Colorado has reached a $4 million settlement with Kansas to settle claims tied to Colorado’s past use of water under the multistate Republican River Compact.
The agreement, announced Friday by state officials, is intended to end past disputes over Colorado’s water usage and move the states toward more cooperative management of water.
Under the agreement, Colorado will pay Kansas $2 million and put an addition $2 million into compliance efforts. As part of the settlement, neither state admits to wrongdoing.
The governors and attorneys general of both states have signed off on the agreement.
In a statement, Colorado Gov. John Hickenlooper said the settlement provides money that can be used for the basin in both states and creates opportunities for cooperative water management.
The compact allocates water between Colorado, Kansas and Nebraska.
Colorado and Nebraska reached a similar agreement in January.
