversion Darn gates in a manner that avoids large sudden changes in
the flows of the Niobrara River.

.~:-;~.:~..;.
~~:~~::~~~

1975 SUMMARY

The Niobrara River flows and the carryover storage in Box Butte Reservoir
were insufficient for a full water supply for the Mirage Flats Irrigation
District lands and the ac.tive ~torage was evacuated by August 24th. This
is the sixth consecutive year that all of the available active storage was
used. The total precipitation in the Mirage Flats area was 12.43 inches,
which is 81 percent of normal.

.' '~..:"..:
..: ~i'::::~1
.~: ; :; ..:.."
. :'~':..'~.
....f,...

....
...

There were 10,950 acres irrigated, which is 94 percent of the acres with
service available. The farm deliveries from the project water supply were
0.73 acre-foot per acre. An additional 0.5 acre-foot per acre of water was

:;....~:.'.
;"':.,:<':,.~I

........1
.........
:: :;~'r:'~~'~'

. ..~
.;....,(
....,.

.',-:',.
~ ~ ':: \~ ~
'.( .:.~:. ....

';', ~

8

. . "1
. ,: ~
-. .

',. '.'
..

:'.

..
< .... -' .'~ .:'"F.:....~..

...::,.,,;::-.,:.->..'
..-:.....',

:.: .':":; ':_<:~: ~;:~:>~:/~~\~}:!~:.;\.<.' _:,.'.: .:~J.>~,:",,;
.-. .... ,"'- ":"-:,."

. . "'-0.".'