LINCOLN -- Gov. Dave Heineman expressed hope Monday morning that state taxpayers won't have to dig deeper to help solve the water woes in the Republican River basin.
A task force created by the Nebraska Legislature to come up with a sustainable water-use plan for the basin holds its first meeting in McCook, Neb., on Wednesday.
Last month, the State of Kansas renewed its complaints that Nebraska farmers are using too much groundwater and surface water for irrigation, depleting the flows from the river to Kansas. Kansas asked the U.S. Supreme Court to order Nebraska out of compliance with a 2003 agreement on river flows.
Heineman said the three natural resources districts in the Republican basin are moving toward amending their water-use plans to come into compliance with the decades-old Republican River compact.
The governor said he hopes the new plans and the new task force will help the state avoid spending more money on legal settlements over water.
“Water is a complex, complicated and challenging issue,” Gov. Heineman said. “In the short term, it is essential for the State of Nebraska to continue maintaining compliance with the Republican River Compact. In the long term, the State of Nebraska needs to develop sound water management strategies for the Republican River Basin that will benefit future generations.”
Many residents of south-central and southwest Nebraska worry that sharply curtailing irrigation in those areas could economically devastate the region.
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