An arbitrator appointed to resolve a three-way fight among Colorado, Kansas and Nebraska over the Republican River rejected most of Nebraska’s claims in a decision released Wednesday.
In the nonbinding decision, arbitrator Karl Dreher recommended that Nebraska pay Kansas $10,000 in damages for overusing the river’s water and rejected Nebraska’s proposed changes to the way water allocations are calculated. The states do not have to accept Dreher’s decision and can take their issues to the U.S. Supreme Court in the next 30 days.
The three states began arbitration eight months ago to resolve their disputes about Nebraska’s failure to comply with a 2002 U.S. Supreme Court settlement over the Republican River Compact. Claire Trageser, The Denver Post
