Nebraska, Kansas irrigation district reach agreement to halt water releases

ALMA, Nebraska -- The Nebraska Department of Natural Resources has reached a tentative agreement with the Kansas Bostwick Irrigation District. As a part of this agreement, the Nebraska Department of Natural Resources will discontinue the required releases of water being made from Harlan County Reservoir in exchange for a commitment from Kansas Bostwick Irrigation District that their use of the water will not harm Nebraska's efforts to comply with the Republican River Compact. This agreement between Nebraska and the Kansas Bostwick Irrigation District will be memorialized in a contract being developing by the United States Bureau of Reclamation, the operators of the reservoir.

Releases of water from Harlan County Reservoir were initiated last week, at the request of the Nebraska Department of Natural Resources, after discussions with Kansas state officials failed. Nebraska Department of Natural Resources Director Brian Dunnigan said, "We are very pleased that Kansas Bostwick Irrigation District approached us willing to implement, what we have felt all along, is a very practical solution." The agreement reached will at least put off the required releases of water from Harlan County Reservoir until such time that the water will be used by Kansas Bostwick Irrigation District to supplement current irrigation water supplies or until after the 2013 irrigation season has ended.

Director Dunnigan said, "We certainly did not expect that it would take this long into the year for us to reach an agreement, given the significant lead time that all parties have had regarding the actions Nebraska would be taking in 2013. I hope this is the start of finding common ground on water management solutions in the Republican River Basin so all water users in the basin may benefit."

A final agreement must be reached by 5 p.m. this Friday or the required releases by Nebraska will be reinitiated.