Missouri Headwaters Basin Study Issues and Potential Adaptation Strategies Irrigation in the Missouri Headwaters
Lower Ruby Valley Landsat composite image with irrigated lands delineated Source: Montana State Water Plan Irrigation Changes
Flood Irrigation
Sprinkler Irrigation Irrigation Water Use Schematic About 22% ditch loss Potential New Irrigation Development
• Basin Closures – Missouri Basin above Great Falls – Teton River Basin • Water Contracting – Canyon Ferry Reservoir – Tiber Reservoir • Water Reservations – Up to about 18,000 acres mostly below Great Falls 20,000 – 40,000 acres Measures for Evaluating Impacts and Adaptation Strategies • Irrigation deliveries – Average annual – Wet years – Dry years • Irrigation shortages • Irrigation consumptive use • Irrigation allotments Hydropower
Black Eagle Dam and Falls Source: Montana State Water Plan Turnbull Project GID: 13 MW Tiber Dam: 7.5 MW
About 418 MW total
Source: Montana State Water Plan Missouri River below Holter Dam Normal Range of Flow 20,000
18,000 Highest Year in 10 16,000 Middle Year 14,000 Lowest Year in 10 12,000
10,000 Turbine Capacity at Holter Dam 8,000
6,000
4,000 FlowCubic in Feet Per Second 2,000
0 1-Jan 1-Feb 1-Mar 1-Apr 1-May 1-Jun 1-Jul 1-Aug 1-Sep 1-Oct 1-Nov 1-Dec Measures for Evaluating Impacts and Adaptation Strategies
• Total Hydropower Production – Average annual – Wet years – Dry years • Headwaters Benefits Changes Ecological Fish and Wildlife Habitat Endangered and Threatened Species Missouri River at Fort Benton Pre-Post Canyon Ferry Comparison 25,000
20,000 Before Canyon Ferry Reservoir
After Canyon Ferry Reservoir 15,000
10,000
5,000 FlowCubic in Feet Per Second
0 1-Jan 1-Feb 1-Mar 1-Apr 1-May 1-Jun 1-Jul 1-Aug 1-Sep 1-Oct 1-Nov 1-Dec Big Hole River
Mike Roberts Arctic grayling
Recreation
Riparian and Aquifer Recharge Snow Carrot Basin SNOTEL Site Normal Snow Water Equivalents (1981-2010 data) 35
30
25
20
15 Inches 10
5
0 1-Jan 1-Feb 1-Mar 1-Apr 1-May 1-Jun 1-Jul 1-Aug 1-Sep
Madison Range, Gallatin River Watershed: 9,000 feet Average Annual Precipitation: 43 inches Missouri River at Toston Date of Peak Flow (1955-2012) 30
25
20
15
10 Number of Years
5
0 April May 1-15 May 16-31 June 1-15 June 16-30 Measures for Evaluating Impacts and Adaptation Strategies
• Flow Distributions – Monthly – Daily – Percentile • Date of flow peak or flow volume centroid • Percent of time minimum instream flows are equaled or exceeded (Murphy Rights, Water Reservations) • Percent exceedance of high and low flow conditions at various locations – 7- day minimum flow – 7- day maximum flow
Reservoirs Canyon Ferry Reservoir
Photos from U.S. Bureau of Reclamation Canyon Ferry Reservoir Storage Through Time 2,500,000
Replacement and Flood Control Zone
2,000,000 Feet
- 1,500,000
Joint Use Zone 27 feet
1,000,000
Storage in Acre Active Conservation Zone
500,000
0 54 56 58 60 62 64 66 68 70 72 74 76 78 80 82 84 86 88 90 92 94 96 98 00 02 04 06 08 10 12 ------Jan Jan Jan Jan Jan Jan Jan Jan Jan Jan Jan Jan Jan Jan Jan Jan Jan Jan Jan Jan Jan Jan Jan Jan Jan Jan Jan Jan Jan Jan
Gibson Reservoir Near the End of the Irrigation Season Sun River
Ruby Reservoir Measures for Evaluating Impacts and Adaptation Strategies
• Percent exceedance of identified reservoir elevations – Recreation targets – Flood control pool – Others • End of September storage
Municipal, Domestic and Industrial Water Use
Rocky Boy’s North Central Montana Regional Water Project Potential Service Areas Federal Reserved Water Rights Groundwater Recharge Associated with Irrigation
Summer water table
Irrigation Ditch
Flint Creek
Winter water table Saturated zone
Bdrx Potential Effect to Streamflow Associated with Groundwater Pumping