Many uncertainties remain over new river compromise

Some day, some student of political science should write a master's thesis on the conflicts, sacrifices, compromises and maneuverings that went into Thursday's announcement of a complicated plan to meet Nebraska's obligation to deliver Republican River water to Kansas.

That "some day" is a long time in the future, however, as many hurdles have yet to be cleared, and all of the ramifications of the plan will take years to play out.

Announced by Speaker of the Legislature Mike Flood of Norfolk, the compromise rolls together a number of ideas for reducing irrigation and increasing river flows.

If approved by the Legislature, the plan will give Natural Resources Districts the power to levy up to 10 cents per $100 of property valuation and impose a fee of $10 an acre on irrigated land to finance bonds to buy surface water.

The state would provide $3 million to lease Harlan County Lake water from the Bostwick Irrigation District, another $3 million for a water cash fund, and $2 million for removal of water-consuming vegetation along the Republican River.

Dan Smith, general manager of the Middle Republican NRD, said imposing more taxes on irrigators is unappetizing, but preferable to making water allocation cuts "that are borderline ridiculous."

Department of Natural Resources head Ann Bleed praised the local and state officials who reached the compromise, saying she was "amazed and very impressed."

The question of whether the rest of us are impressed, however, can only be answered with the passage of time.

For one, will the Legislature pass the needed measures?

Will higher property taxes, irrigation fees and scaled-down agriculture really be acceptable once reality sets in?

Is the burden of the cost -- $8 million from the state in general and $10 million to $12 million from the Republican River basin -- fairly distributed?

And, most importantly, will it work? Will Kansas, at last, be satisfied that it is receiving its fair share of water?

Yes, that student of the future will have his or her work cut out exploring all of the questions that were raised by the Republican River compromise of 2007.

But for those of us who have to provide them, the economic future of the Republican River basin is riding on the answers.