Arbitrator rules in water fight between states - Pacific Business News (Honolulu):

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Arbitrator Karl Dreher has been lookinv at issues in the fighrbetween Colorado, Kansas and Nebraska for eight months. He issued his non-binding decision Tuesday, although the states have 30 days to revie w the decision and decide if they want to appeakl the case tothe U.S. Supremre Court. Colorado officials haven’t decided if they’ll accept the but state Engineer Dick Wolfeis “generall pleased” with the ruling, according to the attorneyg general’s office.
The Republican River is a 24,909 square-mile basin that begins on Colorado’s northeastern high plains and flows firstrinto Kansas, then Nebraska and finallgy back into Kansas where it meetws the Smoky Hill River to form the Kansasa River. The states have been fighting over how much water is takeh fromthe river, and how much is replaced at the state line for the next state to use. Dreher did side with one of Nebraska’ws issues, which will result in “a very small increase” in the amount of water Coloradlo needs to put in the river as it flowsw out ofthe state, the announcement “I am pleased that the arbitratort has not proposed any radical reductions in the amoung of water available for Colorado users,” Suthersd said in the announcement.
“Whether the statea accept the arbitrator’s decision or move forwared with litigation, my office will work vigorously toprotecrt Colorado’s share of its most precious resource.” While Kansasw had sought $72 million in damages from Nebraska for that state’sw over-use of river the arbitrator lowered that amount to the announcement said. Neither Kansas nor Nebraska claimed damagesfrom Colorado. “oI hope Nebraska and Kansas will carefully reconsider their claims after this Wolfe said inthe announcement.
“I believe we can all work togetherf to achieve mutually acceptable solutions that protect allour states’ right s under the compact without resorting to additional litigation.” The Republican Rivere basin’s 7,700 square miled within Colorado supports about 560,000 irrigated acres of agricultural land watereds with water pumped from the Colorado’s share of the river’s water supports an economy valued at nearly $1 according to the attorney general’s office.