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May 7, 2008
Palisade – The Wauneta-Palisade High School Envirothon team took top honors again this year at the Nebraska State Envirothon competition held at the Nebraska 4-H Camp at Halsey, NE on May 3, 2008. The team also won the individual contests for range, forestry, soils, and aquatics. Team members are seniors Jesse Skelton and Brennan Keiser, junior Michele Stretch, sophomore Donna Schlucker, freshman Jenna Jutten and team alternate Amanda Johnston. Their team advisor, Teresa Hayes, teaches science for Wauneta-Palisades High School. This will be the third year in a row that the Wauneta-Palisade team has won state and gone on to Nationals.
Click Me to read the entire article.
Nebraska Department of Natural Resources
"Water Short Year Administration projected NOT to be in effect for 2008"
April, 2008
Pursuant to the Lower, Middle & Upper Republican Natural Resources Districts (“Districts”) and the Nebraska Department of Natural Resources (“Department”) Integrated Management Plans and associated controls as adopted by the Districts, and as adopted by the Department; the Department hereby provides notice to the Districts of the potential for Water Short Year Administration in 2008. Water Short Year Administration projected to NOT be in effect for 2008. Click Me for entire announcement. Read article below...
2008 Harlan County Lake Water Supply Calculation
Bureau Of Reclamation
April 4, 2008
The Bureau of Reclamation computed the projected irrigation supply from Harlan CO. Lake for the 2008 irrigation season to be 122,800 acre-feet using the storage available on March 31, 2008. This would indicate "Water-Short Year Administration" would not be in effect with the irrigation supply being greater than 119,000 AF.
Attorney General Bruning Comments on
Alleged Damages in Republican River Dispute
Apr 22, 2008
(Lincoln, Neb) Attorney General Jon Bruning issued the following comment about a letter from the Kansas Department of Agriculture alleging Nebraska owes more than $72 million in damages for 2006.
“While we remain committed to working with Kansas to resolve the compact issues, we’re disappointed to receive a damage claim that has no basis in reality. Kansas’ method of calculating damages was rejected by a special master and the U.S. Supreme Court in the Arkansas River case,” said Bruning.
In 2007, Nebraska used less than its share of water. Water officials expect the same in 2008.
Bruning also said, “We’re confident that the integrated management plans put in place by the Nebraska Natural Resources Districts and the Department of Natural Resources will achieve compact compliance. I especially want to thank the producers in the Republican River Basin who’ve taken the extra step of using up to 30 percent less water than they were allocated over the last few years.”
Nebraska has repeatedly requested that Kansas provide an analysis of any actual damage it has suffered. To date, the state hasn’t received the requested information.
Kansas seeks $72M from Nebraska over river
Apr 22, 1:43 PM EDT
TOPEKA, Kan. (AP) -- Kansas is demanding that Nebraska pay $72 million for using too much Republican River water.
The demand was outlined in a letter from chief engineer David Barfield of Kansas' Division of Water Resources. He sent it Tuesday to Brian Dunnigan, the acting director of Nebraska's Department of Natural Resources.
Kansas contends that Nebraska took 27 billion gallons of water more than it was entitled to from the Republican River in 2005 and 2006. Nebraska contends it has been taking significant steps to cut its water use.
Kansas already has proposed that Nebraska shut down wells within 2 1/2 miles of the river and its tributaries where irrigation started after 2000.
April 15, 2008
Three Republican River irrigation districts have received payments, and for about 300 south-central Nebraska farmers, that means that the check is in the mail.
The Upper, Middle and Lower Republican Natural Resources Districts, under the banner of the Republican River Basin Coalition, were able to pay off their $8,551,000 debt to the irrigation districts after the passage of LB 1094 by the Nebraska Legislature earlier this month. The bill set up a Water Contingency Cash Fund, from which a loan will be made to the three NRDs....Click Me for entire article
A bill aimed at paying Republican River irrigators who sold water rights in 2007 has received Governor Dave Heineman’s stamp of approval. After passage by the Nebraska Legislature on Monday with a vote of 46-0, the governor signed LB 1094 on Tuesday, April 1...Click Me for entire article.
Republican River Irrigators to Get Paid This Month
April 1, 2008
Associated Press - Govenor Heineman signed a bill that will make the state borrow $9 million from its cash reserve to pay Republican River irrigators.
Heineman said Tuesday the farmers should receive payments by April 17th.
Because of a pending a lawsuit, about 300 farmers in the Republican River basin haven't been paid for sending water to Kansas last year instead of irrigating their crops.
The lawsuit alleges a new state law that allows property taxes to be collected for the purchase of water is unconstitutional.
If the state loses the lawsuit and property taxes are ruled unconstitutional, the $9 million could be paid back to the state through a current tax on irrigated acres or through some other mechanism approved by the Legislature.
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