WSP07553 - Laserfiche WebLink

Home Browse Search

r.~~l:)Q J.... ""_ ... , J FORMULATION OF WATER TRANSFER ALTERNATIVES REVIEW OF PRIOR STUDIES Many proposals and studies have been made over the years concerning the importa- tion of 'iater into the High Plains region. A number of those proposals were reviewed in the initial stages of this study. Those plans that were identified as appropriate for inclusion in the High Plains - Ogallala Aquifer Study are shown on Figure i. A brief discussion of each plan follows, categorized by whether they are primarily located in the Missouri River Basin area, Mkansas- White-Red River Basin area, or a plan to import Canadian water. Missouri Ri ver Basin. A CO'lIprehensive review was made by the Omaha District of an adaption of "A New ,later Plan for the Great Plains" prepared by R. W. Beck and Associates as presented in 1967. The Reck plan envisioned a diversion of water from the Missouri River below Fort Randall Dam in amounts ranging from 9 to 15 mi11ion acre-feet annually. Through a series of dams and pUllping plants, water could be diverted up the Niohrara River (northern Nebraska) to the headworks of a large canal in northwestern Nebraska. From the headworks, water wou1d flow by gravity through the cana1 southward across the eastern edge of Colorado, across the Oklahoma panhandle, and down the western portion of Texas to the Pecos Ri ver. It was est imated that thi s pI an woul d provi de for irrigation of between about 7 and 14 million acres along the canal route. Considerable pumping energy would be required (R. W. Beck estimated 35 billion KWH annually), but as much as 3,500 to 5,300 MW of peaking capacity (pumped storage) could be developed along the route. It was a1so conc1uded that the Beck plan would cause severe impacts in the lower Missouri River. However, a similar plan scaled down to a diversion potential of 3 to 6 million acre-feet per year was considered worthy of further reconnaissance 1evel studies. This route is shown schematically as 2 on Figure i. 13