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Augmentation projects keep Nebraska in compliance with Compact

Two augmentation projects have kept Nebraska in compliance with the Republican River Compact.

Curt Arens, Editor, Nebraska Farmer

February 25, 2016

3 Min Read

This article is the first in a two part series on augmentation projects on Republican River

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Innovative stream flow augmentation projects along the Republic River Basin have prevented major irrigation well shutdown in south central and southwest Nebraska. The projects, coordinated by Natural Resources Districts in the Basin including the Upper Republican, Middle Republican and Lower Republican NRDs, increase stream flow by up to 80 cubic feet per second and take some irrigated land out of production. Irrigation well water on those formerly irrigated properties is then pumped into the river or a tributary of the river, to increase stream flow into Kansas and satisfy Republican River Compact requirements for Nebraska.

"The Rock Creek augmentation project in Dundy County and the Nebraska Cooperative Republican Platte Enhancement augmentation project in Lincoln County have kept the State of Nebraska in compliance with the Republican River Compact in 2013, 2014, 2015 and will do so again in 2016," says Nate Jenkins, Upper Republican NRD assistant manager in Imperial. "The projects have produced the intended results because they have maintained compliance with the Compact in a manner that prevented catastrophic economic consequences in Nebraska's portion of the Republican Basin."

According to Jenkins, after completion in early 2013, the Rock Creek project prevented an irrigation shutdown on about 23,000 acres in the Upper Republican NRD that same year. With the NCORPE project completed in early 2014, the projects combined that year to prevent irrigation shutdown on about 300,000 acres, or almost one third of all irrigated acres in Nebraska's Republican Basin. In 2015, the Rock Creek project wasn't used, but the NCORPE project prevented shutdown on another 300,000 acres.

Jenkins says that producers in the Republican Basin received more good news with a favorable U.S. Supreme Court ruling in early 2015 along with an agreement among Compact states of Nebraska, Kansas and Colorado. "These will both reduce the amount of augmentation water NRDs will have to produce in 2016 and give more flexibility relative to when it is provided, and help ensure it is available to be beneficially used by surface water users," Jenkins says.

Prior to the new agreement between Compact states, Nebraska received just 54% credit for water pumped at the NCORPE project. In other words, for every two acre-feet of water that had to be pumped, the state only received credit for one acre-foot. "Now, Nebraska receives 100% credit," Jenkins explains. "Combined, the accounting change approved by the Supreme Court and the agreement among the Compact states will reduce augmentation pumping substantially without negative consequences for downstream water users." A bonus is flexibility in the agreement giving NRDs more time to provide augmented stream flow and volumes of water may adjust based on changing conditions throughout the year, he adds.

Learn more about why augmentation projects are being used in part two of this Nebraska Farmer series on the Republican River Compact. You can contact Jenkins at 308-882-5173. 

About the Author

Curt Arens

Editor, Nebraska Farmer

Curt Arens began writing about Nebraska’s farm families when he was in high school. Before joining Farm Progress as a field editor in April 2010, he had worked as a freelance farm writer for 27 years, first for newspapers and then for farm magazines, including Nebraska Farmer.

His real full-time career, however, during that same period was farming his family’s fourth generation land in northeast Nebraska. He also operated his Christmas tree farm and grew black oil sunflowers for wild birdseed. Curt continues to raise corn, soybeans and alfalfa and runs a cow-calf herd.

Curt and his wife Donna have four children, Lauren, Taylor, Zachary and Benjamin. They are active in their church and St. Rose School in Crofton, where Donna teaches and their children attend classes.

Previously, the 1986 University of Nebraska animal science graduate wrote a weekly rural life column, developed a farm radio program and wrote books about farm direct marketing and farmers markets. He received media honors from the Nebraska Forest Service, Center for Rural Affairs and Northeast Nebraska Experimental Farm Association.

He wrote about the spiritual side of farming in his 2008 book, “Down to Earth: Celebrating a Blessed Life on the Land,” garnering a Catholic Press Association award.

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