ALMA, Nebraska -- Through close collaboration with state and federal partners, the Republican Basin Planning Group successfully delivered water to meet Nebraska’s 2025 Republican River Compact obligations while significantly reducing the impact on surface water users. The water was delivered to the Kansas Account in Harlan County Lake ahead of the June 1, 2026 deadline.

Collaboration Puts Water Users First
The Planning Group thanks the U.S. Bureau of Reclamation (USBOR) and the Frenchman Cambridge Irrigation District (FCID) for their flexibility and shared commitment to Nebraska’s water users. Working together, the partners reduced river administration days — periods when surface water users cannot divert water for storage or irrigation — far below what could have otherwise been required. By storing augmentation water and making a single coordinated release into Harlan County Lake, administration time was reduced to 16 days compared to an estimated 81 days under a more traditional approach. Critically, all management actions were completed before the start of the irrigation season, allowing irrigation districts and water users to operate with minimal interruption.

How the Obligation Was Met
Kansas requested that its Harlan County Lake account contain no less than 57,000 acre-feet by June 1, 2026. Nebraska delivered approximately 12,950 acre-feet through 2025 water management activities (3,450 acre-feet) and augmentation pumping at the NCORPE, Rock Creek, and Turkey Creek projects from January through March 2026 (9,500 acre-feet).

A Record of Responsible Management
This marks the first time since 2017 that Nebraska has been required to deliver augmentation water to the Kansas Account — a testament to the Planning Group’s sustained basin-wide planning and Integrated Management Plan (IMP) efforts. When the obligation arose, the group was prepared to meet it efficiently and with the least possible impact to water users.

About the Republican Basin Planning Group
The Republican Basin Planning Group consists of the Basin’s four NRDs — Upper Republican, Middle Republican, Lower Republican, and Tri-Basin, and the Nebraska Department of Water, Energy, and Environment. The group works cooperatively to manage the Basin’s water resources and fulfill Nebraska’s Republican River Compact obligations.