Wyoming Framework Water Plan - Living Rivers Home Page

8.0 OPPORTUNITIES
Table 8-8 Apportionment of Available Flow Per Belle Fourche River
Compact
Hydrologic
Condition
Average Annual Apportionment
Belle Fourche
River Redwater Creek Total
ac-ft
Wet Years 15,600 3,300 18,900
Normal Years 7,400 2,400 9,800
Dry Years 1,100 1,400 2,500
8.5.3 Agricultural Need
Almost every area of the Northeast Wyoming River Basin planning area can be considered watershort
during dry years. The needs identified in the Basin Plan involved existing agricultural shortages.
Consequently, the opportunities are primarily focused on meeting those needs. The projected diversions
and consumptive use for high, mid, and low planning scenarios are presented in Tables 6-2 and 6-3 in
Chapter 6.
Table 8-9 includes estimates of existing agricultural needs in dry years and the irrigated acres for
the subbasins.
Table 8-9 Agricultural Needs, Northeast Wyoming River Basin
Irrigated Lands
Needs for Dry
Hydrologic
Condition
Subbasin acres ac-ft per year
Upper Belle Fourche 3,312 8,500
Middle Belle Fourche 9,011 19,600
Lower Belle Fourche 5,584 13,600
Redwater Creek 2,213 1,400
Upper Beaver Creek 669 1,200
Middle Beaver Creek 6,000 11,200
Lower Beaver Creek 3,561 6,800
Northern Tribs to Cheyenne River 7,958 22,100
Southern Tribs to Cheyenne River 12,736 37,200
Lower Cheyenne River 2,602 6,900
Little Missouri River 9,799 31,200
Niobrara River 847 1,300
8-18