5 votes

Nebraska will spend $500M to claim South Platte River water from Colorado

2 comments

  1. frostycakes
    Link
    Amusing that Nebraska is entitled to year round streamflows on a river that, were it not for the Denver Metro's treated wastewater output (the main treatment plant accounts for 85% of the...

    Amusing that Nebraska is entitled to year round streamflows on a river that, were it not for the Denver Metro's treated wastewater output (the main treatment plant accounts for 85% of the downstream South Platte flow for half of the year, not even counting the treated wastewater from the other cities and water districts in the Metro outside of Denver Water) and transbasin diversions from the Colorado, would be dry by the time it reached Nebraska at all for much of the year.

    There really needs to be some sort of mechanism for renegotiating these compacts, seeing as how we've discovered the late 19th and early 20th centuries, when most of these were laid down, were abnormally wet years. This compact predates most of the significant transbasin diversions of water into the South Platte as it stands, it's crazy that it expects water year-round on a stream that on average never did.

    In more lighthearted and humorous terms, enjoy your (literal) pisswater canals and reservoirs, Nebraska. Another cheesy prairie boating spot won't make your state any less unpleasant to live in or visit.

    5 votes
  2. AugustusFerdinand
    Link

    Nebraska Gov. Pete Ricketts announced a $500 million plan Monday to divert water out of Colorado under a 99-year-old compact between the states that allows Nebraska to seize access to Colorado land along the South Platte River and build canals.

    Ricketts said Nebraska would invoke its rights under the South Platte River Compact amid concerns that Colorado’s plans for the river could reduce water flows into his state by as much as 90%, taking a potentially huge toll on Nebraska’s agricultural and power industries and likely affecting water supplies in the state’s two largest cities, Omaha and Lincoln

    Under the compact, Nebraska can build, maintain and operate canals within Colorado’s borders that divert water from the South Platte River for use by Nebraska. It also gives Nebraska the power to buy land from Colorado landowners or gain access by invoking eminent domain. Nebraska’s move is likely to trigger lawsuits between the states.

    2 votes