A basic history of and information about the North Platte River U.S. Bureau of Reclamation projects – surface irrigation, power generation and other related irrigation and power generation projects – on the North Platte River drainage. By Gary Stone, Extension Educator, Panhandle Research & Extension Center.

1. The North Platte River: Surface Water
Irrigation Projects & Power Generation
Gary Stone
Nebraska Extension Educator
University of Nebraska
gstone2@unl.edu
Panhandle Research &
Extension Center
Scottsbluff NE

2. A brief history &
general background on
the irrigation & power
generation projects
along the North Platte
River & Upper Platte
River in Nebraska &
Wyoming
Pathfinder Dam Spillway

3. Information Obtained / Interpreted From Reference Material Provided By The
US Department of the Interior / Bureau Of Reclamation
“History of the North Platte Project”
Nebraska-Wyoming, 1902-1913, Volume 1, Andrew Weiss, Project Engineer
“Project History Of The North Platte Project”
Nebraska-Wyoming, 1921, Volume 1, Andrew Weiss, Project Manager
Pathfinder Irrigation District & Goshen / Gering-Ft Laramie Irrigation District
North Platte Natural Resources District
University Of Nebraska
Nebraska Department Of Natural Resources
Central Nebraska Public Power & Irrigation District & Nebraska Public Power District
NRCS Web Soil Survey & Google Earth
And Others
Thank You!

4. This presentation will start with the upper most dam and
reservoir on the North Platte River & proceed downstream
But first, some background on Nebraska precipitation &
the location of the North Platte River Basin

5. Precipitation varies across
Nebraska, hence the need for
supplemental irrigation in the
western part of the state
Precipitation increases
approximately 1 inch for
every 25-30 miles going from
west to east across the state
There is more climate diversity
from Scottsbluff to Lincoln
than there is from Lincoln to
New York City

6. USGS National Map and NASA SRTM data
Platte River Basin Part of the Missouri River Basin

7. The North Platte & Platte River Across Nebraska
Trivia
 The name Nebraska is based on an Oto Indian word meaning “Flat Water”, or “Nebraskier” which
means “Flat River” in French
 The North Platte / Platte River across Nebraska drops on the average ~1.63 inches every 100 feet or 7.2
feet per mile
 The Great Platte River Road – “the grand corridor of America’s westward expansion”
 Both the Oregon, Mormon, California & Trapper’s Trails & Pony Express route follow the North
Platte / Platte Rivers for most of their length across Nebraska
 Over 600,000 Sandhill Cranes visit the central Platte each spring
 The North Platte River basin is ~30,900 square miles
 The North Platte River is ~716 miles in length
 North Platte River average flow rate is ~1,355 cfs or 608,124 gallons per minute

8. NebraskaWyoming
Colorado North Platte River Basin

9. Seminoe Dam, Reservoir & Powerplant
 Project Kendrick (originally Casper-Alcova)
 Construction 1936-1939 - concrete
 Total Water Storage 1,017,273 acre-feet
 Spillway Capacity 48,500 cfs
 Outlet Capacity 3,000 cfs
 Power Generation 45,000 kilowatts - Intermediate
3 x 15,000 kilowatt generators
3 x 20,800 hp turbines
 Drainage Area 7,210 square miles
 Location 42.1559°, -106.9083°

10. Seminoe Dam, Reservoir & Powerplant

11. Kortes Dam, Reservoir & Powerplant
 Project Pick-Sloan Missouri Basin Program - Kortes
 Construction 1946-1951 - concrete
 Total Water Storage 4,739 acre-feet
 Power Generation 36,000 kilowatts – Peaking / Intermediate
3 x 12,000 kilowatt generators
3 x 18,500 hp turbines
 Location 42.1740°, -106.8810°

12. Kortes Dam, Reservoir & Powerplant
US Bureau of Reclamation Image

13. Pathfinder Dam, Reservoir & Powerplant
North Platte Project (Sweetwater)
 The 1891 drought led to the
Reclamation Act of 1902
 Originally named the “Sweetwater
Project”, the dam & reservoir were
to be located at Devils Gate on
the Sweetwater River in Wyoming
 Insufficient flow of the river
prevented this
 42.446946°, -107.211867°
Image Courtesy of Pathfinder Irrigation District / US Bureau of Reclamation
Devils Gate WY

14. Pathfinder Dam, Reservoir & Powerplant
 Project North Platte (originally Sweetwater), 1903
 Construction 1905-1909 - granite block
 Total Water Storage 1,070,000 acre-feet
 Spillway Capacity 38,000 cfs
 Outlet Capacity 3,000 cfs
 Power Generation 66,800 kilowatts – Intermediate
(Fremont Canyon) 2 x 33,400 kilowatt generators
 Drainage Area 14,600 square miles
 Location 42.4679°, -106.8540°

15. Pathfinder Dam, Reservoir
Images Courtesy of Pathfinder Irrigation District / US Bureau of Reclamation
Pathfinder Dam Construction Site & Final Completed Dam

16. Pathfinder Dam, Reservoir
Images Courtesy of Pathfinder Irrigation District / US Bureau of Reclamation
Pathfinder Dam Construction

17. Pathfinder Dam, Reservoir
Images Courtesy of Pathfinder Irrigation District / US Bureau of Reclamation
Pathfinder Dam Construction

18. Pathfinder Dam, Reservoir
Image Courtesy of Pathfinder Irrigation District / US Bureau of Reclamation
Pathfinder Dam
construction completed June
14, 1909

19. Pathfinder Dike
Project North Platte (originally Sweetwater)
Construction 1909-1910 - concrete core & earth fill
Location 42.4647°, -106.8522°
Images Courtesy of Pathfinder Irrigation District /
US Bureau of Reclamation

20. Pathfinder Dam Spillway Modification - 2012
 Increased Pathfinder reservoir capacity by approximately 54,000
acre-feet, to recapture storage space lost to sediment
 A weir (Ogee) was constructed to raise the spillway 2.39 feet
 34,000 acre-feet of the capacity modification will go to the Platte
River Environmental Account
 20,000 acre-feet of the capacity modification will go to municipalities, replacement
water to meet Wyoming’s obligations under the modified decree, mitigation water for
new Wyoming depletions to satisfy the requirements of the PRRIP & additional water
for the PRRIP if Wyoming does not need the water
 The State Of Wyoming payed for the modification
 Part of the Platte River Cooperative Agreement / Recovery Program
 Both accounts carry a “Change Of Use” to the 1904 water right,
with a limitation on the ability to call for the water

21. Pathfinder Dam Spillway Modification

22. Pathfinder Dam Spillway

23. Pathfinder Dam, Dike, Spillway & Reservoir
Pathfinder Dike
Pathfinder Spillway
Modification Site
R.D. Dirmeyer Photo 11-02-1949
Spillway Direction Of Flow

24. Pathfinder Dam, Reservoir
North Platte Project:
Supplies water to
~332,892 acres
full & supplemental irrigation
service

25. Alcova Dam, Reservoir & Powerplant
 Project Kendrick (originally Casper-Alcova)
 Construction 1935-1938 - zoned earth fill
 Total Water Storage 184,405 acre-feet
 Spillway Capacity 55,000 cfs
 Outlet Capacity 2,950 cfs
 Power Generation 41,400 kilowatts
(1955) 2 x 20,700 kilowatt generators
2 x 26,500 hp turbines
 Drainage Area 65 square miles
 Location 42.5482°, -106.7202°

26. Alcova Dam, Reservoir & Powerplant
US Bureau of Reclamation Image

27. Gray Reef Dam & Reservoir
 Project Pick-Sloan Missouri Basin Program - Glendo
 Construction 1959-1961 - earth fill
 Total Water Storage 1,800 acre-feet
 Spillway Capacity 20,000 cfs
 Power Generation None
 Drainage Area 11,000 square miles
 Location 42.5653°, -106.7017°

28. Gray Reef Dam & Reservoir
US Bureau of Reclamation Image

29. Dave Johnson Power Plant, Glenrock, WY
 Owned by PacifiCorp
(Berkshire Hathaway)
 Coal-fired
 Uses North Platte River
water for cooling
 42.8378833°
-105.778083°

30. Glendo Dam, Reservoir & Powerplant
 Project Pick-Sloan Missouri Basin Program - Glendo
Flood Control Act 1944, reauthorized 1954
 Construction 1955-1958 - zoned earth fill
 Total Water Storage 1,092,290 acre-feet
Irrigation & Power 454,337 acre-feet
Flood Control 271,917 acre-feet
Surcharge Capacity 329,251 acre-feet
Sediment 115,000 acre-feet
Wyoming & Nebraska Irrigation, annually 40,000 acre-feet
 Spillway Capacity 10,335 cfs
 Outlet Capacity 13,000 cfs

31. Glendo Dam, Reservoir & Powerplant
 Project Pick-Sloan Missouri Basin Program - Glendo
Flood Control Act 1944, reauthorized 1954
 Power Generation 38,000 kilowatts – Intermediate
2 x 12,000 kilowatt generators
 Drainage Area 4,300 square miles
 Location 42.4791°, -104.9506°

32. Glendo Dam, Reservoir & Powerplant
US Bureau of Reclamation Image

33. Glendo Dam, Reservoir & Powerplant
Glendo Power Plant

34. Guernsey Dam, Reservoir & Powerplant
 Project North Platte (originally Sweetwater), 1903
 Construction 1925-1927 - earth fill, rock riprap overlay
 Total Water Storage 73,810 acre-feet, reduced by silt deposits to
45,612 acre-feet, current
 Spillway Capacity 52,000 cfs
 Power Generation 6,400 kilowatts – Intermediate
(1925-1928) 2 x 3,200 kilowatt generators
 Drainage Area 2,145 square miles
 Location 42.2902°, -104.7640°

35. Guernsey Dam, Reservoir & Powerplant
US Bureau of Reclamation Image

36. Whalen Diversion Dam
 Project North Platte (originally Sweetwater), 1903
 Construction 1909 - concrete ogee weir
 Location 42.2480°, -104.6292°
Water diversion dam for the Pathfinder Irrigation District (on north side of the
North Platte River) and the Goshen / Gering-Fort Laramie Irrigation Districts (on
south side of the North Platte River)

37. Whalen Diversion Dam
 Project North Platte (originally Sweetwater), 1903
 Construction 1909 - concrete ogee weir
 Location 42.2480°, -104.6292°
 Pathfinder (Interstate) Canal 2,100 cfs, 95 miles long
High-Line Canal 160 cfs, 35 miles long
Low-Line Canal 430 cfs, 43 miles long
 Goshen/Gering-Fort Laramie Canal – 1,500 cfs, 129 miles long
 Northport Canal 250 cfs, 27 miles long
(Water transported through 80 miles of Farmers (Tri-State) irrigation canal)

38. Whalen Diversion Dam
Initial Whalen Diversion
Dam Construction 1909
(Image Courtesy of Pathfinder Irrigation District)

39. Whalen Diversion Dam
Current Whalen
Diversion Dam

40. Whalen Diversion Dam
Pathfinder Canal
Whalen Diversion Dam
Goshen / Gering-Ft Laramie Canal
(Digital Globe Image / Tele Atlas / Google Earth)

41. Pathfinder Dam, Reservoir
Image Courtesy of Pathfinder Irrigation District
Pathfinder (Interstate)
Canal / Carriage
Construction

42. Pathfinder Dam, Reservoir
Images Courtesy of Pathfinder Irrigation District / US Bureau of Reclamation
Pathfinder (Interstate) Canal / Carriage Construction

43. Pathfinder Dam, Reservoir
Pathfinder (Interstate) Canal / Carriage Construction
Images Courtesy of Pathfinder Irrigation District / US Bureau of Reclamation

44. Pathfinder Dam, Reservoir
First Water! Pathfinder (Interstate) Canal Opening 1906
Images Courtesy of Pathfinder Irrigation District

45. Pathfinder Dam, Reservoir
First Water!
Pathfinder (Interstate) Canal
Why are they called
“Ditch Riders”?
Images Courtesy of Pathfinder Irrigation District

46. Grayrocks Dam & Reservoir – Laramie River
Laramie River Station Power Plant, Wheatland WY
 104,109 acre-feet capacity
 Uses Grayrocks Reservoir water (Laramie River – North Platte River tributary) for
cooling plus ground water
 Generates 1710 megawatts power through 3 coal-fired units
 Owned by the Missouri Basin Power Project / Basin Electric Power Cooperative
Lincoln Electric, Lincoln, NE – Coop member
 Location Dam 42.16834°, -104.69443°
Power Plant 42.109018°, -104.882398°

47. Inland Lakes - Lake Alice Number 1 Dam & Reservoir
 Project North Platte (originally Sweetwater), 1903
(Lake Alice Reservoir)
 Construction 1910 - 1912 - earth fill
 Total Water Storage 15,289 acre-feet
 Spillway Capacity 4,870 cfs
 Drainage Area 20.5 square miles
 Location 41.9889°, -103.6283°

48. Inland Lakes - Lake Alice Number 1 and 1 Half Dam
 Project North Platte (originally Sweetwater), 1903
(Lake Alice Reservoir)
 Construction 1910 - 1911 - earth fill
 Drainage Area 20.5 square miles
 Location 41.9828°, -103.5970°

49. Inland Lakes - Lake Alice Number 2 Dam
 Project North Platte (originally Sweetwater), 1903
 Construction 1908 - 1909 - earth fill
 Outlet Capacity 475 cfs
 Drainage Area 3.0 square miles
 Location 41.9623003°, -103.57258°

50. Inland Lakes - Lake Minatare Dam & Reservoir
 Project North Platte (originally Sweetwater), 1903
 Construction 1909 - earth fill
 Total Water Storage 63,571 acre-feet
 Spillway Capacity 1,020 cfs
 Outlet Capacity 880 cfs
 Location 41.9181°, -103.4925°

51. Inland Lakes
Big Lake Alice
Little Lake Alice
Winters Creek Lake
Lake Minatare
Google Earth Image

52. North Platte (Sweetwater) Project
 1902 – Federal Reclamation Act Passed
 1903 – North Platte (Sweetwater) Project authorized
 1905-1925 – Construction completed on Pathfinder Dam & Interstate Canal
 1918 – Northport Canal system started
 1925-1927 – Guernsey Dam & powerplant authorized, construction started
& completed

53. North Platte (Sweetwater) Project
 The North Platte Project extends 111 miles along the North Platte River Valley from
Guernsey, WY to Bridgeport, NE
 Provides full and supplemental irrigation service to approximately 336,000
acres
 Project has 4 irrigation districts
5 storage dams
4 diversion dams
1 pumping plant
Approximately 2,000 miles of canals, laterals & drains
1 hydro powerplant
 Uses Irrigation, power generation, flood control, recreation,
sediment retention & pollution abatement, endangered species,
fish & wildlife habitat

54. North Platte Dams & Reservoirs
Pathfinder
Alcova & Gray Reef
Seminoe & Kortes
Glendo
Guernsey
Greyrocks
Inland Lakes
McConaughy & Ogallala

55. U.S. Bureau of
Reclamation
“Teacup Model” for
the North
Platte River basin
reservoirs in
Wyoming

56. Kendrick (Casper-Alcova) Project
 1935 – Kendrick (Casper-Alcova) Project authorized
 1935-1938 – Construction completed on Alcova Dam
 1936-1939 – Construction completed on Seminoe Dam & powerplant
 1939 – First power delivery from Seminoe powerplant
 1950 – Alcova powerplant construction authorized
 1955 – First power delivery form Alcova powerplant

57. Kendrick (Casper-Alcova) Project
 The Casper Canal is 59 miles long, has 190 miles of laterals & sub-laterals,
& 41 miles of drains
 Provides service to approximately 22,581 acres
 Project has 1 irrigation district
2 storage dams
1 hydro powerplant
 Uses Irrigation, power generation, flood control, recreation,
sediment retention & pollution abatement, endangered species,
fish & wildlife habitat

58. Pick-Sloan Missouri Basin Program
(Missouri River Basin Project)
 1944 – Authorized under the Flood Control Act
 1946 – Flood Control Act authorized additional appropriations
 Power generation systems of the Colorado Big Thompson, Kendrick, Shoshone &
North Platte Projects have been integrated with the Pick-Sloan
Missouri Basin Program for the purpose of marketing power produced from these
projects
 Uses Irrigation, power generation, flood control, recreation,
sediment retention & pollution abatement, endangered species,
fish & wildlife habitat

59. Pick-Sloan Missouri Basin Program
(Missouri River Basin Project)
 Projects Gray Reef Dam
Glendo Dam, reservoir & powerplant
Fremont Canyon powerplant (Pathfinder Dam)

60. North Platte River Basin Projects
How Is It Allocated?
 It’s Complicated!
 Decrees, agreements & laws governing water rights
 Use & quantity are allocated for certain defined purposes:
 A priority basis – “First in Time, First in Right”
 A proportionate share basis
Natural flow – 25% Wyoming, 75% Nebraska
Storage – 18% Wyoming, 82% Nebraska
 A geographical source basis
(Paul Stanton Image)

61. North Platte River Basin Projects
What Is It All Used For?
 Irrigation
 Hydroelectric power generation
 Potential for water to pass through
6 hydro plants in Wyoming &
6 hydro plants in Nebraska
 Flood control
 Recreation
 Municipal & industrial water supplies
 Sediment retention & pollution abatement
 Endangered species, fish & wildlife habitat

62. North Platte River Basin Projects
Who Runs The Show?
 For USBR projects water right holders & hydroelectric power generation:
Bureau Of Reclamation
Great Plains Region, Wyoming Area Office
Mills Wyoming
 For The State Of Wyoming:
The Wyoming State Engineers Office
Cheyenne Wyoming
Surface & ground Water

63. North Platte River Basin Projects
Who Runs The Show?
For the State of Nebraska:
 Nebraska Department of Natural Resources
State controlled surface water rights, some ground water,
Prior appropriation rights - “First in time, First in right”
Exceptions / Priority Basis:
 #1 - Domestic Use
 #2 - Agricultural Use
 #3 - Manufacturing Use
 23 Nebraska Natural Resource Districts
Ground water only, correlative rights - “Share And Share Alike”

64. North Platte River Basin Projects Irrigation
Irrigation
 North Platte Project ~ 332,892 acres, full & supplemental irrigation service
 Kendrick Project ~22,581 acres

65. North Platte River Basin Projects
Other Power Generation
 Lake McConaughy & Kingsley Dam & hydro power plant
 Authorized 1935 by the Public Works Administration
 Owned by Central Nebraska Public Power & Irrigation District
 1,900,600 acre-feet capacity

66. North Platte River Basin Projects
Other Power Generation
 Gerald Gentleman Station, Sutherland, NE
 Owned by Nebraska Public Power District
 Nebraska’s largest power plant
 Coal-fired, uses North & South Platte River water for cooling plus
well field water

67. North Platte River Basin Projects Power Generation
Power Generation
(Western Area Power Administration)
 Guernsey - completed 1928 - 6,400 kW - Intermediate
 Alcova - completed 1938 - 41,400 kW - Peaking
 Seminoe - completed 1939 - 45,000 kW - Intermediate
 Kortes - completed 1951 - 36,000 kW - Peaking / Intermediate
 Glendo - completed 1958 - 38,000 kW - Seasonal / Intermediate
 Fremont Canyon - completed 1961 - 66,800 kW - Intermediate

68. North Platte River Basin Projects Power Generation
Other Power Generation
 Dave Johnston - 816.8 mW
 Grayrocks / Laramie River Station - 1,660 mW
 McConaughy / Kingsley Dam - 50,000 kW
 Gerald Gentleman Station - 1,365 mW
 Lake Maloney / North Platte Hydro - 24,000 kW
 Jeffery Lake - 20mW
 Johnson Lake No. 1 - 20 mW
 Johnson Lake No. 2 - 23 mW
 Canaday - 109 mW
 Kearney Hydro - 1490 kW

69. North Platte River Project
Trouble!
Pathfinder Dam, Dike & Reservoir
 From the middle & to the end of June 1909, water in the reservoir
rose four feet per day
 Run-off was a million acre-feet above the average
 Dynamite was placed in the dam to blow the top 40 feet off,
to prevent the unfinished dike from washing out
 A 1949 regrouting project on Pathfinder Dam’s downstream face revealed five
sealed drill holes loaded with live dynamite!
 After the 1909 spring flood, no-one went back to remove the dynamite
 The dynamite was neutralized & safely removed

70. North Platte River Project
Trouble!
Pathfinder Dam Tragedy
 Various injuries occurred during construction of Pathfinder Dam
 After completion of the dam; on February 9, 1912 construction work on the
concrete ladder located on the south wall of the canyon was taking place
 Three anchor cables broke for the main cableway
 The main cable swept 5 men off the top of the canyon to their deaths
 The coroner’s jury / inquest determined the accident was unavoidable &
was not caused by carelessness or negligence of anyone

71. North Platte River Project
Trouble!
Goshen / Gering-Ft Laramie Canal Tunnel Collapse & Canal Breach
 The Goshen/Gering-Ft Laramie Canal is the major water delivery canal on
the south side of the North Platte River for Nebraska & Wyoming irrigators
 The collapse of tunnel number 2 on the Goshen / Gering-Ft Laramie canal
occurred July 17, 2019
 The result of the collapse caused a backup of the water in the canal and a
breach of the canal upstream of the tunnel entrance
 From the time the tunnel collapsed, it is estimated it was ~ 6 minutes
until the canal breach occurred

72. North Platte River Project
Trouble!
Goshen / Gering-Ft Laramie Canal Tunnel Collapse & Canal Breach
 The loss of water affected ~ 107,000 acres in the North Platte Valley or ~
35% of the irrigated cropland
 Approximately 55,000 acres of cropland were affected in Nebraska
 Approximately 52,000 acres of cropland were affected in Wyoming
 The tunnel is part of the North Platte River Project carriage system and was
constructed by the Bureau of Reclamation in 1917
 There are three tunnels on Goshen / Gering-Ft Laramie Canal carriage system, two
are in Wyoming and one is in Nebraska

73. North Platte River Project
Photos by Justin Burkart, Goshen Emergency Management
Tunnel Number 2 Collapse & Canal Breach

74. North Platte River Project
Trouble!
Goshen / Gering-Ft Laramie Canal Tunnel Collapse & Canal Breach
 Water was out of the canal for 44 days
 The loss of water was at a critical period for crop development
 Major crops affected were corn, sugar beets, dry edible beans, alfalfa
and other forage crops
 Estimated economic loss at the time was ~ 89 million dollars
 Temporary repairs were made to the tunnel & the canal breach repaired
 Irrigators were able to take water the first part of September 2019

75. North Platte River Project
Tunnel Number 2 & Canal Breach Repairs

76. North Platte River Project
Photos by Rick Preston, Gering-Ft Laramie Irrigation District
Tunnel Number 2 Repairs

77. North Platte River Project
First Water Back In Canal - August 29, 2019

78. North Platte River Project
First Water Back In Canal - August 29, 2019

79. North Platte River Project
Trouble!
Goshen / Gering-Ft Laramie Canal Tunnel Collapse & Canal Breach
 Multiple Federal, State and County agencies were involved with
the disaster
 North Platte Valley communities in Nebraska & Wyoming joined
together to help with the situation
 Nebraska Extension & the University of Wyoming Extension cooperated with
disaster relief information and meetings for affected growers &
land owners

80. North Platte River Project
Trouble!
Goshen / Gering-Ft Laramie Canal Tunnel Collapse & Canal Breach
 Temporary repairs were made to tunnel number 2 to allow irrigation water to
flow
 The two irrigation districts will conduct repair & upgrades for the three
tunnels
 Historical sites and surrounding areas limit the repair & upgrade options
 Funding for the upgrades and repairs is a major consideration

81. North Platte River ProjectWhalen Diversion Dam
Tunnel #1
Tunnel #2
North Platte River

82. Tunnel #2 Entrance
Tunnel #2 Exit
North Platte River
Canal Breach
GID Canal
Tunnel #2 Collapse Site

83. North Platte River Project
More information on the tunnel collapse and canal breach can
be found at:
https://cropwatch.unl.edu/tags/canal-irrigation
And
https://extension.unl.edu/statewide/panhandle/canal-break/

84. https://www.usbr.gov/gp/hydromet/teacup_form.html
US Bureau of Reclamation web site for “Teacup Models” for different river drainages. Select “North Platte Basin” from the drop
down box & then click the “Select” tab. This will give you the reservoirs in the upper North Platte drainage, their inflows,
outflows & current capacities; from the North Platte River flow at Sinclair, WY to the Whalen Diversion Dam, WY.
https://waterdata.usgs.gov/ne/nwis/rt
USGS web site is for real-time stream / river flows for the State Of Nebraska. You can select other states from the drop down box in
the upper right-hand corner of the web page. Select one of the markers from the map and click on it to get the stream flow for
that site.
http://www.wrds.uwyo.edu/wrds/nrcs/snowprec/snowprec.html
University Of Wyoming WRDS / USDA NRCS web site for the snowpack levels in different drainages across Wyoming. Look for
the Upper & Lower North Platte River, Sweetwater & Laramie River drainages.
https://www.usbr.gov/gp/lakes_reservoirs/wareprts/wygraph1.html
US Bureau of Reclamation web site showing the Snow Water Content for the Upper North Platte River (Seminoe)
& the Lower North Platte River (Glendo). Click on the charts for a larger view.
https://txpub.usgs.gov/DSS/streamer/web/
USGS Streamer web site allows you to trace America’s larger streams upstream to their source or downstream to where
they empty.
More Information Sources

85. The mention of trade names or commercial products is solely for the information of the
reader / listener and does not constitute an endorsement or recommendation for the use
by the authors or the University of Nebraska – Lincoln Extension.
Extension is a Division of the Institute of Agriculture and Natural Resources at
the University of Nebraska-Lincoln cooperating with the counties and the
U.S. Department of Agriculture.
University of Nebraska-Lincoln Extension educational programs abide with
the non-discrimination policies of the University of Nebraska-Lincoln and
the United States Department of Agriculture.

86. North Platte River flooding at Scottsbluff, NE;
prior to the Construction of Glendo Dam
THANK YOU!
Gary Stone
Nebraska Extension Educator
University of Nebraska
Panhandle Research & Extension Center
Scottsbluff Nebraska
gstone2@unl.edu
http://panhandle.unl.edu/