Wyoming State Water Plan, Wyoming Water Development Office
Rafting on Snake River Lake Marie, Snowy Mountains Wyoming Wind River Range picture

Bear River Basin Water Plan
Technical Memoranda

SUBJECT: Appendix D
Key Structures and Diversions
BUTTON FLAT DIVERSION

PREPARED BY: Bear River Basin Planning Team

DATE: August 7, 2000









Diversion Description:The Button Flat diversion structure consists of a 30-inch CMP with a 
canal gate.  The river is diverted using  wood boards.



Button Flat headgate structure





Diversion Location: The diversion is located on Smiths Fork, tributary to the Bear River.  The 
Diversion is regulated as part of the Central Division of the Bear River Compact. See 
location map hereafter.

					

Latitude  	N   42° 16' 40.4"	

Longitude     	W 110° 52'  05.4"





Conveyance Description: Open channel canal, approximately 10,560 feet in length.1


Direct Flow Water Rights:2





Priority Date 
Permit 
Number		
Permitted Use 
Permitted 
Acres		 
Flow 
(CFS)		
Cumulative 
(CFS)		 
Comments


03-13-1906 
7164
Irrigation, Domestic, Storage 
160
2.28 
2.28 



03-13-1906 
7164
Irrigation, Domestic, Storage 
185
2.64 
4.92 



02-04-1910 
2175E
Irrigation, Domestic, Storage 
77
1.10 
6.02 



05-19-1950 
5506E
Irrigation, Storage 
56
0.80 
6.82 





 




click to enlarge



Associated Storage Rights:	None	


Irrigation Practices:  Land is flood irrigated.3 



Estimated Diversion Efficiency: 



Calculated Diversion Efficiency = Conveyance Efficiency X Application Efficiency:





Conveyance Efficiency: 65%


Application Efficiency: 55%


Overall Diversion Efficiency: 36%








Conveyance efficiency is estimated by total length of main canal. Application efficiency 
for flood irrigation and sprinkler irrigation is estimated at 55% and 85% respectively.





Crop Types / Consumptive Use:  Water is used to irrigate meadow grasses (approx. 20%) and 
alfalfa & grains (approx. 80% rotated).3


Return Flows:  Return flow is primarily captured by Progress Canal and/or other downstream 
ditches


The following return flow pattern was adopted for modeling in this study are as follows: 

	
		Month
      (after initial Diversion)	 Percent of Return
		0			70%
		1			20%
		2			10%
                3                        0%
                                       100%
		



	
	


References:

    

  1. 	USDA -Soil Conservation Service Economic Research Service-Forest Service in Cooperation 
with the States of Idaho, Utah, Wyoming, Irrigation Conveyance Systems, Working Paper for 
the Bear River Basin Type IV Study, Idaho-Utah-Wyoming, April 1976

    

  2. 	Water rights summary obtained from State Engineer Interstate Reglist - revised April 14, 
1999

    

  3. 	Irrigation practices based on field investigation and interview with Mr. Kevin Wilde, 
Hydrographer / Commissioner -  November 30, 1999.

    

  4. 	State of Utah Natural Resources, Water Budget Studies - Utah, Bear River Study Area, 
September 1994.






Monthly Diversion Records

Button Flat (on Smith's Fork)







YEAR
MAY
JUNE
JULY
AUGUST
SEPTEMBER


Total of Daily Ave for Month
Average
CFS		
Monthly Total
Ac-Ft		
Total of Daily Ave for Month
Average
CFS		
Monthly Total
Ac-Ft		
Total of Daily Ave for Month
Average
CFS		
Monthly Total
Ac-Ft		
Total of Daily Ave for Month
Average
CFS		
Monthly Total
Ac-Ft		
Total of Daily Ave for Month
Average
CFS		
Monthly Total
Ac-Ft


1970
0
0.0
0.0
68
2.3
134.9
96
3.1
190.4
60
1.9
119.0
50
1.7
99.2


1971
0
0.0
0.0
56
1.9
111.1
127
4.1
251.9
152
4.9
301.5
83
2.8
164.6


1972
0
0.0
0.0
26
0.9
51.6
179
5.8
355.0
121
3.9
240.0
60
2.0
119.0


1973
132
4.3
261.8
155
5.2
307.4
155
5.0
307.4
200
6.5
396.7
30
1.0
59.5


1974
124
4.0
246.0
180
6.0
357.0
194
6.3
384.8
128
4.1
253.9
66
2.2
130.9


1975
17
0.5
33.7
105
3.5
208.3
156
5.0
309.4
86
2.8
170.6
19
0.6
37.7


1976
124
4.0
246.0
151
5.0
299.5
150
4.8
297.5
159
5.1
315.4
116
3.9
230.1


1977
0
0.0
0.0
0
0.0
0.0
0
0.0
0.0
0
0.0
0.0
0
0.0
0.0


1978
19
0.6
37.7
153
5.1
303.5
134
4.3
265.8
209
6.7
414.5
148
4.9
293.6


1979
0
0.0
0.0
98
3.3
194.4
171
5.5
339.2
137
4.4
271.7
0
0.0
0.0


1980
0
0.0
0.0
68
2.3
134.9
131
4.2
259.8
97
3.1
192.4
62
2.1
123.0


1981
135
4.4
267.8
160
5.3
317.4
118
3.8
234.0
72
2.3
142.8
5
0.2
9.9


1982
46
1.5
91.2
119
4.0
236.0
70
2.3
138.8
115
3.7
228.1
43
1.4
85.3


1983
0
0.0
0.0
65
2.2
128.9
48
1.5
95.2
29
0.9
57.5
13
0.4
25.8


1984
0
0.0
0.0
73
2.4
144.8
22
0.7
43.6
4
0.1
7.9
12
0.4
23.8


1985
67
2.2
132.9
80
2.7
158.7
141
4.5
279.7
63
2.0
125.0
18
0.6
35.7


1986
0
0.0
0.0
232
7.7
460.2
26
0.8
51.6
0
0.0
0.0
0
0.0
0.0


1987
33
1.1
65.5
42
1.4
83.3
18
0.6
35.7
2
0.1
4.0
0
0.0
0.0


1988
13
0.4
25.8
60
2.0
119.0
59
1.9
117.0
15
0.5
29.8
0
0.0
0.0


1989
0
0.0
0.0
58
1.9
115.0
49
1.6
97.2
27
0.9
53.6
0
0.0
0.0


1990
10
0.3
19.8
46
1.5
91.2
0
0.0
0.0
0
0.0
0.0
0
0.0
0.0


1991
33
1.1
65.5
139
4.6
275.7
65
2.1
128.9
5
0.2
9.9
0
0.0
0.0


1992
108
3.5
214.2
150
5.0
297.5
155
5.0
307.4
0
0.0
0.0
0
0.0
0.0


1993
30
1.0
59.5
12
0.4
23.8
149
4.8
295.5
72
2.3
142.8
7
0.2
13.9


1994
2
0.1
4.0
130
4.3
257.9
106
3.4
210.2
0
0.0
0.0
0
0.0
0.0


1995
35
1.1
69.4
22
0.7
43.6
151
4.9
299.5
21
0.7
41.7
0
0.0
0.0


1996
34
1.1
67.4
220
7.3
436.4
134
4.3
265.8
79
2.5
156.7
16
0.5
31.7


1997
0
0.0
0.0
0
0.0
0.0
71.8
2.3
142.4
32.4
1.0
64.3
8
0.3
15.9


1998
21.6
0.7
42.8
40.3
1.3
79.9
68.3
2.2
135.5
10.4
0.3
20.6
0
0.0
0.0





AVERAGES


1.1
67.3


3.1
185.2


3.3
201.4


2.1
129.7


0.9
51.7













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