Powder/Tongue River Basin Water Plan
Technical Memoranda

SUBJECT:	Appendix J Storage Operation and Description LAKE DESMET
PREPARED BY:	HKM Engineering Inc.
DATE:	March 2002

KEY STORAGE FACILITIES

Reservoir:	LAKE DESMET (or ENL OF 973R, 5829R, 6225R)
Date:	28 Feb. 2001
Location:	SESW 31,T53N,R82W
Owner:	Tri-County Coalition (Sheridan, Johnson, and Campbell counties)
Year of Construction:	1921
Enlargement History:	Lake DeSmet began as two separate natural lakes fed by Shell Creek and runoff. Water rights were first granted in 1907 to divert water from Piney Creek. By 1919, an inlet and dam expanded the 1,500-acre lake to 2,106 acres by raising its level 22 feet. Reynolds Mining Co. expanded the lake by 32 feet in 1958, then seven more feet in 1972. Finally, Texaco raised the level by 40 feet to its present-day maximum capacity.
Total Storage:	234,987 acre-feet
Active Storage:	196,027 acre-feet
Inactive Storage:	38,960 acre-feet
Area/Capacity Data:	(Source: Undated table by Tipton & Kalmbach for Texaco, Inc. on file with State Engineer's Office, Water Div. II)
	Elev. (ft) Area (acres) Capacity (af) Intermediate Capacity for 0.1 ft. Intervals (af) .1 .2 .3 .4 .5 .6 .7 .8 .9 4500 2 0 2 3 5 6 8 10 11 13 14 4501 30 16 20 25 30 34 39 43 48 52 57 4502 59 61 68 76 83 90 98 105 112 119 128 4503 87 134 144 154 164 174 185 195 205 215 225 4504 116 235 248 261 274 287 300 313 326 339 352 4505 144 365 382 399 417 434 451 468 485 503 520 4506 200 537 560 583 605 628 651 674 697 719 742 4507 256 765 793 822 850 879 907 935 964 992 1,021 4508 312 1,049 1,083 1,117 1,151 1,185 1,219 1,253 1,287 1,321 1,355 4509 368 1,389 1,429 1,468 1,508 1,547 1,587 1,627 1,666 1,706 1,745 4510 424 1,785 1,829 1,874 1,918 1,962 2,007 2,051 2,096 2,140 2,185 4511 464 2,229 2,278 2,326 2,375 2,423 2,472 2,520 2,569 2,617 2,666 4512 505 2,714 2,767 2,819 2,872 2,924 2,977 3,029 3,082 3,134 3,187 4513 545 3,239 3,296 3,352 3,409 3,465 3,522 3,579 3,635 3,692 3,748 4514 585 3,805 3,866 3,926 3,987 4,047 4,108 4,168 4,229 4,289 4,350 4515 625 4,410 4,475 4,540 4,604 4,669 4,734 4,799 4,964 4,928 4,993 4516 673 5,058 5,128 5,197 5,267 5,337 5,407 5,476 5,546 5,516 5,685 4517 721 5,755 5,829 5,904 5,978 6,053 6,127 6,201 6,276 6,350 6,425 4518 768 6,499 6,578 6,657 6,736 6,815 6,894 6,974 7,053 7,132 7,211 4519 816 7,290 7,374 7,458 7,542 7,626 7,710 7,794 7,878 7,962 8,046 4520 864 8,130 8,218 8,306 8,393 8,481 8,569 8,657 8,745 8,832 8,920 4521 890 9,008 9,093 9,189 9,279 9,369 9,460 9,550 9,640 9,730 9,821 4522 916 9,911 10,004 10,097 10,190 10,283 10,376 10,469 10,562 10,655 10,748 4523 943 10,841 10,937 11,032 11,128 11,224 11,320 11,415 11,511 11,607 11,702 4524 969 11,798 11,895 11,994 12,093 12,191 12,289 12,387 12,485 12,584 12,682 4525 995 12,780 12,881 12,981 13,082 13,183 13,284 13,384 13,485 13,586 13,686 4526 1018 13,787 13,890 13,993 14,096 14,199 14,302 14,405 14,508 14,611 14,714 4527 1041 14,817 14,922 15,028 15,133 15,238 15,344 15,449 15,554 15,459 15,765 4529 1087 16,946 17,056 17,166 17,276 17,386 17,496 17,605 17,715 17,925 17,935 4530 1110 18,045 18,157 18,270 18,382 18,494 18,607 18,715 18,831 18,943 19,056 4531 1136 19,168 19,283 19,398 19,513 19,628 19,743 19,857 19,972 20,087 20,202 4532 1163 20,317 20,435 20,552 20,670 20,787 20,905 21,023 21,140 21,258 21,375 4533 1189 21,493 21,613 21,734 21,854 21,974 22,095 22,215 22,335 22,455 22,576 4534 1216 22,696 22,819 22,942 23,065 23,188 23,311 23,433 23,556 23,679 23,802 4535 1242 23,925 24,052 24,178 24,305 24,432 24,559 24,685 24,812 24,939 25,065 4536 1291 25,192 25,324 25,455 25,587 25,718 25,850 25,982 26,113 26,245 26,376 4537 1340 26,508 26,645 26,781 26,918 27,054 27,191 27,327 27,464 27,600 27,737 4538 1389 27,873 28,014 28,156 28,297 28,439 28,580 28,721 28,863 29,004 29,146 4539 1438 29,287 29,433 29,580 29,726 29,872 30,019 30,165 30,311 30,457 30,604 4540 1487 30,750 30,900 31,050 31,200 31,350 31,500 31,649 31,799 31,949 32,099 4541 1511 32,249 32,401 32,554 32,706 32,858 33,011 23,163 33,315 33,467 33,620 4542 1534 33,772 33,927 34,081 34,236 34,390 34,545 34,700 34,854 35,009 35,163 4543 1558 35,318 35,475 35,632 35,789 35,946 36,103 36,260 36,417 36,574 36,731 4544 1581 36,885 37,047 37,207 37,366 37,525 37,685 37,844 38,803 38,162 38,322 4545 1605 38,481 38,641 38,801 38,960 39,123 39,285 39,448 39,610 39,773 39,936 4546 1629 40,098 40,262 40,426 40,590 40,754 40,908 41,082 41,246 41,410 41,574 4547 1652 41,738 41,904 42,071 42,237 42,404 42,570 42,736 42,903 43,069 43,236 4548 1676 43,402 43,571 43,739 43,908 44,077 44,246 44,414 44,583 44,752 44,920 4549 1699 45,089 45,260 45,431 45,602 45,773 45,944 46,115 46,286 46,457 46,628 4550 1723 46,799 46,973 47,945 47,320 47,493 47,657 47,841 48,014 48,188 48,361 4551 1748 48,535 48,711 48,987 49,063 49,239 49,415 49,592 49,768 49,944 50,120 4552 1773 50,296 50,475 50,653 50,832 51,010 51,189 51,367 51,546 51,724 51,903 4553 1797 52,081 52,262 52,443 52,624 52,805 52,986 53,166 53,347 53,528 53,709 4554 1822 53,890 54,073 54,257 54,440 54,624 54,807 54,990 55,174 55,357 55,541 4555 1847 55,724 55,910 56,395 56,283 56,469 56,655 56,941 57,027 57,214 57,400 4556 1877 57,586 57,775 57,964 58,154 58,343 58,532 58,721 58,910 59,100 59,289 4557 1906 59,478 59,670 59,862 60,054 60,246 60,438 60,630 60,622 61,014 61,206 4558 1936 61,398 61,593 61,788 61,984 62,179 62,374 62,569 62,764 62,960 63,155 4559 1966 63,350 63,545 63,740 63,937 64,136 64,335 64,534 64,734 64,933 65,132 4560 2000 65,337 65,533 65,784 65,936 66,138 66,340 66,541 66,743 66,945 67,146 4561 2035 67,348 67,553 67,759 67,964 68,169 68,375 68,580 68,785 68,990 69,198 4562 2071 69,401 69,610 69,819 70,027 70,236 70,445 70,654 70,863 71,071 71,280 4563 2106 71,489 71,701 71,914 72,126 72,339 72,551 72,763 72,976 73,188 73,401 4564 2142 73,613 73,829 74,045 74,261 74,477 74,693 74,908 75,124 75,340 75,556 4565 2177 75,772 75,991 76,210 76,429 76,648 76,867 77,086 77,305 77,524 77,743 4566 2202 77,962 78,184 78,405 78,627 78,848 79,070 79,291 79,513 79,734 79,956 4567 2227 80,177 80,401 80,625 80,849 81,073 81,217 81,521 81,745 81,969 82,193 4568 2252 82,417 82,644 82,870 83,097 83,323 83,550 83,776 84,003 84,229 84,456 4569 2277 84,682 84,911 85,140 85,369 85,598 85,827 86,056 86,285 86,514 86,743 4570 2302 86,972 87,204 87,436 87,668 87,900 88,132 88,364 88,596 88,828 89,060 4571 2339 89,292 89,528 89,763 89,999 90,234 90,471 90,706 90,942 91,178 91,413 4572 2376 91,649 91,888 92,128 92,367 92,607 92,846 93,085 93,325 93,564 93,804 4573 2412 94,043 94,286 94,530 94,773 95,016 95,260 95,503 95,746 95,989 96,233 4574 2455 96,476 96,723 96,971 97,219 97,466 97,714 97,962 98,209 98,457 98,704 4575 2498 98,953 99,203 99,459 99,706 99,957 100,209 100,460 100,711 100,962 101,214 4576 2529 101,465 101,719 101,974 102,228 102,483 102,757 102,991 103,246 103,500 103,755 4577 2560 104,009 104,267 104,524 104,782 105,039 105,297 105,554 105,812 106,069 106,327 4578 2591 106,584 106,845 107,105 107,366 107,626 107,887 108,148 108,408 108,669 108,929 4579 2622 109,190 109,454 109,717 109,981 110,245 110,509 110,772 111,036 111,300 111,563 4580 2653 111,827 112,094 112,361 112,628 112,895 113,162 113,428 113,695 113,962 114,229 4581 2680 114,494 114,763 115,033 115,302 115,571 115,840 116,110 116,379 116,648 116,918 4582 2707 117,187 117,456 117,726 117,994 118,264 118,533 118,803 119,072 119,341 119,611 4583 2735 119,908 120,183 120,458 120,732 121,007 121,282 121,557 121,832 122,106 122,381 4584 2762 122,656 122,934 123,211 123,489 123,766 124,044 124,322 124,599 124,877 125,154 4585 2789 125,432 125,712 125,992 126,272 126,552 126,832 127,113 127,393 127,673 127,953 4586 2813 128,233 128,515 128,798 129,080 129,363 129,645 129,928 130,210 130,493 130,775 4587 2838 131,058 131,343 131,628 131,913 132,198 132,483 132,768 133,053 133,338 133,623 4588 2862 133,908 134,195 134,483 134,770 135,058 135,345 135,633 135,920 136,208 136,495 4589 2887 136,783 137,073 137,363 137,653 137,943 138,232 138,522 138,812 139,102 139,392 4590 2911 139,682 139,974 140,266 140,558 140,850 141,142 141,435 141,727 142,019 142,311 4591 2931 142,603 142,897 143,191 143,485 143,779 144,073 144,367 144,662 144,956 145,250 4592 2952 145,544 145,840 146,136 146,433 146,729 147,025 147,321 147,617 147,914 148,210 4593 2972 148,506 148,804 149,103 149,401 149,699 149,997 150,296 150,594 150,892 151,191 4594 2993 151,489 151,789 152,090 152,390 152,690 152,990 153,291 153,591 153,891 154,192 4595 3013 154,492 154,794 155,097 155,399 155,701 156,003 156,306 156,608 156,910 157,213 4596 3033 157,515 157,819 158,123 158,428 158,732 159,036 159,340 159,644 159,949 160,253 4597 3052 160,557 160,863 161,170 161,476 161,782 161,088 162,395 162,701 163,007 163,314 4598 3072 163,620 163,928 164,236 164,544 164,852 165,160 165,469 165,777 166,085 166,393 4599 3091 166,701 167,011 167,321 167,631 167,941 168,251 168,562 168,872 169,182 169,492 4600 3111 169,802 170,114 170,426 170,738 171,050 171,361 171,673 171,985 172,297 172,609 4601 3127 172,921 173,234 173,548 173,861 174,175 174,488 174,801 175,115 175,428 175,742 4602 3142 176,055 176,370 176,685 177,000 177,315 177,630 177,945 178,260 178,575 178,890 4603 3158 179,205 179,522 179,838 180,155 180,471 180,788 181,105 181,421 181,738 182,054 4604 3173 182,371 182,689 183,007 183,325 183,643 183,961 184,280 184,598 184,916 185,234 4605 3189 185,552 185,572 186,191 186,511 186,830 187,150 187,470 187,789 188,109 188,428 4606 3204 188,748 189,062 189,390 189,712 190,033 190,354 190,675 190,996 191,318 191,639 4607 3219 191,960 192,283 192,605 192,928 193,251 193,573 193,896 194,219 194,542 194,864 4608 3235 195,187 195,511 195,835 196,160 196,484 196,808 197,132 197,456 197,781 198,105 4609 3250 198,429 198,755 199,081 199,406 199,732 200,058 200,384 200,710 201,035 201,361 4610 3265 201,687 202,014 202,341 202,668 202,995 203,322 203,650 203,977 204,304 204,631 4611 3278 204,958 205,286 205,615 205,943 206,672 206,600 206,929 207,257 207,586 207,914 4612 3291 208,243 208,573 208,902 209,232 209,562 209,891 210,221 210,551 210,881 211,210 4613 3303 211,540 211,871 212,202 212,533 212,864 213,194 213,525 213,856 214,187 214,518 4614 3316 214,849 215,181 215,514 215,840 216,178 216,510 216,843 217,175 217,507 217,840 4615 3329 218,172 218,506 218,839 219,173 219,506 219,840 220,174 220,507 220,841 221,174 4616 3343 221,508 221,843 222,178 222,513 222,848 223,182 223,517 223,852 224,187 224,522 4617 3356 224,857 225,193 225,530 225,866 226,202 226,539 226,875 227,211 227,547 227,884 4618 3370 228,220 228,558 228,895 229,233 229,571 229,908 230,246 230,584 230,922 231,259 4619 3383 231,597 231,936 232,275 232,614 232,953 233,292 233,631 233,970 234,309 234,648 4620 3397 234,987
Dam Construction Type:	Earth Fill
Outlet:	North Dam: Single, 48-inch pipe controlled with two 36-inch butterfly valves and slide gates.
	South Dike: Single, 54-inch diameter outlet.
Spillway:	Service spillway: 16-foot-diameter "morning glory" spill, 10-foot drop pipe, and 6.5-foot outlet pipe
	The auxiliary spillway channel is 220 feet wide, opening at a 1:1 slope to release to Piney Creek.
Flow Measurement:	Because Lake DeSmet stores water from two major drainages, flow measurement is critical to understanding how rights are stored and distributed there. Flow measurement devices are positioned on:
	the tunnel from Piney Creek north outlet pipeline from Healy Reservoir Healy outlet/inlet Shell Creek
End-of-Month Storage Records:	Yes
Water Rights:	(Source: Tabulation of Adjudicated Surface Water Rights of the State of Wyoming, Water Division Number Two, Oct. 1999 and Tipton and Kalmbach Inc.'s Level I Reconnaissance Study of Supplemental Municipal Water Supply for the City of Buffalo, Wyoming, Part I . Report, Nov. 1984.)
	Reservoir Permit Number Permitted Use Priority Date Volume (af) Headgate Location (S-T-R) Cloud Peak 65R I 07-13-1896 2720 9-51-085 Kearney Lake 962R D,I,S 11-22-1906 1854 30-52-085 Moore Res. 1300R 08-31-1906 875 23-52-082 Lake DeSmet Res 973R D,I,S 01-12-1907 25000 6-52-082 Cloud Peak Enl. 6223R I 09-28-1933 665 9-51-085 Camp Comfort Res. 7533R D,I,S,Ind 08-16-1939 11640 31-53-082 Willow Park 6408R D,I,S 08-26-1939 4132 24-52-085 Enl. Lake DeSmet Res. 5829R D,I,Ind,S 04-03-1950 30129 6-52-082 Kearney Lake Enl. 6555R I 07-14-1950 4276 29-52-085 Second Enl. Lake DeSmet Res 6225R Ind 02-02-1955 38960 31-53-082 Reynolds Box Elder Res. 6226R I,Ind,S 02-04-1955 8902 31-53-082 Third Enl. Lake DeSmet Res. 7009R I,Ind 02-25-1955 17738 31-53-082 Reynolds Shell Creek Reservoir 6227R I,Ind 03-08-1955 1304 31-53-082 Healy Reservoir 7289R D,I,Ind,Power 04-15-1957 36834 9-51-081 Enl. Reynolds Shell Creek Reservoir 7532R I,Ind,S 04-16-1957 740 31-53-082 First Enl. Healy Res. 7290R D,I,Ind,S,Rec,Power 10-14-1957 13725 31-53-083 Reynolds High Dam 7291R I,Ind,Power,S 11-13-1963 37340 31-53-082 Lower Clear Creek Res. 7292R I,Ind,Power,S 02-21-1968 11800 31-53-082 Reynolds Clear Creek Diversion Dam Res. 8729R I,Ind,S 09-28-1977 285.4 9-51-081
Designated Use:	Industrial, Irrigation, Water Supply
	Note: The largest current use is not mentioned in any official records. Nevertheless, now that the three counties own the lake, recreational uses could find official recognition.
Recreational Use:	Boating, fishing, camping
Associated Irrigation Diversions:	(Source: Carmine LoGuidice, Div. II water commissioner/hydrographer)
	Diversion Tributary Sturgis Piney Creek Senf Piney Creek Upper Flying E Piney Creek Lower Flying E Piney Creek Maverick Piney Creek Sturdevant Piney Creek W.J.D. Piney Creek Athorpe-Rodgers Piney Creek Dunlap Piney Creek Pratt & Ferris No. 1 Piney Creek Hillyer & Onslow Clear Creek Frank G. Hopkins Clear Creek L.X. Clear Creek DesMoines Clear Creek Watt Clear Creek Big Bonanza Clear Creek Roberts Clear Creek Pratt & Ferris No. 2 Clear Creek Pratt & Ferris No. 3 Clear Creek Box Elder Boxelder Creek
Associated Industrial Diversions:	None of the industrial rights permitted in Lake DeSmet are being allocated currently.
Operational Discussion:	Just less than 10,000 acre-feet are permanently contracted. Approximately 1,900 acre-feet are reserved for irrigation for Texaco's ranch lands as part of agreement with three counties.
	Leases are infrequent. Irrigators call for water three times/week during irrigation season. The operator sets the release, which is reported to the state. For special events (like Clairmont's annual Splash and Dash), the operator releases water on request.
	Lake DeSmet diverts water throughout the winter . whenever water flows in Piney Creek.
	Part of DeSmet's operation includes allowing 10 cfs to pass the Piney Creek diversion for stock water.
	According to water commissioner Carmine Loguidice, Lake DeSmet is not filled above the 213,000 acre-foot capacity because of the leakage experienced in the scoria hills on the northern side of the reservoir. He also notes that releases from the South Dike are restricted to irrigation releases to Box Elder Creek.
References:	Lake DeSmet Technical Record of Design and Construction, Tipton & Kalmbach, Inc., May 1977.
	Bruce Yates, Sheridan County granstman, interview, 26 Feb. 2001
	Carmine Loguidice, State Engineer's Office Div. 2 water commissioner, interview, 20 Feb. 2001.
	Active Dams, State Engineer's Office Safety of Dams Engineering Div. Database, transmitted by Larry Stockdale, Safety of Dams engineering consultant, 16 Feb. 2001.
	Tabulation of Adjudicated Surface Water Rights of the State of Wyoming, Water Division Number Two, Oct. 1999, database transmitted by Rebecca Mathisen, SEO Technical Services Division administrator, 8 Sept. 2000.

Tipton & Kalmbach's renderings of the dikes on the southern end of DeSmet:

Net Evaporative Loss from Lake DeSmet:

Lake DeSmet End-of-Month
Elevations of Water Surface

	Jan	Feb	Mar	Apr	May	Jun	Jul	Aug	Sep	Oct	Nov	Dec
1970
1971					4565.74	4569.44	4568.62	4566.36		4564.59	4565.85	4567.17
1972			4570.27	4571.17	4575.74	4580.05	4579.27	4577.78	4577.27	4576.35	4573.90	4573.04
1973	4573.58	4573.74	4574.11	4574.98	4577.04	4579.81	4578.98	4577.54	4576.87	4576.49	4576.90	4577.05
1974	4577.15	4577.10	4577.10	4577.28	4577.44	4577.11	4574.33	4570.20	4566.45	4565.00
1975	4565.00		4565.00							4562.64
1976						4561.97	4561.94			4557.56
1977	4559.76		4562.00	4563.00	4566.00	4574.45	4572.85	4571.67	4570.99	4571.13	4571.52	4572.16
1978	4572.69	4573.31	4574.13	4575.26	4579.84	4579.95	4579.93	4580.20		4579.40	4580.17	4581.79
1979	4583.24	4584.5	4585.16	4587.87	4590.65	4597.26	4599.71	4597.61		4596.88	4598.3	4599.81
1980	4600.83	4601.78	4602.92	4604.61	4608.5	4612	4611	4605.53	4601.76	4598.15	4594.63	4591.73
1981	4587.52	4585.22	4584.53	4584.54	4585.02	4585.28	4584.44	4582.51	4581.42	4580.95	4581.37	4582.25
1982	4583.22	4584.52	4585.5	4587.01	4589.16	4593.24	4602.82	4601.88	4601.1	4603.61	4607.48	4609.8
1983	4611.68	4612.94	4613.69	4614.35	4616.06	4618.83	4619.54	4617.63	4615.92	4615.4	4615.05	4614.78
1984	4614.74	4614.77	4614.81	4615.03	4615.58	4619.66	4619.52	4617.62	4615.69	4615.25	4614.92	4614.69
1985		4614.56	4614.53	4614.61	4614.35	4613	4610.63	4609.53	4608.47	4607.91	4607.94	4608.25
1986	4608.69	4609.1	4609.76	4611.25	4613.22	4614.62	4613.97	4611.4	4609.26	4609.07	4608.9	4608.73
1987	4608.77	4608.93	4609.52	4610.33	4612.03	4613.97	4612.41	4611.36	4610.34	4609.6	4609.45	4609.08
1988	4608.98	4609.02	4609.06	4609.31	4612.2	4612.9	4611.37	4609.39	4607.81	4607.24	4606.94	4607.01
1989	4607.05	4607.09	4607.13	4607.72	4609.61	4608.8	4609.24	4607.59	4606.42	4606.22	4606.4	4607.81
1990			4608.3	4609.1	4611.62	4612.45	4612.7	4611.39	4610.27	4609.34	4609.09	4608.83
1991	4608.76	4608.76	4608.96			4611.07	4613.19	4611.15	4609.5	4608.59
1992	4608.59	4608.38	4608.43	4608.42	4608.4	4611.2		4612.01	4611.15	4610.45	4609.9	4609.7
1993			4610.01	4609.84	4610.02	4612.08	4612.11	4610.81		4609.26		4608.75
1994	4608.69		4608.9	4609.21		4611.45	4609.21		4607.3	4606.73		4606.47
1995	4606.4		4606.91		4611.06	4612.61	4612.49	4611.75	4610.5		4609.63	4609.55
1996		4609.6		4609.97	4611.56	4612.6	4612.51	4610.51		4608.67
1997			4609	4609.5	4610.58	4612.16	4612.23	4612.62		4611.62		4611.15
1998			4611.37	4611.64		4611.7	4612.28			4610.8	4610.5	4610.45
1999	4610.33	4610.34	4610.45	4610.47	4611.01	4612.74	4612.57		4609.87	4609.3	4609.2	4609.06
Historical Ave. Elevation	4595.28	4599.65	4597.75	4599.44	4599.27	4601.16	4600.74	4599.84	4598.62	4597.24	4598.48	4599.96
Corresponding Area (acres)	3013	3091	3052	3091	3091	3127	3111	3091	3072	3052	3072	3091
Calculations:
Monthly Lewis Evap. (inches)	1.296	1.2	1.872	3.84	5.52	6.288	8.208	7.488	5.52	3.648	1.872	1.248
Monthly Precipitation (inches)	0.75	0.75	0.75	1.75	2.75	2.25	1.25	0.75	1.75	1.25	0.75	0.75
Net Evaporation (inches)	0.546	0.45	1.122	2.09	2.77	4.038	6.958	6.738	3.77	2.398	1.122	0.498	TOTAL
Total Net Evaporation (acre-feet)	137	116	285	538	714	1052	1804	1736	965	610	287	128	8,372