What Can The Legislature Do?
What can the Legislature do to help fix the Republican River Basin water problem?
- Cause the water that is currently in the reservoirs to be used to eliminate the accumulated overages Nebraska has with Kansas, rather than used on Nebraska crops in 2008.
- Cause, not just allow, Nebraska to set up a mechanism to use surface water or stream augmentation programs or some combination, when needed, for compliance purposes.
- Protect the water placed in the stream for compliance purposes from diversion.
Most of the money necessary for these things is already in place if the price paid for the surface water is at or near market value.
If the Legislature takes no action, then it is very likely that:
- Kansas will win
- Nebraska will pay damages
- A large number of wells will be shut off - specifically the 330,000 acres close to the streams
- The economy of the Republican River Basin will be severely hurt – especially the 20 communities next to the river
- A Federal Court will take control from Nebraska, and one individual with little knowledge of the area will make water policy
There are many excuses given by those who don’t want a solution as to why this or that can’t happen. And, unfortunately, some of those who say they want a solution are actively blocking any idea that will actually work. But, a solution is doable if the Legislature causes it to happen.
Just resolving payment on the 2007 water purchase, which is currently being blocked by a lawsuit by the Friends of the River, which includes several surface irrigators, will not solve the problem. The IMPs passed by the NRDs at the request of the State and being touted by the State as a solution will not be nearly enough.