WWRC 83-13
Water Resource Development Impacts in the Green River Drainage of Wyoming
Introduction
The Green River drainage in Wyoming
contains large deposits of oil shale,
tar sands, crude oil, coal and natural
gas that are used to produce refined
petroleum products, natural and
synthetic gas and electrical power.
Agriculture is the predominant consumer
of water in the area, accounting for
over 90 percent of the total depletions.
With new energy projects and the
associated growth of population and
affluence, the demand for water is
expected to increase. Future anticipated
energy development and production
in the energy rich areas of the
basin may compete with agriculture for
the limited supply of water by bidding
up the price of water.
Any increase in the price of water
will give incentives in the agricultural
and energy producing sectors
of the economy to reduce present water
use through adopting water conserving
practices and by substituting other
factors for water. The United States
Water Resources Council (1978) stated
in regards to water conservation that
without intensified dedication to
careful management of water resources,
pressures from our technological
society will continue to deplete and
degrade the nation's water supply.
In economic terms, conservation is
defined as the cars and preservation
of natural resources in such a way as
to prolong and make for their most
effective use (Sloan and Zurcher,
1970). Water conservation, as defined
by the U.S. Water Resources Council,
is to avert critical water shortages
and to get the greatest use from
existing supplies by increasing the
average physical product of water
through better management and technology.
The adoption of water conservation
measures may decrease the
supply of water and/or change
the timing of supplies to the downstream
users due to reduced return
flows and/or increases in upstream
consumptive use. The return flow of
water from upstream uses is part of
the supply of water to a downstream
user. Therefore, the welfare of the
entire basin must be evaluated in
determining benefits to water conservation
measures. Water conservation
practices, in response to increases in
the price of water such as improvements
to water conveyance and application
systems, could reduce water diversions
in irrigated agriculture. These
practices are likely to increase
irrigation efficiency, but at the same
time reduce return flows. In the
energy sector, the demand for water
can be reduced by conservation measures
such as, the use of waste or brackish
water in energy development projects,
alternative methods of mining and dry
or hybrid cooling towers in power
generation. Other water conservation
practices (not available to the
private sector) include reduction of
water evaporation from reservoirs and
the consumption of water by phreatophytes
along canals and river banks.
In the long run, substitution of
capital for water can take place
through alternative water-use technologies
and conservation measures.
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