Wyoming State Water Plan, Wyoming Water Development Office
Rafting on Snake River Lake Marie, Snowy Mountains Wyoming Wind River Range picture

Powder/Tongue River Basin Water Plan
Technical Memoranda

SUBJECT: Appendix A
Irrigation Diversion Operation and Description
FRENCH CREEK

PREPARED BY: HKM Engineering Inc.

DATE: March 2002







FRENCH CREEK



HOPKINS DITCH DIVERSION

PENROSE DITCH DIVERSION & PENROSE-JOHNSON DITCH DIVERSION







FRENCH CREEK DRAINAGE

INTRODUCTION


BACKGROUND


French Creek flows out of the east slope of the Bighorn Mountains between the tributaries of Rock and 
Clear creeks before becoming a tributary of Clear Creek. Clear Creek eventually joins the Powder River, 
which runs north to cross the Montana state line north of Spotted Horse, Wyoming. French Creek is fed in 
part by the Four Lakes & French Creek Ditch, which routes water from the North Fork of Clear Creek 
into upper French Creek. In turn, the Penrose Ditch diverts a supplementary supply from French Creek 
into Rock Creek to be used there.


CHARACTERISTICS


Compared to most of the other tributaries of Clear Creek and other east-slope drainages, French Creek has 
relatively small diversions. Because it goes through such steep descents in its passage, even the broken 
geology it crosses doesn't cause it to have the magnitude of losses found in streams meandering in the 
Powder River Basin. Water commissioners estimate French Creek's instream losses to be approximately 
10 percent at the maximum.


French Creek does not play a significant part in returning flow to Clear Creek. Water commissioners and 
irrigators are careful to divert the entirety of the stream upstream of its confluence with Clear Creek.


USAGE


French Creek's diversions are entirely devoted to agricultural irrigation.


Regulation


Water commissioners estimate that regulation is imposed on French Creek drainage diversions with the 
following timing:





Wet Year
Average Year
Dry Year


None or last of August
2nd week of July
2nd week of June





Agriculture


Growers in the French Creek drainage tend to devote approximately 60 percent of their lands to alfalfa 
and 40 percent to grass hay. To deliver water from their diversions, they have the following irrigation 
practices:


Percentage of land served by irrigation practices




Flood
Gated Pipe
Sprinklers


45
40
15





The typical irrigation season runs from April 15-May 1 (depending on whether the spring runoff is 
delayed by colder weather) to mid/early October (depending on when the first snows fall and the ground 
freezes). Approximately 10 percent of the irrigators using French Creek water (the biggest users) practice 
post-season irrigation, though they usually do not use their entire right to do so.


Shrinkage


Irrigators on Johnson Creek who receive water from the Four Lakes ditch via French Creek and Penrose 
Ditch are charged "shrinkage" (instream loss) on the reservoir water they use based on the following:





Type of water year
Shrinkage
(% of flow or volume)


Wet
10


Average
30


Dry
50





Double Appropriation


Irrigation water rights with priority dates of March 1, 1945 or earlier are entitled to an additional 1cfs per 
70 acres under Wyoming's surplus water statutes. Whenever the supply in a stream exceeds the amount 
required to satisfy all existing appropriations established prior to March 1, 1985, the stream is said to be 
in an excess flow condition and water right holders with priorities between March 2, 1945 and March 1, 
1985 may use an additional 1 cfs for each 70 acres irrigated.


In French Creek, this practice is limited primarily by the condition of ditches that follow the diversions 
from the creek. Many of the ditches are not capable of carrying all of the water an irrigator could use.





% of appropriation
% of ditches in drainage capable of
flow


200
20


150
60


100-150
90


0-100
90





Permitted Uses


Permits granted for water appropriation are granted for specific uses. The following pages contain tables 
of permits and their associated uses. The following table provides a key to those uses: 





Code
Use


Chem
Chemical


Com
Commercial


Cul
Culinary


D
Domestic


Drl
Drilling


Eng
Steam Engines


Fire
Fire Protection


Fish
Fish Propogation


F.C.
Flood Control


I
Irrigation


Ind
Industrial


I.F.
Instream Flow


Mech
Mechanical


Mfg
Manufacturing


Mil
Milling


Min
Mining


Misc
Miscellaneous


Mun
Municipal


Oil
Oil Refining or Production


P.C.
Pollution Control


Power
Power Development


R.R.
Railroad


Rec
Recreational


Ref
Refining


Res. Supply
Supply Facility for a Reservoir


S
Stock


T
Transportation






WATER RIGHTS


Two water rights summary tables are provided for each diversion serving irrigation referenced here. The 
first, included in the body of the diversion synopsis, refers to the rights on record with the State 
Engineer's Office and is derived from that office's Tabulation of Adjudicated Surface Water Rights of the 
State of Wyoming, Water Division Number Two (Oct. 1999).


Because this rights summary is pulled directly from the SEO Tab, the rights cited follow the SEO's 
priority order:







Hierarchy
Format of right
Example


1
Day, Month, Year
05-15-1884


2
Month and Year
05-00-1884


3
Specified Season and Year
Spring 1884


4
Year Only
1884


5
Before Year
Before 1884






Board orders or court orders may also establish a specific priority.


Irrigated Lands Water Rights Database


The second table, which follows the diversion synopsis, is taken from the irrigated lands water rights 
database developed for the basin plan. It can be used as a reference with the following caveats: It only 
lists water rights associated with the irrigated lands polygons mapped by HKM.  The table does not 
include nonirrigation rights devoted to reservoir supply, municipal, fish propagation, etc. The rights on 
this table are associated only with those irrigated lands identified through the course of this study, both 
actively irrigated and currently idle.






Column Heading Key


PerNo
Permit Number
"Terr" denotes a territorial right.


PerSfx
Permit Suffix
D = direct flow


E = enlargement


R = reservoir


Facility Name
Parantheses denote the former means of conveyance for the water right.



Unit
Flow or volume
CFS = cubic feet per second


AF = acre-feet


GPM = gallons per minute



SupTyp
Supply Type
OS = original supply


SS = supplement supply, for lands having an original supply from another source.


Sec = secondary supply, for water stored in a reservoir



Status
Status of adjudication
Adj = adjudicated


Una = unadjudicated


Source
Source water
Parantheses denote the permit number of the related storage right.








Schematic of French Creek stream and diversions:












KEY DIVERSIONS





Diversion:
HOPKINS DITCH DIVERSION
AKA: Hopkins (on French Creek)



Date
18 Oct. 2000


Hopkins Ditch headgate



Diversion Description:
The Hopkins Ditch headgate consists of a single, 5 x 3.5-foot rectangular 
steel gate in steel slider, raised/lowered by a Waterman-type screw 
mounted in a concrete headwall penetrated with 12 feet of five-foot-wide 
oval corrugated metal pipe.



Diversion Location:	
The Hopkins Ditch diversion on French Creek is located on the main 
stem of French Creek.










Headgate:


Lat.
Long.


N 44° 21' 59''
W 106° 47' 14''





Flume:


Lat.
Long.


N 44° 21' 59''
W 106° 47' 12''






Hopkins Ditch flume.




Conveyance Description:
Open channel canal, approximately 2.5 mi. long.



Direct Flow Water Rights:
A summary of the direct-flow rights is shown below:











Permit
Priority Date
Permitted Use
Acres
Flow (cfs)
Cumulative (cfs)



Terr.
06-01-1884
I
1101.2
15.73
15.73


5283E
01-05-1931
I
19.1
0.27
16.0





Note:
    

  • "Terr." permits date from before Wyoming became a state and before 
a numerical system for the permits had been established.

  • The Territorial permit cited here is diverted from the North Fork of 
Clear Creek through the Four Lakes-French Creek Ditch. Original 
right is for a total of 15.73 cfs, but subsequent subdivision has reduced 
the diversion the State Engineer's Office allows to 10.43 cfs.



Associated Storage Rights:
None



Irrigation Practices:
See introduction to French Creek drainage



Agricultural Practices:
See introduction to French Creek drainage



Return Flows:
Estimated percentage of total diversion developing into return flows:









Destination
Wet yr.
Mid yr.
Dry yr.


French Creek
2.5
2.5
0







Losses:
Typical (10 percent) by the end of the ditch



References:
Dave Pelloux, water commissioner, State Engineer's Office, interview, 
18 Oct. 2000







Irrigated Lands Water Rights Database





PerNo
PerSfx
Facility Name
Priority
Acres
Amount
Unit
SupTyp
Status
Source



5306
E
Enl. Hopkins
Jan. 2, 1931
3
0.04
CFS
OS
Una
French Creek


5283
E
Enl. Hopkins
Jan. 5, 1931
19.1
0.27
CFS
OS
Adj
French Creek


5283
E
Enl. Hopkins
Jan. 5, 1931
622.1
0


SS
Adj
French Creek


5284
E
Enl. Hopkins
April 24, 1935
104.67
0


SS
Adj
French Creek









Name

                                 Source

                                 District

                                 Data		
Hopkins Ditch Diversion

					  French Creek

					  3

				        Total monthly flow in AF


Water Year
Oct
Nov
Dec
Jan
Feb
Mar
Apr
May
Jun
Jul
Aug
Sep
Total



1970



























1971



























1972



























1973



























1974














161.41
721.11
465.04
0.00
0.00
1347.56


1975



























1976



























1977



























1978



























1979



























1980



























1981














369.95
686.70
451.63
315.72
37.27
1861.27


1982














185.70
741.75
783.87
567.64
64.5
2343.46


1983














80.93
743.90
751.95
562.58
256.04
2395.40


1984














0.00
774.68
845.79
557.81
88.40
2266.68


1985



























1986














0.00
909.70
683.51
232.88
0.00
1826.09


1987














0.00
839.94
819.74
468.71
104.43
2232.82


1988














68.17
735.79
257.78
0.00
0.00
1061.74


1989














220,43
363.72
0.00
0.00
0.00
584.15


1990














207.73
710.68
809.48
524.93
102.23
2355.05


1991














266.31
994.56
602.05
157.42
0.00
2020.34


1992














0.00
0.00
58.81
421.23
323.05
803.09


1993














164.78
659.51
665.43
409.48
229.55
2128.75


1994














291.50
628.38
503.38
286.58
0.00
1709.84


1995














57.67
642.07
360.38
286.77
0.00
1346.89


1996














25.31
1033.24
541.06
130.63
139.03
1869.27


1997














180.15
951.11
613.89
68.59
0.00
1813.74


1998














0.00
793.89
763.97
634.48
324.41
2516.75


1999














0.00
805.39
676.23
305.29
42.64
1829.55


Mean














120.00
722.95
560.74
312.14
90.08
1805.92


Max














369.95
1033.24
845.79
634.48
324.41
2516.75


Min














0.00
0.00
0.00
0.00
0.00
584.15




Notes:

1. Monthly data is derived from spot measurements in the Hydrographers' Annual 
Reports for years 1980 and later, and from WRDS for years prior to 1980

2. Zero flow is assumed prior to the first and after the last measurement
			       







Name

                                 Source

                                 District

                                 Data		
Hopkins Ditch

					  French Creek

					  3

				        First & Last Dates, Max. Days


Water Year
First Date of Measurement
Last Date of Measurement
Maximum Days Missing



1970







1971







1972







1973







1974
10-May
28-Jul
0


1975







1976







1977







1978







1979







1980







1981
15-May
06-Sep
34


1982
14-May
06-Sep
13


1983
28-May
23-Sep
26


1984
04-Jun
07-Sep
11


1985







1986
03-Jun
27-Aug
9


1987
04-Jun
13-Sep
6


1988
28-May
19-Jul
4


1989
15-May
16-Jun
9


1990
23-May
10-Sep
14


1991
21-May
19-Aug
8


1992
29-Jul
29-Sep
13


1993
25-May
29-Sep
16


1994
19-May
30-Aug
49


1995
23-May
23-Aug
17


1996
31-May
18-Sep
31


1997
23-May
19-Aug
22


1998
02-Jun
24-Sep
15


1999
08-Jun
10-Sep
11


Avg.
28-May
30-Aug
16


Earliest
10-May
16-Jun
0


Latest
29-Jul
29-Sep
49




Notes:
1. Data is from Hydrographers' Annual Reports for years 1980 and later,
and from WRDS for years prior to 1980.








KEY DIVERSIONS





Diversion:
PENROSE DITCH DIVERSION and

	PENROSE-JOHNSON DITCH DIVERSION

	AKA: Penrose (on Johnson Creek)		


Penrose Ditch at French Creek headgatee



Date
18 Oct. 2000



Note:
Two headgates divert for this ditch. The first diverts from French Creek 
to bring water to Johnson Creek, where the majority of the water is used. 
The second diverts water out of Johnson Creek.



Diversion Description:
The French Creek headgate consists of a single, 3.4 x 1.8-foot round 
steel gate in steel slider raised/lowered by a Waterman-type screw 
mounted in a concrete headwall, all in good condition.


Penrose Ditch at Johnson Creek headgate





The Johnson Creek headgate consists of a single, 3.5-foot round steel 
gate in steel slider raised/lowered by a Waterman-type screw mounted in 
a concrete wall, all in good condition.



Diversion Location:	
The Penrose Ditch diversion on French Creek is located on the main 
stem of French Creek and diverts Four Lakes Ditch water to Johnson 
Creek (a tributary of Rock Creek), where it is diverted by the second 
headgate.


Penrose Ditch at French Creek flume









French Creek Headgate:


Lat.
Long.


N 44° 21' 27.9''
W 106° 50' 6.4''





Flume:


Lat.
Long.


N 44° 21' 30.5''
W 106° 50' 2.4''





Johnson Creek Headgate:


Lat.
Long.


N 44° 22' 38.4''
W 106° 49' 26.4''





Flume:


Lat.
Long.


N 44° 22' 38.4''
W 106° 49' 26.6''





Penrose Ditch at Johnson Creek flume





Conveyance Description:
Open channel canal, approximately 4.7 mi. long.



Direct Flow Water Rights:
Because the Penrose is a means of conveyance for North Fork of Clear 
Creek water to get to irrigators on Johnson Creek for original and 
supplemental supplies, the direct-flow rights in Penrose are officially 0 
cfs. But because Johnson Creek's direct flow is notoriously poor, this 
supplemental supply is put to use for most of the season. As a result, the 
flow for Penrose can reasonably be calculated using the Wyoming State 
Engineer's Office baseline allocation:





1 cfs/70 acres * 633.93 acres = 9.06 cfs





Note that this figure is subject to the shrinkage factors cited in the 
Storage section of the French Creek summary above. As a result, an 
average-year flow would be reduced by 30 percent to 6.34 cfs.





The direct-flow rights summary follows:









Permit
Priority Date
Permitted Use
Acres
Flow (cfs)
Cumulative (cfs)



17927
01-31-1931
I
134
0
(SS)		
0


17927
01-31-1931
I
165.47
0 
(SS)		
0


17927
01-31-1931
I
334.46
0
(SS)		
0





Note: Permit No. 17927 is designated supplemental supply only.




Associated Storage Rights:
None



Irrigation Practices:
See introduction to French Creek drainage



Agricultural Practices:
See introduction to French Creek drainage



Return Flows:
Estimated percentage of total diversion developing into return flows:









Destination
Wet yr.
Mid yr.
Dry yr.


French Creek
5
2.5
2.5







Losses:
Typical (10 percent) by the end of the ditch



References:
Dave Pelloux, water commissioner, State Engineer's Office, interview, 
18 Oct. 2000







Irrigated Lands Water Rights Database




PerNo
PerSfx
Facility Name
Priority
Acres
Amount
Unit
SupTyp
Status
Source



17927
D
Penrose
Jan. 31, 1931
633.93
0


SS
Adj
French Creek









Name

                                 Source

                                 District

                                 Data		
Penrose Ditch Diversion

					  French Creek

					  3

				        Total monthly flow in AF


Water Year
Oct
Nov
Dec
Jan
Feb
Mar
Apr
May
Jun
Jul
Aug
Sep
Total



1970



























1971



























1972



























1973



























1974














379.06
780.99
507.83
0.00
0.00
1667.88


1975



























1976



























1977



























1978



























1979



























1980



























1981














410.48
725.95
675.17
496.89
57.39
2365.88


1982














139.14
1048.52
1211.31
884.48
290.08
3573.53


1983














0.00
1032.99
1097.85
935.95
482.12
3548.91


1984














0.00
1020.72
1224.29
997.35
128.75
3371.11


1985



























1986














600.99
1201.98
976.79
485.36
113.06
3378.18


1987














0.00
863.07
819.06
630.01
156.00
2468.14


1988














104.07
845.09
238.52
0.00
0.00
1187.68


1989














283.11
439.74
0.00
0.00
0.00
722.85


1990














171.24
955.86
1049.42
596.50
106.60
2879.62


1991














0.00
440.53
536.95
245.04
0.00
1222.52


1992














0.00
0.00
53.83
598.44
255.63
907.90


1993














0.00
509.77
252.19
482.65
189.90
1434.51


1994














326.87
897.61
784.47
370.66
0.00
2379.61


1995














38.08
707.57
901.54
314.77
189.57
2151.53


1996














80.61
148.45
535.32
124.52
0.00
888.90


1997














274.69
476.19
363.77
202.78
0.00
1317.43


1998














0.00
721.56
920.86
633.13
278.07
2553.62


1999














0.00
444.89
617.12
536.07
186.45
1784.53


Mean














147.81
697.97
671.91
449.19
128.09
2094.96


Max














600.99
1201.98
1224.29
997.35
482.12
3573.53


Min














0.00
0.00
0.00
0.00
0.00
722.85



Notes:

1. Monthly data is derived from spot measurements in the Hydrographers' Annual 
Reports for years 1980 and later, and from WRDS for years prior to 1980

2. Zero flow is assumed prior to the first and after the last measurement






Name

                                 Source

                                 District

                                 Data		
Penrose Ditch Diversion

					  French Creek

					  3

				        First & Last Dates, Max. Days


Water Year
First Date of Measurement
Last Date of Measurement
Maximum Days Missing



1970







1971







1972







1973







1974
06-May
28-Jul
0


1975







1976







1977







1978







1979







1980







1981
15-May
06-Sep
34


1982
27-May
13-Sep
7


1983
03-Jun
23-Sep
26


1984
04-Jun
07-Sep
11


1985







1986
17-May
16-Sep
11


1987
04-Jun
13-Sep
6


1988
24-May
19-Jul
5


1989
15-May
16-Jun
9


1990
14-May
10-Sep
14


1991
05-Jun
19-Aug
8


1992
30-Jul
29-Sep
13


1993
10-Jun
29-Sep
13


1994
19-May
30-Aug
49


1995
23-May
20-Sep
30


1996
24-May
13-Aug
24


1997
23-May
18-Aug
19


1998
02-Jun
24-Sep
15


1999
08-Jun
10-Sep
11


Avg.
29-May
31-Aug
16


Earliest
06-May
16-Jun
0


Latest
30-Jul
29-Sep
49




Notes:
1. Data is from Hydrographers' Annual Reports for years 1980 and later,
and from WRDS for years prior to 1980.









Name

                                 Source

                                 District

                                 Data		
Penrose-Johnson Ditch Diversion

					  French Creek

					  3

				        Total monthly flow in AF


Water Year
Oct
Nov
Dec
Jan
Feb
Mar
Apr
May
Jun
Jul
Aug
Sep
Total



1970



























1971



























1972



























1973



























1974



























1975



























1976



























1977



























1978



























1979



























1980



























1981














341.92
606.94
549.16
403.26
58.35
1959.63


1982














126.94
810.39
886.83
659.40
244.96
2728.52


1983














0.00
888.59
983.80
746.97
390.37
3009.73


1984














0.00
704.23
808.56
749.67
95.40
2357.86


1985



























1986














512.63
1025.26
810.91
328.94
96.00
2773.74


1987














0.00
662.99
603.28
472.75
119.54
1858.56


1988














0.00
790.19
290.30
0.00
0.00
1080.49


1989














225.29
296.20
0.00
0.00
0.00
521.49


1990














201.96
651.79
701.50
707.55
133.15
2395.95


1991














0.00
427.72
458.55
210.88
0.00
1097.07


1992














0.00
0.00
0.00
475.81
159.33
635.14


1993














0.00
506.68
246.59
515.09
239.70
1508.06


1994














314.30






0.00



1995














36.51
672.08
686.16
371.17
193.69
1959.61


1996














149.70
343.34
404.91
159.91
0.00
1057.86


1997














269.33
480.85
437.96
236.46
0.00
1424.60


1998














0.00
880.88
764.03
648.02
230.48
2523.41


1999














0.00
355.83
443.34
497.91
109.09
1406.17


Mean














121.03
594.35
533.88
422.57
115.00
1782.23


Max














512.63
1025.26
983.80
749.67
390.37
3009.73


Min














0.00
0.00
0.00
0.00
0.00
521.49



Notes:

1. Monthly data is derived from spot measurements in the Hydrographers' Annual 
Reports for years 1980 and later, and from WRDS for years prior to 1980

2. Zero flow is assumed prior to the first and after the last measurement






Name

                                 Source

                                 District

                                 Data		
Penrose-Johnson Ditch Diversion

					  French Creek

					  3

				        First & Last Dates, Max. Days


Water Year
First Date of Measurement
Last Date of Measurement
Maximum Days Missing



1970







1971







1972







1973







1974







1975







1976







1977







1978







1979







1980







1981
15-May
07-Sep
34


1982
27-May
13-Sep
7


1983
03-Jun
23-Sep
26


1984
04-Jun
07-Sep
11


1985







1986
17-May
16-Sep
11


1987
04-Jun
13-Sep
6


1988
01-Jun
19-Jul
4


1989
15-May
16-Jun
9


1990
14-May
10-Sep
21


1991
05-Jun
19-Aug
8


1992
04-Aug
11-Sep
16


1993
10-Jun
29-Sep
13


1994
19-May
30-Aug
63


1995
23-May
20-Sep
30


1996
24-May
21-Aug
31


1997
23-May
15-Aug
19


1998
02-Jun
24-Sep
15


1999
08-Jun
10-Sep
11


Avg.
31-May
01-Sep
19


Earliest
14-May
16-Jun
4


Latest
04-Aug
29-Sep
63




Notes:
1. Data is from Hydrographers' Annual Reports for years 1980 and later,
and from WRDS for years prior to 1980.