Wyoming Framework Water Plan - Living Rivers Home Page

5.0 USE
5.1 INTRODUCTION
This chapter presents an inventory of water use and existing water development projects in
Wyoming. The purpose of this chapter is to provide the necessary understanding of the location, source,
and quantity of water use. This existing water use profile is the basis for the subsequent sections in the
report. State water use was determined for the following water use sectors, which combined define the
total water consumed or lost due to human influence in the state:
! Agricultural use
! Municipal and domestic use
! Industrial use
! Recreational use
! Environmental use
! Evaporation
5.2 AGRICULTURAL WATER USE
5.2.1 Introduction
This section discusses agricultural water use in each of the seven basins in Wyoming.
Agricultural water use, specifically crop consumptive use through irrigation, accounts for the vast
majority of water consumption (depletions) in Wyoming.
5.2.2 Agricultural Water Use Methodology
In general, the steps listed below were followed (directly or indirectly) in the seven basin plans to
estimate the agricultural consumptive use (depletion) of water (CU). More details on certain aspects of
these steps are discussed in subsequent sections.
! Determine irrigated acreage (5.2.3).
! Identify and document information for key diversion structures, including crop types,
irrigation practices, and general operations (5.2.4).
! Determine supply source for irrigated acreage (5.2.5).
! Calculate potential crop consumptive use (evapotranspiration) and irrigation water
requirements, and determine effective precipitation (5.2.6).
! Calculate water supply: limited, or actual, crop consumptive use or depletion (5.2.7).
! Estimate livestock consumptive use (5.2.8).
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