General Description

The Farwell Unit of the Pick-Sloan Missouri Basin Program lies between the North and Middle Loup Rivers in central Nebraska. The unit furnishes a full supply of water to 50,051 acres of irrigable land. Flood control, recreation, and fish and wildlife benefits also are provided. Principal features are Sherman Dam and Reservoir, Arcadia Diversion Dam, Sherman Feeder Canal, and Farwell Canals, a system of laterals, and 1 large and 37 small pumping plants.

Plan

Water from the Middle Loup River is diverted at the Arcadia Diversion Dam and conveyed by the Sherman Feeder Canal for storage in the Sherman Reservoir on Oak Creek. The Farwell Main, Central, and South Canals convey water from Sherman Dam to the irrigable area.

Unit descriptions and facilities

Arcadia Diversion Dam and Sherman Feeder Canal

Arcadia Diversion Dam is on the Middle Loup River about 8.5 miles upstream from Arcadia, Nebraska. The 7,960 foot-long dam has a height of 8 feet above streambed and a diversion capacity of 850 cubic feet per second. The dam consists of a concrete gate structure (twelve 30- by 10-foot radial gates), embankment wings, sluiceway, and diversion headworks. The sluiceway is controlled by one 14- by 10-foot radial gate, and the headworks by two 20- by 7-foot radial gates.

Sherman Feeder Canal begins at Arcadia Diversion Dam and runs in a southeasterly direction 19.1 miles to Sherman Reservoir. A 2,200-foot-long settling basin is located 0.6 mile below the Arcadia Diversion Dam on the Sherman Feeder Canal. A circular concrete-lined tunnel 2,053 feet in length and 11.5 feet in diameter conveys the water through the Middle Loup-Oak Creek Divide area.

Sherman Dam and Reservoir

Sherman Dam lies across Oak Creek, about 5 miles northeast of Loup City. The dam is a homogeneous earthfill structure with a structural height of 134 feet, a crest length of 4,450 feet, and a total volume of 1.892,000 cubic yards.

The spillway is a morning-glory type, with an uncontrolled inlet. A concrete conduit and stilling basin near the left abutment of the dam has a discharge capacity of 1.095 cubic feet per second into Oak Creek.

The irrigation outlet works are also in the left abutment. A pressure conduit, gate chamber, and horseshoe-shaped conduit containing an outlet pipe are connected to two high-pressure regulating gates in the gate structure for release to a stilling basin, which in turn supplies water to the Farwell Main Canal. Capacity of the outlet is 960 cubic feet per second.

Sherman Reservoir has a total capacity of 69,080 acre-feet, an active capacity of 58,580 acre-feet and a surface area of 2,868 acres.

Canals

The Farwell Main Canal begins at the outlet works downstream from Sherman Dam and has an initial capacity of 960 cubic feet per second. Farwell Main Canal conveys water to the irrigable lands and supplies water to the Farwell South and Farwell Central Canals. Two additional smaller canals branch from these three principal canals. The unit has a total of 114.8 miles of canals with capacities ranging from 960 to 80 cubic feet per second. Approximately 268 miles of laterals provide gravity flow distribution of irrigation water.

Pumping Plants

Thirty-eight pumping plants lift water for subsequent gravity flow to district lands. Deer Station Pumping Plant, the largest, consists of four motor-driven units with a total capacity of 27 cubic feet per second. It lifts water against a dynamic head of 106 feet to a lateral. The other pumping units are designed as lifts of from 6.7 to 53.7 feet. Each unit serves more than one water user. Two additional pumping units have been installed by the irrigation district to help meet peak supply requirements by pumping and by reclaiming project water flowing in Turkey Creek.

Development

In 1854, through treaties with the Indian tribes, land along the Missouri River was ceded to the United States, opening the way for the establishment of the Territory of Nebraska and for its admission to the Union as a State in 1867. By 1870, settlement had extended throughout most of the Platte River Valley and was reaching the Loup Valleys to the north. Howard County, which includes most of the Farwell Unit lands, was organized by act of the State legislature in 1871. Since the time of the arrival of the early settlers in the Farwell area, irrigation development has been recognized as a necessity.

Investigations

Although not broad enough to include the Farwell Unit lands, various investigations have been made since 1894 by organizations seeking irrigation development along the Middle Loup River. No attempts were made to use the waters of the river to irrigate the uplands where most of the irrigable lands are situated. The Bureau of Reclamation completed a comprehensive investigation of the unit in September 1955, which led to its authorization for construction.

Authorization

The Missouri River Basin Project was authorized by the Flood Control Act of December 22, 1944 (58 Stat. 887), as amended and supplemented. The unit was reauthorized by Public Law 952 (84th Congress) on August 3, 1956.

Construction

Construction of Sherman Dam began in August 1959, and was completed in January 1962. Construction of the Arcadia Diversion Works and Sherman Feeder Canal began in August 1960, and was completed in November 1962. Work on the distribution system started in June 1961 and was completed in August 1966.

Benefits

Lands in the unit are highly productive and the growing season ample. Principal crops irrigated are alfalfa, small grains, sugar beets, and corn to provide feed for a thriving livestock-feeding economy - beef cattle, hogs, and poultry.

Delivery of silt-free irrigation water on a contract basis to the lower system of the Middle Loup Public Power and Irrigation District alleviates diversion and sediment problems.

Recreation and Fish and Wildlife

Sherman Reservoir has 65 miles of shoreline and a surface area of 2,878 acres. Sherman Reservoir provides excellent opportunities for outdoor recreation and fish and wildlife activities. Fishing and power boating are the mainstays of this central Nebraska reservoir. High temperatures that prevail during the summer, together with the cleanliness of the fresh water in the reservoir, make the lake an attractive recreation spot. Around the lakeshore are suitable locations for picnicking, overnight camping, and cabin areas. Rugged drainage ways branch off the main reservoir body providing interesting bays and coves and outstanding fishing opportunities. Walleye fishing is good along the dam during the spring spawning run, and a few largemouth bass and many crappie can be taken in the bays, off points or in the underwater cover from midspring to early summer. During summer, white bass and catfish can be caught nearly everywhere on the lake.

Arcadia Diversion Dam is on the Middle Loup River about 8.5 miles upstream from Arcadia, Nebraska. The area is managed by the Nebraska Game & Parks Commission as a wildlife management area. The site includes 777 land acres and 109 water acres and is home to pheasant, waterfowl, deer, dove, and squirrel. Both recreation areas are managed by the Nebraska Game and Parks Department.

For specific information about any of these recreation sites, click on the name below.

Arcadia Diversion Dam
Sherman Reservoir

Flood Control

Between the Arcadia diversion site and Loup City, there are about 8,300 acres of crop and pasture lands, many miles of roads, several miles of railroad tracks, and a portion of the town of Arcadia which are subject to damage from floodflows of the Middle Loup River. The Arcadia Diversion Dam provides protection to this area.

Between Sherman Dam and the mouth of Oak Creek, approximately 6,350 acres of lands are subject to flood damage, including the towns of Ashton and Dannebrog. Sherman Dam and Reservoir greatly reduce the flood hazard for this area

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