Wyoming State Water Plan, Wyoming Water Development Office
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Bear River Basin Water Plan
Technical Memoranda

SUBJECT: Appendix D
Key Structures and Diversions
MORRIS BROTHERS IRRIGATION (Lower) DIVERSION

PREPARED BY: Bear River Basin Planning Team

DATE: August 7, 2000









Diversion Description:  The headgate structure consists of wood form headwall filled with 
concrete, a 36-inch culvert, and a canal gate.








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

					

Latitude  	N   41° 21' 35.6"	

Longitude     	W 111° 00'  54.4"





Conveyance Description: Open channel canal, approximately 15,840 feet in length.1



Direct Flow Water Rights:2





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


10-01-1880 
Terr
Irrigation 
903
12.9 
12.9 



10-01-1880 
Terr
RS 


136.5 AF 

 
(Wyoming Downs Res)


10-01-1880 
Terr
Irrigation 
80
1.14 
14.04 







Associated Storage Rights:





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


Sulphur Creek
Lee Pierce
55
100%











click to enlarge



Irrigation Practices:  All 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:  Irrigated acreage is primarily meadow foxtail, etc.3


Return Flows:  Return flow is returned to the Bear River  (approx. 30%) and Woodruff Narrows 
(approx. 70%). 


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%
				       100% 



	
	
Other Operational Information:  The Morris Brothers canal is located downstream of the 
Chapman Canal diversion.  Very little water enters the headgate except during high flow 
periods.  During low flow periods, the primary source of water is from Chapman’s excess 
return flows.  It is reported that this return flow increase can be as high as 20 CFS.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

Morris Brothers Irrigation (Lower)







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
54
1.7
107.1
82
2.7
162.6
24
0.8
47.6
9
0.3
17.9
0
0.0
0.0


1972
37
1.2
73.4
192
6.4
380.8
8
0.3
15.9
267
8.6
529.6
86
2.9
170.6


1973
34
1.1
67.4
106
3.5
210.2
33
1.1
65.5
0
0.0
0.0
4
0.1
7.9


1974
122
3.9
242.0
132
4.4
261.8
9
0.3
17.9
0
0.0
0.0
2
0.1
4.0


1975
35
1.1
69.4
83
2.8
164.6
125
4.0
247.9
0
0.0
0.0
0
0.0
0.0


1976
13
0.4
25.8
28
0.9
55.5
80
2.6
158.7
4
0.1
7.9
0
0.0
0.0


1977
8
0.3
15.9
10
0.3
19.8
25
0.8
49.6
27
0.9
53.6
0
0.0
0.0


1978
47
1.5
93.2
81
2.7
160.7
32
1.0
63.5
0
0.0
0.0
44
1.5
87.3


1979
143
4.6
283.6
141
4.7
279.7
6
0.2
11.9
37
1.2
73.4
24
0.8
47.6


1980
0
0.0
0.0
163
5.4
323.3
44
1.4
87.3
16
0.5
31.7
49
1.6
97.2


1981
22
0.7
43.6
55
1.8
109.1
1
0.0
2.0
68
2.2
134.9
0
0.0
0.0


1982
0
0.0
0.0
130
4.3
257.9
46
1.5
91.2
1
0.0
2.0
0
0.0
0.0


1983
120
3.9
238.0
815
27.2
1616.5
177
5.7
351.1
95
3.1
188.4
98
3.3
194.4


1984
558
18.0
1106.8
350
11.7
694.2
21
0.7
41.7
4
0.1
7.9
0
0.0
0.0


1985
395
12.7
783.5
82
2.7
162.6
24
0.8
47.6
0
0.0
0.0
0
0.0
0.0


1986
446
14.4
884.6
34
1.1
67.4
927
29.9
1838.7
0
0.0
0.0
11
0.4
21.8


1987
10
0.3
19.8
45
1.5
89.3
34
1.1
67.4
90
2.9
178.5
35
1.2
69.4


1988
26
0.8
51.6
81
2.7
160.7
57
1.8
113.1
27
0.9
53.6
5
0.2
9.9


1989
180
5.8
357.0
102
3.4
202.3
47
1.5
93.2
5
0.2
9.9
38
1.3
75.4


1990
63
2.0
125.0
184
6.1
365.0
76
2.5
150.7
32
1.0
63.5
113
3.8
224.1


1991
210
6.8
416.5
529
17.6
1049.3
44
1.4
87.3
7
0.2
13.9
20
0.7
39.7


1992
135
4.4
267.8
71
2.4
140.8
109
3.5
216.2
17
0.5
33.7
47
1.6
93.2


1993
224
7.2
444.3
124
4.1
246.0
54
1.7
107.1
0
0.0
0.0
0
0.0
0.0


1994
59
1.9
117.0
54
1.8
107.1
79
2.5
156.7
16
0.5
31.7
53
1.8
105.1


1995
0
0.0
0.0
126
4.2
249.9
52
1.7
103.1
10
0.3
19.8
166
5.5
329.3


1996
38
1.2
75.4
123
4.1
244.0
80
2.6
158.7
62
2.0
123.0
98
3.3
194.4


1997
18.5
0.6
36.7
141.2
4.7
280.1
11
0.4
21.8
0
0.0
0.0
21.1
0.7
41.9


1998
13.9
0.4
27.6
98.7
3.3
195.8
87.3
2.8
173.2
2.6
0.1
5.2
0
0.0
0.0


1999
27
0.9
53.6
99
3.3
196.4
66
2.1
130.9
0
0.0
0.0
0
0.0
0.0





AVERAGES


3.4
207.8


4.9
291.5


2.6
162.7


0.9
54.5


1.1
62.5



Notes:

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












To the Bear River Basin Water Plan