Augmenting the Stream
The reason that I have been saying LB 701 does not fix the fundamental problem is that just buying surface water alone is not enough. To keep the State in compliance, surface irrigators cannot divert water out of the stream when allocations are low, and the stream must be supplemented with extra water during the worst of times.
WaterClaim has long advocated the transfer of water from the Platte to the Republican River Basin as being the most cost-effective. However, it is possible to achieve similar results by drilling wells within the Republican River Basin and pumping that water into the stream. It just depends on where those wells are placed. There are signs that the NRDs and the DNR are realizing that is what needs to be done.
A public statement by the NRDs of what they now intend to do would go a long way toward relieving some of the fears and would help their own public relations. Perhaps they will do that someday. Once they provide the details, they might find that we, the people -- their employers -- can support what they are doing.