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
EMELLE CANAL DIVERSION

PREPARED BY: Bear River Basin Planning Team

DATE: August 7, 2000









Diversion Description: The Emelle headgate consists of a concrete headwall with a 74-inch 
rectangular steel gate.  The river is diverted using a rock wall dam.










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° 11' 30.5"	

Longitude     	W 110° 52'  43.8"





Conveyance Description:   Open channel canal, approximately 21,120 feet in length.1




Direct Flow Water Rights:2





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


10-02-1901 
3486
Irrigation, Storage 
120
1.71 
1.71 



02-28-1903 
998E
Irrigation, Storage 
50.50
0.72 
2.43 



02-28-1903 
998E
Irrigation, Storage 
258
3.68 
6.11 



02-28-1903 
998E
Irrigation, Storage 
52
0.74 
6.85 



07-07-1905 
6810
Irrigation 
160
2.28 
9.13 



01-24-1907 
1745E
Irrigation 
112
1.60 
10.73 



01-24-1907 
1745E
Irrigation 
80
1.14 
11.87 



12-17-1910 
2376E
Irrigation, Storage 
53
0.76 
12.63 



12-17-1910 
2377E
Irrigation, Domestic 
155
2.21 
14.84 



10-17-1916 
3720E
Irrigation 
34
0.49 
15.33 







Associated Storage Rights:	None	



Irrigation Practices:  Land is all irrigated using hand lines and wheel side-roll sprinklers.3 



Estimated Diversion Efficiency: 



Calculated Diversion Efficiency = Conveyance Efficiency X Application Efficiency:





Conveyance Efficiency: 65%


Application Efficiency: 85%


Overall Diversion Efficiency: 55%








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:  Approximately 85% of the irrigated acreage is alfalfa and 
grains (mostly oats) rotated.  The remaining 15% is meadow grasses  There are usually 2 
crops with a 3rd crop left for pasture.3

 




click to enlarge



Return Flows:  Return flow is captured by the Cooper Ditch (approx. 50%) and the 
Covey Canal (approx. 50%).


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

Emelle (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
43
1.4
85.3
474
15.8
940.2
314
10.1
622.8
345
11.1
684.3
92
3.1
182.5


1971
0
0.0
0.0
406
13.5
805.3
312
10.1
618.8
19
0.6
37.7
0
0.0
0.0


1972
221
7.1
438.3
558
18.6
1106.8
97
3.1
192.4
0
0.0
0.0
0
0.0
0.0


1973
218
7.0
432.4
557
18.6
1104.8
97
3.1
192.4
0
0.0
0.0
0
0.0
0.0


1974
0
0.0
0.0
943
31.4
1870.4
544
17.5
1079.0
455
14.7
902.5
60
2.0
119.0


1975
0
0.0
0.0
128
4.3
253.9
353
11.4
700.2
555
17.9
1100.8
26
0.9
51.6


1976
0
0.0
0.0
540
18.0
1071.1
529
17.1
1049.3
434
14.0
860.8
14
0.5
27.8


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
0
0.0
0.0
605
20.2
1200.0
704
22.7
1396.4
583
18.8
1156.4
0
0.0
0.0


1979
0
0.0
0.0
651
21.7
1291.2
504
16.3
999.7
470
15.2
932.2
84
2.8
166.6


1980
0
0.0
0.0
296
9.9
587.1
421
13.6
835.0
320
10.3
634.7
26
0.9
51.6


1981
0
0.0
0.0
418
13.9
829.1
432
13.9
856.9
462
14.9
916.4
103
3.4
204.3


1982
0
0.0
0.0
367
12.2
727.9
273
8.8
541.5
432
13.9
856.9
158
5.3
313.4


1983
0
0.0
0.0
158
5.3
313.4
340
11.0
674.4
235
7.6
466.1
0
0.0
0.0


1984
0
0.0
0.0
169
5.6
335.2
356
11.5
706.1
196
6.3
388.8
0
0.0
0.0


1985
36
1.2
71.4
484
16.1
960.0
617
19.9
1223.8
397
12.8
787.4
0
0.0
0.0


1986
0
0.0
0.0
284
9.5
563.3
455
14.7
902.5
311
10.0
616.9
64
2.1
126.9


1987
435
14.0
862.8
398
13.3
789.4
395
12.7
783.5
190
6.1
376.9
24
0.8
47.6


1988
4
0.1
7.9
624
20.8
1237.7
471
15.2
934.2
128
4.1
253.9
0
0.0
0.0


1989
160
5.2
317.4
538
17.9
1067.1
498
16.1
987.8
313
10.1
620.8
0
0.0
0.0


1990
4
0.1
7.9
257
8.6
509.8
260
8.4
515.7
102
3.3
202.3
0
0.0
0.0


1991
0
0.0
0.0
483
16.1
958.0
321
10.4
636.7
162
5.2
321.3
0
0.0
0.0


1992
378
12.2
749.8
434
14.5
860.8
521
16.8
1033.4
31
1.0
61.5
0
0.0
0.0


1993
1
0.0
2.0
333
11.1
660.5
511
16.5
1013.6
283
9.1
561.3
80
2.7
158.7


1994
176
5.7
349.1
503
16.8
997.7
287
9.3
569.3
0
0.0
0.0
0
0.0
0.0


1995
0
0.0
0.0
273
9.1
541.5
522
16.8
1035.4
494
15.9
979.8
14
0.5
27.8


1996
0
0.0
0.0
356
11.9
706.1
454
14.6
900.5
342
11.0
678.3
8
0.3
15.9


1997
0
0.0
0.0
159.3
5.3
316.0
409.4
13.2
812.0
335.3
10.8
665.1
2.1
0.1
4.2


1998
39.6
1.3
78.5
227.8
7.6
451.8
337.2
10.9
668.8
31.1
1.0
61.7
0
0.0
0.0





AVERAGES


1.9
117.3


13.4
795.0


12.6
775.2


8.5
521.5


0.9
51.6













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	Wyoming State Water Plan, Wyoming Water Development Office
        
        

        

        

                
            

                Rafting on Snake River
                Lake Marie, Snowy Mountains Wyoming
		Wind River Range picture