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8.0 OPPORTUNITIES
The current and projected groundwater use in the Snake/Salt River Basin is summarized in
Table 6-15 in Chapter 6. The projections were developed for Low, Mid, and High Scenarios.
The municipal and domestic groundwater projections are summarized in Table 6-8.
8.9 WIND/BIGHORN RIVER BASIN
Future water use opportunities for the Wind/Bighorn River Basin are addressed in this section.
8.9.1 Physically Available Flows
The physically available flows are summarized in Table 7-2 and shown on Figure 7-7 in Chapter
7. The flows are estimated for dry, normal, and wet hydrologic conditions. The information indicates
that the Upper Wind River and its tributaries, including the Little Wind River and Owl Creek, have very
low dry year available flows in comparison to wet years. The needs in a basin usually are associated with
the low available flows in dry years.
8.9.2 Compact Limitations
Within the Wind River, Clarks Fork, and Bighorn Basins, surface water usage and flow are
regulated by the Yellowstone River Compact of 1950, the general adjudication of all rights to use water in
the Bighorn River system, and the State of Wyoming in the District Court, Fifth Judicial District, Civil
Case No. 4993. The compact limitations are discussed in detail in Chapter 3. The unappropriated waters
in the tributaries, after meeting existing water rights (1950) and supplemental supply for existing rights,
as measured at gages near the confluence, are allocated as follows:
! Bighorn: 80 percent Wyoming, 20 percent Montana
! Clarks Fork: 60 percent Wyoming, 40 percent Montana
The compact’s effects on available flows are shown in Table 7-2 in Chapter 7.
8.9.3 Agricultural Needs
Significant areas of the Wind/Bighorn River Basin planning area can be considered water-short
during dry years. The needs identified in the Basin Plan involved existing agricultural needs.
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 8-27 indicates estimates of existing agricultural shortages for the subbasins. The irrigated
acres within those subbasins are also indicated.
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