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
ROCKY MOUNTAIN & BLYTHE DIVERSION

PREPARED BY: Bear River Basin Planning Team

DATE: February 25, 2002









Diversion Description: The headgate structure consists of a broken concrete headwall 
constructed in 1918.  There is a steel slide gate with a 30-inch culvert.  There is a 
secondary downstream gate controlling flow across interstate-80 that is used.



Rocky Mountain & Blythe




Diversion Location: Diversion is located immediately upstream of Evanston at the north end of 
the Bear River State Park as shown in the location map hereafter.

					

Latitude      	N   41° 15' 86.1"	

Longitude     	W 110° 56'  28.7"





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


-1875 
Terr
Irrigation 
20
0.28 
0.28 
(John Felter)


-1875 
Terr
Irrigation 
129
1.84 
2.12 
(John Felter)


-1875 
Terr
Irrigation 
11
0.15 
2.27 
(John Felter)


-1878 
Terr
Irrigation, Storage 
18
0.25 
2.52 
(Faulkner Terr)


05-05-1882 
Terr
Irrigation 
30
0.42 
2.94 
(John Fielding)


05-05-1882 
Terr
Irrigation 
82.75
1.18 
4.12 
(John Fielding)


04-01-1889 
Terr
Irrigation 
64.80
0.92 
5.04 
(Compton Irr)


07-16-1891 
Terr
Irrigation 
6
0.08 
5.12 
(Barnes)


05-14-1896 
1213
Irrigation 
58.40
0.83 
5.95 
(Dunford-Danks)


05-14-1896 
1213
Mun 
25.60
0.37 
6.32 
(Dunford-Danks)


03-20-1897 
1488
Irrigation 
40
0.57 
6.89 
(Longdon)


05-24-1897 
1607
Irrigation, Domestic, Storage 
7.50
0.11 
7.00 
(Lyndon)


11-17-1897 
1662
Irrigation 
19
0.27 
7.27 
(Danks)


10-13-1898 
378E
Irrigation 
63
0.90 
8.17 



05-10-1902 
831E
Irrigation 
70
1.00 
9.17 



05-10-1902 
831E
Irrigation 
35
0.50 
9.67 



07-28-1908 
1418E
Irrigation, Domestic 
6
0.08 
9.75 
(Trouble Enl Felter)


12-04-1914 
3078E
Irrigation 
19
0.27 
10.02 
ENL CROMPTON


12-04-1914 
3079E
Irrigation 
12
0.17 
10.19 



12-04-1914 
3079E
Supplemental Supply 
61

 

 
Wardle No. 1 (Pleasant Valley or Sulphur Cr.)


06-11-1920 
4169E
Irrigation 
40
0.57 
10.76 



11-13-1934 
5019E
Reservoir Supply 


79.46 A/F 

 
(1st Enl Crompton Res)







Associated Storage Rights:





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


Sulphur Creek
Gary Ellingford
25
100%



Sulphur Creek
James Crompton
58
100%



Sulphur Creek
Ila Crompton
58
100%



Sulphur Creek
Lowham Ranches
444
5%



Sulphur Creek
Painter Co.
274
100%



Sulphur Creek
Ranold Phillips
7
100%












click to enlarge



Irrigation Practices:  Land is all flood irrigated.3 


Estimated Diversion Efficiency:  Most of the water is used in the top third of the canal.  The 
largest losses tend to occur in the bottom two-thirds.  The city of Evanston is planning on 
using this canal to irrigate their cemetery, and will likely clean and repair the canal in the 
near future.3 



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 entirely to irrigate mixed meadow grasses, 
primarily Meadow Foxtail, Redtop, Orchard Grass, etc.3


Return Flows:  Excess return flow is primarily split between the John Simms Canal (approx. 
70%) and the SP Ramsey Canal (approx. 30%)




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 Rocky Mountain & Blythe also delivers water to the 
Crompton Reservoir.






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  -  October 29, 1999.

    

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






Monthly Diversion Records

Rocky Mountain & Blythe







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
267
8.6
529.6
494
16.5
979.8
224
7.2
444.3
258
8.3
511.7
99
3.3
196.4


1972
322
10.4
638.7
458
15.3
908.4
194
6.3
384.8
159
5.1
315.4
172
5.7
341.2


1973
169
5.5
335.2
509
17.0
1009.6
244
7.9
484.0
148
4.8
293.6
189
6.3
374.9


1974
256
8.3
507.8
339
11.3
672.4
203
6.5
402.6
104
3.4
206.3
161
5.4
319.3


1975
70
2.3
138.8
190
6.3
376.9
264
8.5
523.6
162
5.2
321.3
263
8.8
521.7


1976
102
3.3
202.3
321
10.7
636.7
222
7.2
440.3
119
3.8
236.0
117
3.9
232.1


1977
185
6.0
366.9
229
7.6
454.2
124
4.0
246.0
71
2.3
140.8
36
1.2
71.4


1978
396
12.8
785.5
463
15.4
918.3
342
11.0
678.3
180
5.8
357.0
144
4.8
285.6


1979
308
9.9
610.9
343
11.4
680.3
228
7.4
452.2
136
4.4
269.8
88
2.9
174.5


1980
31
1.0
61.5
349
11.6
692.2
276
8.9
547.4
193
6.2
382.8
37
1.2
73.4


1981
171
5.5
339.2
336
11.2
666.4
243
7.8
482.0
112
3.6
222.1
95
3.2
188.4


1982
264
8.5
523.6
491
16.4
973.9
343
11.1
680.3
189
6.1
374.9
284
9.5
563.3


1983
59
1.9
117.0
80
2.7
158.7
517
16.7
1025.5
549
17.7
1088.9
353
11.8
700.2


1984
13
0.4
25.8
317
10.6
628.8
667
21.5
1323.0
354
11.4
702.1
101
3.4
200.3


1985
283
9.1
561.3
603
20.1
1196.0
323
10.4
640.7
169
5.5
335.2
214
7.1
424.5


1986
82
2.6
162.6
335
11.2
664.5
156
5.0
309.4
249
8.0
493.9
300
10.0
595.0


1987
257
8.3
509.8
306
10.2
606.9
264
8.5
523.6
178
5.7
353.1
162
5.4
321.3


1988
280
9.0
555.4
286
9.5
567.3
138
4.5
273.7
185
6.0
366.9
124
4.1
246.0


1989
890
28.7
1765.3
885
29.5
1755.4
270
8.7
535.5
142
4.6
281.7
30
1.0
59.5


1990
160
5.2
317.4
394
13.1
781.5
251
8.1
497.9
90
2.9
178.5
76
2.5
150.7


1991
484
15.6
960.0
473
15.8
938.2
268
8.6
531.6
115
3.7
228.1
161
5.4
319.3


1992
283
9.1
561.3
300
10.0
595.0
165
5.3
327.3
80
2.6
158.7
68
2.3
134.9


1993
47
1.5
93.2
667
22.2
1323.0
389
12.5
771.6
69
2.2
136.9
88
2.9
174.5


1994
218
7.0
432.4
263
8.8
521.7
136
4.4
269.8
85
2.7
168.6
121
4.0
240.0


1995
29
0.9
57.5
205
6.8
406.6
325
10.5
644.6
165
5.3
327.3
289
9.6
573.2


1996
478
15.4
948.1
510
17.0
1011.6
294
9.5
583.1
144
4.6
285.6
131
4.4
259.8


1997
170.1
5.5
337.4
253.4
8.4
502.6
255.7
8.2
507.2
160.7
5.2
318.7
50.2
1.7
99.6


1998
149.1
4.8
295.7
153
5.1
303.5
363.6
11.7
721.2
69.4
2.2
137.7
73
2.4
144.8


1999
265
8.5
525.6
425
14.2
843.0
263
8.5
521.7
233
7.5
462.1
291
9.7
577.2





AVERAGES


7.4
457.4


12.6
750.8


8.8
543.9


5.4
333.0


5.0
295.3



Notes:

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

            2. This canal ultimately feeds into Crompton Reservoir.












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