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
V.H. CANAL DIVERSION

PREPARED BY: Bear River Basin Planning Team

DATE: August 7, 2000









Diversion Description:The V.H. Canal headgate is an all steel structure  with a 42-inch 
rectangular gate.  Water is permanently ponded upstream of the structure.



Pine Creek upstream of V.H. Canal diversion





Diversion Location: The V.H. Canal Diversion is the second highest diversion on Pine Creek, 
tributary of Smiths Fork, tributary to the Bear River.  See location map hereafter.

					

Latitude  	N   42° 06' 10.4"	

Longitude     	W 110° 51'  05.0"





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


07-10-1905 
6811
Irrigation, Domestic, Storage 
640
9.14 
9.14 
Decreed Futile Call


04-06-1910 
2211E
Irrigation 
143.24
2.19 

 
Decreed Futile Call


06-11-1915 
3226E
Irrigation, Domestic, Storage 
133.45
1.90 
1.90 






 




click to enlarge



Associated Storage Rights:	None	


Irrigation Practices:  Land is irrigated using circular pivots sprinklers.  Less than 10% is flood 
irrigated.3 


Estimated Diversion Efficiency: 



Calculated Diversion Efficiency = Conveyance Efficiency X Application Efficiency:





Conveyance Efficiency: 55%


Application Efficiency: 85%


Overall Diversion Efficiency: 47%








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:  The primary crop irrigated from this canal is alfalfa.3


Return Flows:  Return flow is primarily captured by Sublette Creek and/or downstream 
diversions.


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

	
		Month
      (after initial Diversion)	 Percent of Return
		0			50%
		1			25%
		2			15%
                3                       10%
                                       100%
		



	
	
	
Other Operational Information:   Surface flows in Pine Creek tend to disappear into the 
ground by mid-July when diverting.  Pine Creek was decreed a “futile call” by the courts, 
and as a result it is not regulated for the benefit of more senior water rights on Smiths 
Fork.  There are only two irrigators taking water directly from Pine Creek.  



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

V.H. Canal (on Pine Creek)







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
196
6.3
388.8
240
8.0
476.0
258
8.3
511.7
243
7.8
482.0
160
5.3
317.4


1971
330
10.6
654.5
349
11.6
692.2
349
11.3
692.2
341
11.0
676.4
306
10.2
606.9


1972
12
0.4
23.8
375
12.5
743.8
370
11.9
733.9
297
9.6
589.1
289
9.6
573.2


1973
0
0.0
0.0
296
9.9
587.1
325
10.5
644.6
290
9.4
575.2
91
3.0
180.5


1974
220
7.1
436.4
366
12.2
726.0
328
10.6
650.6
279
9.0
553.4
270
9.0
535.5


1975
103
3.3
204.3
318
10.6
630.7
374
12.1
741.8
280
9.0
555.4
240
8.0
476.0


1976
185
6.0
366.9
337
11.2
668.4
331
10.7
656.5
343
11.1
680.3
86
2.9
170.6


1977
279
9.0
553.4
240
8.0
476.0
235
7.6
466.1
217
7.0
430.4
120
4.0
238.0


1978
311
10.0
616.9
278
9.3
551.4
317
10.2
628.8
350
11.3
694.2
154
5.1
305.5


1979
0
0.0
0.0
304
10.1
603.0
300
9.7
595.0
307
9.9
608.9
0
0.0
0.0


1980
208
6.7
412.6
475
15.8
942.1
447
14.4
886.6
326
10.5
646.6
341
11.4
676.4


1981
215
6.9
426.4
276
9.2
547.4
294
9.5
583.1
295
9.5
585.1
198
6.6
392.7


1982
326
10.5
646.6
409
13.6
811.2
343
11.1
680.3
332
10.7
658.5
363
12.1
720.0


1983
279
9.0
553.4
515
17.2
1021.5
328
10.6
650.6
443
14.3
878.7
238
7.9
472.1


1984
139
4.5
275.7
392
13.1
777.5
414
13.4
821.2
421
13.6
835.0
251
8.4
497.9


1985
130
4.2
257.9
414
13.8
821.2
391
12.6
775.5
456
14.7
904.5
434
14.5
860.8


1986
165
5.3
327.3
402
13.4
797.4
352
11.4
698.2
506
16.3
1003.6
157
5.2
311.4


1987
282
9.1
559.3
276
9.2
547.4
348
11.2
690.2
339
10.9
672.4
85
2.8
168.6


1988
53
1.7
105.1
330
11.0
654.5
325
10.5
644.6
313
10.1
620.8
165
5.5
327.3


1989
268
8.6
531.6
250
8.3
495.9
248
8.0
491.9
248
8.0
491.9
240
8.0
476.0


1990
255
8.2
505.8
284
9.5
563.3
240
7.7
476.0
164
5.3
325.3
0
0.0
0.0


1991
178
5.7
353.1
359
12.0
712.1
330
10.6
654.5
259
8.4
513.7
168
5.6
333.2


1992
243
7.8
482.0
270
9.0
535.5
81
2.6
160.7
0
0.0
0.0
0
0.0
0.0


1993
103
3.3
204.3
299
10.0
593.1
289
9.3
573.2
276
8.9
547.4
132
4.4
261.8


1994
119
3.8
236.0
293
9.8
581.2
282
9.1
559.3
314
10.1
622.8
234
7.8
464.1


1995
498
16.1
987.8
366
12.2
726.0
225
7.3
446.3
320
10.3
634.7
318
10.6
630.7


1996
138
4.5
273.7
406
13.5
805.3
395
12.7
783.5
465
15.0
922.3
376
12.5
745.8


1997
251.9
8.1
499.6
343.6
11.5
681.5
287.6
9.3
570.4
409.4
13.2
812.0
377.7
12.6
749.2


1998
313.3
10.1
621.4
410.4
13.7
814.0
329.1
10.6
652.8
359.3
11.6
712.7
235.4
7.8
466.9





AVERAGES


6.5
396.7


11.3
675.3


10.2
624.8


10.2
628.7


6.9
412.4













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