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On November 24, 1926, the Goshen Irrigation District was formed to enter into a contract with the United States to obtain water from the North Platte River.  In advance each year, the Goshen Irrigation District pays the United States a proportionate share of the estimated cost of operating and maintaining the reserved works.  The reserve works, which are operated and maintained by the Bureau of Reclamation, include Pathfinder Dam and Reservoir, and Guernsey Dam and Reservoir.

 The Gering-Ft. Laramie, Pathfinder, and Goshen Irrigation Districts are under contract to operate and maintain Whalen Diversion, located six and one half miles west-northwest of the town of Fort Laramie on the North Platte River.  Water from the North Platte Project is diverted into the Fort Laramie Canal, which serves the Goshen Irrigation District in Wyoming and the Gering-Ft. Laramie Irrigation District in Nebraska.  Water is also diverted into the Interstate Canal, which is operated by the Pathfinder Irrigation District.  The Goshen Irrigation District is designated as the operating agency of Whalen Dam.  Each District contributes their share of the cost to the operation of Whalen on a per acre basis.

 The Goshen Irrigation District operates and maintains the Fort Laramie Canal from Whalen Dam to mile marker 85.3 (state line), with some general rehabilitation work done by both the Goshen Irrigation District and the Gering-Ft. Laramie Irrigation District.  There are also some 300 miles of laterals and approximately 200 miles of drains the district is also responsible for.  Water is delivered to 52,484 acres (approximately 400 farms), and to the United States (at the state line), to be used by the Gering-Ft. Laramie Irrigation District.  For this service, the United States pays to the Goshen Irrigation District an amount called a water carriage credit, which is based on the costs incurred by the Goshen Irrigation District on the involved features, determined by the Secretary of the Interior.

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• Water Districts and Associations