Revise the Republican River Compact

Dear Editor,

The Republican River Restoration Partners was developed 10 years ago by seven RC&D's within Colorado, Kansas and Nebraska on the Republican River Basin. Our goal is to bring the agencies with an interest and entities of government together to develop a healthy river system. The compact signed in 1943 isn't so much the problem to meet compliance as are the changes in farming, conservation and water consumption over the past 70 years. We need to update the compact to reflect today's knowledge, rather than using 1943 data.

We are not running out of water, but are using more than is sustainable, especially in dry years. We were instrumental in developing the "Water Balance" concept, which recognizes precipitation as our source of water. It should average out usage and recharge over time. Nebraska is working with this and incorporating new technology as it develops.

Much has been accomplished in Nebraska and Colorado with the cleanup of invasive plant species and streams are flowing that were dry for years. Kansas has not cooperated with this project and work needs to be done along the Republican and Arikaree Rivers in Cheyenne County, Kansas and the Lower Republican in Kansas.

We would like to see more water storage developed in the Lovewell Reservoir. Local money was available until it was withdrawn and invested in the N-CORPE project to pump groundwater to help Nebraska meet compact compliance. The three groundwater pumping projects in operation are not a long term solution.

There have been several court challenges over the years which seem to work against solutions, build walls and promote hard feelings. If the money spent in court was directed toward cooperation in developing a healthy river system, all parties would be better off.

Nebraska has more than twice as much water flowing out of state than is flowing in, This water is accessible to Kansas along the Missouri River or the Kansas River, Tuttle Creek and Milford Reservoir are the largest bodies of water in Kansas and both depend on water flowing into Kansas from Nebraska for most of the supply. About half of the Kansas population lives below these reservoirs.

The Smokey Hill, Saline and Solomon Rivers which drain a big share of Northern Kansas into the Kansas River have experienced water short years. Salina did a good job cutting water consumption in 2006 when the Smokey Hill ran dry.

About two thirds of the water in the Ogallala Aquifer is in Nebraska and they have depleted about 1%. Kansas has depleted about 19% and Texas is about 35% depleted. The future of the High Plains depends on action we take now.

Nebraska has implemented a $10 per acre tax on irrigated land and Colorado has a $14.50 tax to address problems and do reclamation projects. This money is controlled locally. Kansas has Groundwater Management Districts that could be expanded and given more authority to better control groundwater resources.

Colorado is pumping groundwater into the North Fork of the Republican River and shut down irrigation wells. Bonny Dam was drained on the South Fork to eliminate evaporation losses in an effort to meet compliance.

Nebraska has two systems pumping groundwater into the river and has taken all the water from surface irrigators because of the compact call years. The surface water users have established center pivot systems on over half the acreage for better water usage. A lawsuit will probably pit groundwater and surface water irrigators against each other in Nebraska.

Water is our future and we will not run out if we maintain the delivery system and practice conservation by working together. The drought in this area in 2013 left McCook, NE 9.87 inches short, about half the normal precipitation. The drought in this area has persisted in various degrees since 2000.

1 have kept rainfall records for 35 years at this location in northwest Kansas and can say there isn't an average year. I am a dry land farmer and need to adapt each season to what nature provides. Irrigators have the flexibility to meet the needs of the crop under various conditions, but also need to allow for recovery. Cooperating we can make the most of what's available.

Robert Martin,

Secretary,

Republican River Restoration

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