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This is a digital document from the collections of the Wyoming Water Resources Data System (WRDS) Library. For additional information about this document and the document conversion process, please contact WRDS at [email protected] and include the phrase “Digital Documents” in your subject heading. To view other documents please visit the WRDS Library online at: http://library.wrds.uwyo.edu Mailing Address: Water Resources Data System University of Wyoming, Dept 3943 1000 E University Avenue Laramie, WY 82071 Physical Address: Wyoming Hall, Room 249 University of Wyoming Laramie, WY 82071 Phone: (307) 766-6651 Fax: (307) 766-3785 Funding for WRDS and the creation of this electronic document was provided by the Wyoming Water Development Commission (http://wwdc.state.wy.us) Meeks Cabin Dam Enlargement, Level II Study Executive Summary Wyoming Water Development Commission June 30, 2017 Project # 376-002-001 SUBMITTED BY Trihydro Corporation 1252 Commerce Drive, Laramie, WY 82070 IN ASSOCIATION WITH Hollingsworth and Associates, Inc. Engineering Analytics, Inc. 2875 W. Oxford Ave. #7 1600 Specht Point Road #209 Sheridan, CO 80110 Fort Collins, CO 80525 1252 Commerce Drive | Laramie, WY 82070 | p. 307/745.7474 | f. 307/745.7729 | trihydro.com MEEKS CABIN DAM ENLARGEMENT, LEVEL II STUDY, PHASE I EXECUTIVE SUMMARY WYOMING WATER DEVELOPMENT COMMISSION CHEYENNE, WY June 30, 2017 Project#: 376-002-001 SUBMITTED BY: Trihydro Corporation 1252 Commerce Drive, Laramie, WY 82070 IN ASSOCIATION WITH: Engineering Analytics, Inc. 1600 Specht Point Road #209, Fort Collins, CO 80525 Hollingsworth and Associates, Inc. 2875 W. Oxford Ave. #7, Sheridan, CO 80110 Table of Contents 1.0 EXECUTIVE SUMMARY ....................................................................................................... 1-1 1.1 Project Purpose and Scope ...................................................................................... 1-1 1.2 Project Findings ......................................................................................................... 1-2 1.2.1 Hydrologic Analysis ...................................................................................... 1-2 1.2.2 Purpose and Need ........................................................................................ 1-3 1.2.3 Potential Storage Alternatives ...................................................................... 1-3 1.2.4 Preferred Alternatives ................................................................................... 1-5 1.2.4.1 Meeks Cabin Dam Enlargement ................................................... 1-5 1.2.4.2 Stateline Reservoir Enlargement .................................................. 1-7 1.2.5 Economic Analysis ........................................................................................ 1-8 1.2.5.1 Benefit and Cost Comparison ....................................................... 1-9 1.2.5.2 Financing Under WWDC Guidelines............................................. 1-9 1.2.5.3 Ability to Pay Analysis ................................................................. 1-10 1.3 Recommendations .................................................................................................. 1-11 M:\GovState\WyoWaterDvlpComm\ProjectDocs\MeeksCabin\Level_II_Study\Reports\FINAL_PhaseISummary\_ExecutiveSummary\1_Text\201706_MeeksPh1ES_RPT.docx List of Tables ES-1. Summary of Estimated Costs for Top Ranked Alternatives ES-2. Financing under WWDC Guidelines M:\GovState\WyoWaterDvlpComm\ProjectDocs\MeeksCabin\Level_II_Study\Reports\FINAL_PhaseISummary\_ExecutiveSummary\1_Text\201706_MeeksPh1ES_RPT.docx List of Figures ES-1. Blacks Fork Watershed Location and Vicinity ES-2. Level II Study Potential Storage Sites ES-3. Preferred Alternatives M:\GovState\WyoWaterDvlpComm\ProjectDocs\MeeksCabin\Level_II_Study\Reports\FINAL_PhaseISummary\_ExecutiveSummary\1_Text\201706_MeeksPh1ES_RPT.docx 1.0 EXECUTIVE SUMMARY The Blacks Fork River Watershed (Watershed) above its confluence with Muddy Creek encompasses approximately 881 square miles in southwest Wyoming and northeast Utah (Figure ES-1). The Watershed experiences substantial spring runoff from snowmelt originating in the Uinta Mountains in Utah, which feeds the Blacks Fork and Smiths Fork Rivers, which combine downstream to become the Blacks Fork River and ultimately joining the Green River in Flaming Gorge Reservoir. In 1919, local landowners and agency groups identified the need for additional irrigation water. After multiple studies, the Bureau of Reclamation (Reclamation) authorized the Lyman Project as one of the initial participating projects of the Colorado River Storage Project. The Lyman Project’s primary structures are Meeks Cabin Dam on the Blacks Fork and Stateline Dam, on the East Fork of Smiths Fork River. Stateline Dam is located in Utah. The Lyman Project, through the use of both reservoirs, regulates the Blacks Fork and Smiths Fork Rivers’ flow for irrigation, municipal and industrial use, fish and wildlife conservation, and recreation. The Lyman Project provides supplemental irrigation water to approximately 78,000 acres of Lyman Project and Lyman non-Project lands. Water shortages are observed during the late season irrigation period and result in fields that cannot be irrigated. The Meeks Cabin Dam Enlargement, Level II, Phase I Storage Study (Project) was undertaken by the Wyoming Water Development Commission (WWDC) to evaluate opportunities to develop water storage within the Blacks Fork and Smiths Fork River Basins (Basin) that will benefit Wyoming and its residents by addressing the late-season water shortages evidenced in the Watershed. This Executive Summary presents the Project purpose, findings, cost estimates, and recommendations. More detail on the Project is included in the Meeks Cabin Dam Enlargement, Level II Study Phase I Final Summary Report, dated June 30, 2017. 1.1 PROJECT PURPOSE AND SCOPE The Uinta County Conservation District (District) requested a watershed study be completed in 2013 to provide baseline information from which the District could pursue implementation of management practices that address natural resources, including surface-water storage within the Basin. In June 2013, the WWDC contracted with Anderson Consulting Engineers, Inc. (ACE) to complete the Level I Study. The purpose of the Level I Study was to evaluate and describe the Watershed and to develop a Watershed Management Plan. Through the course of the Level I Study, ACE and the Wyoming Water Development Office (WWDO) developed recommendations for irrigation system M:\GovState\WyoWaterDvlpComm\ProjectDocs\MeeksCabin\Level_II_Study\Reports\FINAL_PhaseISummary\_ExecutiveSummary\1_Text\201706_MeeksPh1ES_RPT.docx 1-1 Copyright:© 2013 National Geographic Society, i-cubed Lincoln Granger )"«¬375 L County it tl e M L 30 uddy Creek ittle M ¤£ uddy Creek Mu ddy Creek «¬374 ash s W 412 ring Sp «¬ w do ea ¤£189 M ek Muddy Cre k e re C ert Alb cksF ork Bla ¨¦§80 «¬413 )" Lyman Sweetwater County Uinta County ith Sm s Fork k reek ree )" Big Dry C e C mil 411 Mountain ek ree «¬ Cre Th ry View D e tl it k L k r r o o F F hs s it ck m la S B «¬410 k e re C y 414 d «¬ d u M t s e W k k e r e o r F C k s e e th s e i r Cr o w m llo S H i k ek W r re o C rk F r o e H s F t y v enr s a e e W B W Y O M I N G k e e ek r U T A H re C C r r ve e a av e e B k B r k k o r r s F o o ck F F la t e kB s dl r e id o W M F k t or e s F Daggett W s y Summit County r County en H k r o F s h t i m S k k r r o o F F t s s k c a a l E B k r o F Ea st Uintah County Duchesne County W Y O M I N G UPPER BLACKS FORK WATERSHED 7 !. EXPLANATION Evanston Rock Springs !. !. Cheyenne Lyman !. )" TOWNS INTERSTATE HIGHWAY STATE/FEDERAL HIGHWAY FIGURE ES-1 RIVERS & STREAMS BLACKS FORK WATERSHED UPPER BLACKS FORK WATERSHED LOCATION AND VICINITY BVWCD BOUNDARY 1252 Commerce Drive Laramie, WY 82070 MEEKS CABIN DAM ENLARGEMENT LEVEL II STUDY COUNTY BOUNDARY 0 5Miles www.trihydro.com (P) 307/745.7474 (F) 307/745.7729 WYOMING WATER DEVELOPMENT COMMISSION STATE BOUNDARIES Drawn By: DRT Checked By: BR Scale: 1" = 5 Miles Date: 6/26/17 File: FigES-1_LocationandVicinity.mxd conservation and rehabilitation, livestock and/or wildlife upland watering opportunities, surface-water storage opportunities, grazing-management opportunities, other upland-management opportunities, and stream rehabilitation. ACE also concluded that reservoir enlargement might be the most feasible means of providing reliable sources of late season irrigation water (ACE 2015). ACE identified 12 potential storage sites in the Basin capable of storing available water during the spring and releasing flows later in the water year. Based on the findings of the Level I Study relative to potential late-season shortages and early-season water availability, the Bridger Valley Water Conservancy District (BVWCD, Level II Project Sponsors) applied for a Level II, Phase I feasibility study. This application was successful and funding was approved by the 2015 Wyoming Legislature for the Meeks Cabin Dam Enlargement, Level II Study. The scope of this Project is focused on estimating potential water shortages, estimating flows available for storage, investigating and evaluating potential storage locations, and assessing the capability of the highest-ranked storage locations to meet water shortages and provide other Watershed benefits (e.g., increasing late-season stream flows, enhancing habitat, and providing recreational opportunities, among others). 1.2 PROJECT FINDINGS 1.2.1 HYDROLOGIC