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
JOHN SIMS DIVERSION

PREPARED BY: Bear River Basin Planning Team

DATE: August 7, 2000









Diversion Description: The headgate structure consists of an older rough-hewn wood headwall 
with a 5-foot wide slide gate.  There is a second 5-foor opening that is typically boarded 
up.  The river is typically diverted each year with broken concrete, rocks, etc.  Erosion 
and flooding on the opposite side of the diversion appears to be a common occurrence.  



John Sims Ditch Headgate






Diversion Location: Diversion is on the Upper Bear in Wyoming as shown on the location map 
hereafter.

					

Latitude      	N   41° 17' 42.5"	

Longitude     	W 110° 59'  19.6"





Conveyance Description: Open channel ditch, 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


12-07-1871 
Terr
Irrigation 
160
2.28 
2.28 



-1887 
Terr
Irrigation 
75
1.07 
3.35 
(Rocky Mtn & BR Co)


-1887 
Terr
Irrigation 
78
1.11 
4.46 
(Rocky Mtn & BR Co)


10-05-1900 
2846
Irrigation 
35
0.50 
4.96 



10-05-1900 
2846
Irrigation 
30
0.42 
5.38 



08-05-1909 
2808E
Irrigation 
69
0.99 
6.37 
(Rocky Mtn & Blythe)


09-25-1956 
5869E
Irrigation, Storage 
3.50
0.16 
6.42 



09-25-1956 
5869E
Irrigation, Storage 
29
0.41 
6.83 



09-25-1956 
5869E
Irrigation, Storage 
51.60
0.74 
7.57 



09-25-1956 
5869E
Irrigation, Storage 
18.50
0.26 
7.83 







Associated Storage Rights:





Reservoir
Shareholder
Volume 
(Acre-ft)		
Est. % of Shares Used this Diversion3
Comments


Sulphur Creek
Evanston LDS Church
143
100%



Sulphur Creek
Kemmereer LDS Church
143
100%



Sulphur Creek
Charles Nixon
137
33%



Sulphur Creek
Isabelle Sims
131
100%



Sulphur Creek
Gilda Sims
219
100%



Sulphur Creek
Michael Sims
40
50%







Irrigation Practices:  Land is all 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:   Irrigated acreage was approximately 25% +/-  alfalfa ten 
years ago w/ two cuttings.  Presently, there is approximately 10% alfalfa with a single 
crop.  Oats and grains make up about 10-12%.  Remainder is meadow grasses.3








click to enlarge



Return Flows:  Excess return flow is primarily split between the SP Ramsey Canal (approx. 
50%) and the Bear River (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%



	

Other Operational Information:   The John Sims ditch intercepts substantial return flows in the 
late summer from the Evanston Water Supply Canal and the Rocky Mountain & Blythe 
Canals.3



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. Don Shoemaker, 
Water Hydrographer-Commissioner  -  November 12,1999.

    

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






Monthly Diversion Records

John Sims






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































1971
288
9.3
571.2
589
19.6
1168.3
548
17.7
1086.9
392
12.6
777.5
208
6.9
412.6


1972
318
10.3
630.7
693
23.1
1374.5
282
9.1
559.3
340
11.0
674.4
198
6.6
392.7


1973
200
6.5
396.7
253
8.4
501.8
336
10.8
666.4
308
9.9
610.9
331
11.0
656.5


1974
233
7.5
462.1
888
29.6
1761.3
150
4.8
297.5
304
9.8
603.0
294
9.8
583.1


1975
64
2.1
126.9
575
19.2
1140.5
600
19.4
1190.1
298
9.6
591.1
374
12.5
741.8


1976
108
3.5
214.2
391
13.0
775.5
388
12.5
769.6
185
6.0
366.9
183
6.1
363.0


1977
118
3.8
234.0
281
9.4
557.4
216
7.0
428.4
88
2.8
174.5
76
2.5
150.7


1978
165
5.3
327.3
559
18.6
1108.8
278
9.0
551.4
347
11.2
688.3
169
5.6
335.2


1979
346
11.2
686.3
327
10.9
648.6
212
6.8
420.5
226
7.3
448.3
95
3.2
188.4


1980
116
3.7
230.1
744
24.8
1475.7
265
8.5
525.6
252
8.1
499.8
178
5.9
353.1


1981
472
15.2
936.2
471
15.7
934.2
217
7.0
430.4
221
7.1
438.3
247
8.2
489.9


1982
460
14.8
912.4
452
15.1
896.5
177
5.7
351.1
206
6.6
408.6
242
8.1
480.0


1983
213
6.9
422.5
451
15.0
894.5
203
6.5
402.6
261
8.4
517.7
77
2.6
152.7


1984
128
4.1
253.9
290
9.7
575.2
315
10.2
624.8
217
7.0
430.4
218
7.3
432.4


1985
671
21.6
1330.9
590
19.7
1170.2
213
6.9
422.5
348
11.2
690.2
200
6.7
396.7


1986
193
6.2
382.8
310
10.3
614.9
213
6.9
422.5
289
9.3
573.2
237
7.9
470.1


1987
358
11.5
710.1
220
7.3
436.4
297
9.6
589.1
254
8.2
503.8
210
7.0
416.5


1988
434
14.0
860.8
317
10.6
628.8
263
8.5
521.7
139
4.5
275.7
95
3.2
188.4


1989
732
23.6
1451.9
609
20.3
1207.9
267
8.6
529.6
195
6.3
386.8
81
2.7
160.7


1990
223
7.2
442.3
438
14.6
868.8
276
8.9
547.4
211
6.8
418.5
69
2.3
136.9


1991
402
13.0
797.4
405
13.5
803.3
155
5.0
307.4
290
9.4
575.2
143
4.8
283.6


1992
305
9.8
605.0
178
5.9
353.1
150
4.8
297.5
70
2.3
138.8
179
6.0
355.0


1993
178
5.7
353.1
204
6.8
404.6
178
5.7
353.1
11
0.4
21.8
201
6.7
398.7


1994
471
15.2
934.2
323
10.8
640.7
178
5.7
353.1
168
5.4
333.2
70
2.3
138.8


1995
220
7.1
436.4
429
14.3
850.9
349
11.3
692.2
260
8.4
515.7
283
9.4
561.3


1996
424
13.7
841.0
749
25.0
1485.6
217
7.0
430.4
143
4.6
283.6
174
5.8
345.1


1997
177
5.7
351.1
296.5
9.9
588.1
114.6
3.7
227.3
190.5
6.1
377.9
231.6
7.7
459.4


1998
147.9
4.8
293.4
363.8
12.1
721.6
199.4
6.4
395.5
29.6
1.0
58.7
371
12.4
735.9


1999
198
6.4
392.7
466
15.5
924.3
245
7.9
486.0
115
3.7
228.1
77
2.6
152.7





AVERAGES


9.3
572.0


14.8
879.7


8.3
513.1


7.1
434.9


6.3
377.0



Notes:

*1. No published records are available for this diversion for 1970











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