South Platte- For decades, residents along the Nebraska-Colorado border have built their homes, industries, and livelihoods upon the South Platte River, which stretches from the Rocky Mountains to northeast I-76 in Nebraska. However, over the past year, a devastating drought has decreased flows in the river, prompting Gov. Ricketts to take action.

In April, Ricketts signed legislation that would allow Nebraska to build a canal in Colorado to siphon water from the South Platte. Colorado Gov. Jared Polis called the bill a "costly and misguided political stunt." Colorado has pledged nearly $10 billion for 282 projects along the South Platte, which Ricketts sees as a threat to water flows during the non-irrigation months in the fall and winter.

Kevin Rein, Colorado State Engineer, defended those projects, arguing that "many...are not necessarily going to come to fruition." Rein also stated that Colorado has been holding up its end of the almost 100-year-old water compact the state has with Nebraska, giving Nebraska the exact amount of water it agreed to year after year.

Rein believes Ricketts' proposed canal would negatively affect Colorado's water flows from the South Platte River. Although the canal is allowed for in the water compact between the two states, Rein sees its construction as a threat to farmers in not only Colorado, but Nebraska too. Even more worrying for Rein is the fact that the compact "grants Nebraska and its citizens the right to acquire by purchase, prescription, or the exercise of eminent domain" any land necessary to build and maintain the canal.

Lawsuits are likely to be put forward to stop the building of the canal, but they will likely only delay its construction rather than stop it.

Local farmers in the proposed canal location are worried too. A Colorado rancher, called Goddard, asked the question, "What can they do for me to make sure that it's not disrupting my production, but also my other producers in the area?" This uncertainty seems to be rampant in the areas most likely to be affected by the canal.

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