Current Status of Republican River Basin water policy:

URNRD has presented the public with a draft copy of its integrated management plan.  Probable date for implementation - March 2005.   Key elements include a 40.5 inch allocation over three years.  Pooling (averaging over fields), and use of carryover (water saved from conservation) is permitted.  The URNRD, however, agrees to make any rule changes necessary, should the State need more water.   The URNRD IMP attempts to state that any additional reductions will happen only if the other three NRDs have met certain water usage levels.  We encourage you to review this document carefully to see if it accomplishes this goal.  It is a key point.   

MRNRD - has adopted its IMP.  It calls for a 39 inch allocation over three years, beginning in 2005.  No pooling is allowed; however, transfers of water from one property to another are allowed with Board approval.  The MRNRD has agreed to do whatever is necessary to help the State remain in compliance with the Settlement agreement.  We believe the plan leaves the farmers in the MRNRD vulnerable to additional unspecified reductions over the next couple of years.  This uncertainty lowers land value and increases the risk for the farmers in this district.

LRNRD - has submitted a draft copy of its IMP to the DNR.  We do not have a copy of this plan.  We know that it includes a 39 inch - 3 year allocation for any well drilled prior to 2001 and a 33 inch - 3 year allocation for any well drilled after 2001.  We understand the LRNRD has removed any language that agrees to additional restrictions if the State needs additional water.  

Tri Basin NRD - Has proposed allowing farmers with ditch water to drill new wells that will allow them to irrigate their crops with aquifer water.  This is to help the farmers who will not receive ditch water due to the drought.  The new wells will be called replacement wells, even though they are new wells.   To use the new well, the farmer must reduce consumptive use elsewhere in the Basin.  It is unclear how consumptive use will be defined for this individual. 

The Nebraska Republican River Districts Management Association, which is made up of the four NRDs in the Republican River along with the Irrigation Districts with canals in the Republican River, has agreed to explore the importation of water from the Platte River Basin to the Republican River Basin to assist in reducing the stress caused by water short year allocations.  This may prove to be a very beneficial activity that saves the area from devastating water allocation reductions in water short years.

The definition of a quick response well has been expanded from 0.5 miles from the center of the stream to 2.5 miles from the center of the stream.  There is no publicly available support for this change. 

A water short year is triggered any time the usage water supply is less than 119,000 acre feet in Harlan County Reservoir.  Currently, the usable water supply is less than 0.   As a result, the next several years are likely to be water short years unless there are huge precipitation events.