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Snake-Salt/Henrys Fork River Basin (Overview) HUC# 170401, 170402Basin Geography:The Snake River headwaters are in the southern mountains of Yellowstone National Park. The river flows south through Grand Teton National Park, is joined by the Gros Ventre River, and then flows though the town of Jackson. Flow regulation is provided by Jackson Lake, which has a storage capacity of 847,000 acre-ft. This reservoir provides storage for downstream irrigation in Idaho. The Greys and Salt Rivers contribute flow from the southern portion of the basin and join the Snake River at Palisades Reservoir, which extends into Wyoming from Idaho. The Henrys Fork River receives snowmelt from the westernmost portion of the basin on the west slopes of the Grand Tetons before joining the Snake downstream in Idaho. The Wyoming Snake River Basin includes approximately 5,139 square miles of land area. Over 92 percent of the land in the basin is federally owned. Recreation is a major use of the Snake River in Wyoming as the local economy has a tourism base. Fishing, wildlife viewing and white water recreation are popular uses of the river. Flood control in areas downstream of Jackson Lake are of local concern. Levees must be constantly maintained to control spring flood flows. Growth in the Jackson area is also of concern as new development has converted former agricultural lands. The Salt River area in the southern basin is generally more agricultural in nature. However, southern communities are experiencing spillover growth from the Jackson area. Alluvial groundwater resources are adequate in the Snake River floodplain while deeper aquifers also exist. Salmon species management in the larger Snake River system are a concern for future river management. Relevant Compacts and Decrees: The Snake River Compact between Wyoming and Idaho was signed in 1949. Water flows at the stateline are allocated 4% to Wyoming and 96% to Idaho. Wyoming must provide replacement storage for a portion of its allocation. The state entered into a contract with the Bureau of Reclamation in 1990 to purchase 33,000 acre-ft of storage in Jackson Lake for this purpose. The contract also outlines the management of flows below Jackson dam for trout fisheries. Sources: US Geological Survey. 1985. National Water Summary-Wyoming: Surface Water Resources, Water Supply Paper 2300. Washington D.C. pp. 498. Wyoming Water Development Commission & Wyoming State Engineer's Office. 1996. Wyoming Water Planning: A Report for Updating the Process. Cheyenne, WY. pp.12
Index of the Statewide Data Inventory | |||||