MD80 CREW HAD MAJOR FUEL IMBAL AT DFW; BECAUSE THE FUEL XFEED WAS LEFT OPEN.

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DECLARED EMER FOR MINIMUM FUEL/FUEL IMBAL. INBOUND TO DFW APCHING FEVER INTXN; DISCOVERED AN APPROX 4150 LB FUEL IMBAL ON MAIN TANKS (L 1950 LBS; R 6100 LBS). INVESTIGATION DISCOVERED FUEL XFEED LEVER ON. CONFIGURED TO PUMP FUEL FROM R SYS AND OPTED TO GET OUT OF THE INBOUND TFC FLOW TO EVALUATE OPTIONS. APCH GAVE US A R TURN TO 240 DEGS; AND ASKED FOR INTENTIONS. WITH APPROX 5400 LBS REMAINING (1900 LBS/3500 LBS) AS ASKED TO 'RE-ENTER' THE FLOW INBOUND. APCH ADVISED '#6 IN LINE NOW. EXPECT TO CONTINUE OUTBOUND FOR A WHILE.' WE DECLARED MINIMUM FUEL AND ASKED AGAIN TO TURN BACK IN. WE WERE ADVISED THAT WE WOULD HAVE TO CONTINUE OUTBOUND ANOTHER 5 MINS. OUR BEST GUESS PUT US SOME 150-175 MI FROM LNDG WITH THAT ADDITIONAL TIME; SO I DECLARED AN EMER -- EMER FUEL. WE WERE TURNED INBOUND IMMEDIATELY AND LANDED WITHOUT INCIDENT. FUEL AT THE GATE 3900 LBS (1650 LBS/2250 LBS). UPON REFLECTION; I REMEMBER CHKING TOTAL FUEL BEFORE TKOF; BUT NOT BAL. I REMEMBER TURNING OFF CTR PUMPS; BUT NOT CHKING BAL. AT MEX; WE WERE PARKED AT A REMOTE SITE; BUT WERE TOLD WE WOULD BE TOWED TO A GATE. A LCL CREW CHIEF SAT IN THE CAPT'S SEAT FOR SOME TIME (15-20 MINS) AND I ASSUMED HE WAS PREPARING TO DO THE MOVE. OPS FINALLY DECIDED NOT TO MOVE; AND THAT'S WHEN THE CREW CHIEF LEFT. SINCE I HAD JUST FLOWN THE PLANE DOWN; NEITHER I NOR THE FO THOUGHT TO DOUBLECHK ITEMS -- LIKE THE FUEL XFEED LEVER -- THAT NORMALLY ARE NOT CHKED ON COCKPIT CLEAN-UP INSPECTION. POSSIBLY IN PREPARING THE ACFT FOR TOWING; THE LEVER WAS INADVERTENTLY LEFT ON. BETTER CHKLIST DISCIPLINE AND XCHK COULD HAVE AVERTED THIS CARELESS EVENT.