The South Platte River Compact, negotiated by Colorado and Nebraska and approved by the Colorado and Nebraska legislatures, was approved by Congress in 1923. The compact gives Nebraska 120 cubic feet per second (cfs) during the irrigation season, and up to 500 cfs during the non-irrigation season if and only if Nebraska constructs the Perkins County Canal. Gov. Ricketts has proposed $500 million to develop the Perkins County Canal to enable Nebraska to claim the up-to 500 cfs off-season flows. This Center for Agricultural Profitability webinar by Dave Aiken, professor and agricultural law/water law specialist with UNL Agricultural Economics, examines the South Platte compact and Nebraska’s compact water rights. It will also examine Nebraska’s rights (or lack thereof) to displace Colorado South Platte River water development.

Watch the webinar