Document Type

Thesis - Open Access

Award Date

1974

Degree Name

Master of Science (MS)

Department / School

Economics

Abstract

Studies have been made on the feasibility and cost of diverting water both within and to Northeastern Wyoming. Estimates -for diverting water from the Powder River, including Crazy Woman and Clear Creeks, to the Gillette (Campbell County) area range from an annual water supply of 251,000 to 53,000 acre-feet, with dam construction costs of 6 to 59 million dollars. The annual water costs per acre-foot for delivery from the reservoirs to Gillette range from 76 to 99 dollars. Presumably the water would be taken from the unused and unappropriated water supply. Estimates for diverting water from the Tongue River for industrial use in Sheridan County range from an annual water supply of 38,000 to 88,000 acre-feet, with dam construction costs of 11 to 30 million dollars. The annual water costs per acre-foot at the reservoirs range from 10 to 48 dollars. Again, presumably the water would be taken from the unused and unappropriated water supply. Proposals to divert water from Montana (the Bighorn River) and Southwest Wyoming (the Green River) to Gillette would supply from 135,000 to 239,000 acre-feet of water per year. Dam construction costs range from 240 to 334 million dollars. The annual water costs per acre-foot for delivery to Gillette range from 108 to 132 dollars. One alternative for supplying Northeastern Wyoming with enough water to meet its industrial requirements is that of diverting water within the area from agriculture to industry on the basis of equal marginal costs of diversion, The purpose of this paper is to present the opportunity costs of diverting water from agriculture to industry.

Library of Congress Subject Headings

Industrial water supply -- Wyoming

Format

application/pdf

Number of Pages

45

Publisher

South Dakota State University

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