Arkansas and Republican River Basin
Arkansas and Republican River Basin
Arkansas and Republican River Basin
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THE ARKANSAS AND<br />
REPUBLICAN RIVER<br />
COMPACTS:<br />
LITIGATION AND LESSONS<br />
By John B. Draper<br />
Montgomery & Andrews, PA<br />
Santa Fe, New Mexico
Kansas Water Compacts
<strong>Republican</strong> <strong>River</strong> <strong>Basin</strong>
<strong>Republican</strong> <strong>River</strong> Chronology<br />
• 1943 Compact Approved<br />
• 1950-1998 Major Well Development<br />
• 1960’s Invention of the Center Pivot<br />
• 1980’s Kansas Begins to Complain to<br />
Nebraska About Wells<br />
• 1998 Kansas Files Suit<br />
• 2003 U.S. Supreme Court Approves<br />
Settlement
<strong>Republican</strong> <strong>River</strong> Compact<br />
57 Stat. 86 (1943)<br />
• Motivation: Prerequisite for Federal<br />
Projects<br />
• 3-State Compact<br />
• Initially Vetoed by FDR<br />
• Non-Navigability Provisions Removed<br />
• Approved by Congress <strong>and</strong> the President
<strong>Republican</strong> Compact<br />
Allocation Method<br />
Art. I<br />
• Major Purposes:<br />
– Provide for the Most Efficient Use of Waters<br />
– Provide an Equitable Division of Waters<br />
– Remove All Causes of Present <strong>and</strong> Future<br />
Controversies<br />
– Promote Interstate Comity<br />
– Recognize That Most Efficient Use is Beneficial<br />
Consumptive Use<br />
– Promote Joint Action by States <strong>and</strong> US for<br />
Efficient Use of Water <strong>and</strong> Flood Control
Compact Framework<br />
• The negotiators estimated the <strong>Basin</strong>’s<br />
water supply <strong>and</strong> allocated 100 % of it to<br />
the States by major tributary (sub-basins).<br />
– Nebraska: 234,500 AF<br />
– Colorado: 54,100 AF<br />
– Northwest KS tributaries: 52,300 AF<br />
– KS main stem, 138,000 AF
9 Federal reservoirs built<br />
6 Irrigation districts
<strong>Republican</strong> Compact<br />
Art. III<br />
“The specific allocations in acre-feet<br />
hereinafter made to each State are derived<br />
from the computed average annual virgin<br />
water supply originating in the following<br />
designated drainage basins, or parts thereof,<br />
in the amount shown:<br />
North Fork of the <strong>Republican</strong> <strong>River</strong><br />
drainage basin in Colorado, 44,700<br />
acre-feet<br />
* * *
<strong>Republican</strong> Compact<br />
Art. III<br />
(cont.)<br />
Should the future computed virgin water supply of any<br />
source vary more than ten (10) per cent from the<br />
virgin water supply as hereinabove set forth, the<br />
allocations hereinafter made from such source shall<br />
be increased or decreased in the relative proportion<br />
that the future computed virgin water supply of such<br />
source bears to the computed virgin water supply<br />
used herein.”
Cumulative number of active wells in the<br />
RRCA model domain by State
By the late 1970’s, significant<br />
shortages began to occur<br />
Harlan County inflows<br />
1,000.0<br />
900.0<br />
800.0<br />
700.0<br />
1000's AF<br />
600.0<br />
500.0<br />
400.0<br />
300.0<br />
200.0<br />
100.0<br />
0.0<br />
1936<br />
1941<br />
1946<br />
1951<br />
1956<br />
1961<br />
1966<br />
1971<br />
1976<br />
1981<br />
1986<br />
1991<br />
1996<br />
2001
United States Supreme Court<br />
No. 126, Original<br />
Kansas v. Nebraska <strong>and</strong> Colorado<br />
<strong>Republican</strong> <strong>River</strong> <strong>Basin</strong> <strong>and</strong> Model<br />
<strong>Basin</strong> Size: 24,900 Sq. Mi.<br />
Model Domain: ~30,000 Sq. Mi.<br />
Irrigated Acreage: 2,757,110 Acres<br />
Type of Model: Groundwater Flow Model, 1-<br />
Layer (MODFLOW)
Wish List For The<br />
<strong>Republican</strong> Compact<br />
1. Explicit Consideration of Groundwater<br />
2. Clear, Detailed Accounting Procedures<br />
3. Explicit Time Frame for Compliance<br />
4. Creation of Compact Administration <strong>and</strong><br />
Detailed Specification of its Powers<br />
5. Dispute Resolution Procedures<br />
6. Explicit Consideration of Water Short<br />
Years
<strong>Arkansas</strong> <strong>River</strong> Compact<br />
63 Stat. 145 (1949)<br />
• Motivation: Prerequisite to Utilizing the<br />
Conservation Features of John Martin<br />
Reservoir<br />
• Major Purposes:<br />
– Settlement of Current Controversies<br />
– Avoidance of future Controversies<br />
– Equitable Allocation of the Waters of the<br />
<strong>Arkansas</strong> <strong>and</strong> the Benefits of John<br />
Martin Reservoir
Kansas Water Compacts
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Neenoshe Re servoir<br />
N eesopah Rese rv oir<br />
N eskah R eservoir<br />
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#<br />
Adobe<br />
Cree k<br />
Reser voir<br />
La ke<br />
He nry<br />
SUGAR<br />
CITY<br />
Lake Meredith<br />
Ho rse<br />
Cre ek<br />
Re s.<br />
ARKANSAS RIVER<br />
ARKANSAS RIVER AT CATLIN DAM<br />
NEAR GRANADA, CO.<br />
"´<br />
CATLIN CANAL AT CAT LIN DAM<br />
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CHE RAW<br />
Lam ar<br />
ARKANSAS RIVER AT<br />
(/ Dy e<br />
Reser voi r<br />
LAMAR 385<br />
LAS ANIMAS, CO.<br />
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ARKANSAS RIVER # HOLLY<br />
AT HOL LY, CO.<br />
GR ANA DA<br />
ROCKY<br />
LAS ANIMAS<br />
ARKANSAS RIVER BELOW<br />
JOHN MARTIN RESERVO IR<br />
Holbrook Re servoir<br />
FORD<br />
John Martin Reservoi r<br />
Pue blo Reservoir ARKANSAS RIVER<br />
AB OVE P U EBLO, C O.<br />
Neegronda<br />
Reser voi r<br />
Cheraw Lake<br />
COLORADO SPRINGS<br />
FOUNTAIN<br />
PUEBLO<br />
HUERFANO RIVER<br />
NE AR BOONE , CO.<br />
BOONE<br />
ARKANSAS RIVER<br />
OLNEY SPR INGS<br />
NE AR NE PE STA, CO.<br />
FOWLER<br />
WALSENBURG<br />
CHE YENN E WELLS<br />
KIT CARSON<br />
MANZANOLA<br />
CROW LEY<br />
OR DW AY<br />
SWINK<br />
Canal<br />
LA JUNTA<br />
EADS<br />
SHERIDAN LAKE<br />
HASWE LL<br />
Co manche Cana l<br />
C anal<br />
Comanche<br />
Satanta<br />
Bird Canal<br />
Canal<br />
Kicking<br />
Amity<br />
Fort<br />
Canal<br />
Colorado Can al<br />
Fort<br />
WILEY<br />
ARKANSAS RIVER<br />
AT LAM AR, CO.<br />
Lyon<br />
HAR TMA N<br />
Fort Lyon Canal<br />
Lake Meredith Outlet<br />
Canal<br />
Holbrook Canal<br />
Roc ky<br />
Ford<br />
Otero Canal<br />
Canal<br />
Catlin Ca na l<br />
Highline<br />
Bird<br />
Kicki ng<br />
Canal<br />
Fo rt Lyon C anal<br />
R oc ky<br />
Ford<br />
Catlin<br />
Lyon<br />
Canal<br />
Ami ty<br />
Canal<br />
Amit y<br />
X-Y Graham<br />
Canal<br />
Fort Lyon Canal<br />
Manvel<br />
Canal<br />
Canal<br />
Bu falo<br />
Canal<br />
Ditch<br />
Canal<br />
Bent<br />
Canal<br />
Bent<br />
Fort<br />
Lamar<br />
K eese e<br />
Fort<br />
X-Y Canal<br />
Canal<br />
Sisson<br />
(/ 385<br />
BI G S ANDY CRE EK<br />
NE AR LAM AR, CO.<br />
(/ 385<br />
Ditc h<br />
& Stubbs<br />
Extension<br />
Consolidated<br />
Animas<br />
Otero<br />
EL PASO<br />
TW O BUTTES<br />
BACA<br />
Excelsoir Di tch<br />
Orchard<br />
Booth<br />
Colo rado Canal<br />
Co l ier Ditch<br />
Di tch<br />
B esseme r<br />
Rocky<br />
Oxford Farmers<br />
Ford<br />
Ditch<br />
Highline<br />
Cana l<br />
PUEBLO<br />
HUERFANO<br />
LAS ANIMAS<br />
LINCOLN<br />
CHEYENNE<br />
KIOWA<br />
CROWLEY<br />
Big<br />
S<strong>and</strong>y<br />
Creek<br />
Storage<br />
Hyde<br />
PROWERS<br />
BENT<br />
<strong>River</strong><br />
Ly on<br />
Fort<br />
Canal<br />
Di tch<br />
Purgatoire<br />
Canal<br />
NTAIN CREEK NEAR COLO RADO SPRINGS, CO.<br />
OTERO<br />
Fountain Creek<br />
Fount ain<br />
Creek<br />
FOUNTAIN CREEK AT<br />
MOUTH PUEBLO CO<br />
ST. CHARLE S RIVER AT<br />
MOUTH, NEAR PUEBLO, CO.<br />
ARKANSAS RIVER<br />
NE AR AV ONDALE, CO.<br />
Huerfano <strong>River</strong><br />
S aint Charles <strong>River</strong><br />
APISHAPA RIVER<br />
NE AR FOWLER, CO.<br />
ARKANSAS RIVER AT LA JUNTA, CO.<br />
PURGATOIRE RIVER<br />
NEAR LAS ANIMAS, CO.<br />
<strong>River</strong><br />
Apishapa
United States Supreme Court<br />
No. 105, Original<br />
Kansas v. Colorado<br />
• <strong>Arkansas</strong> <strong>River</strong> <strong>Basin</strong> <strong>and</strong> Model<br />
• <strong>Basin</strong> Size: 25,400 Sq. Mi.<br />
• Model Domain: ~450 Sq. Mi.<br />
• Irrigated Acreage: 300,000 Acres<br />
• Type of Model: Linked<br />
Groundwater/Surface Water
<strong>Arkansas</strong> <strong>River</strong> Chronology<br />
• 1901 Kansas Files Suit to Enjoin Upstream<br />
Diversions<br />
• 1902 Colorado’s Demurrer is Denied<br />
• 1907 Kansas is Denied Relief<br />
• 1910-1928 Lower Court Interstate Litigation<br />
• 1928 Colorado Files Suit to Enjoin Lower Court<br />
Suits; Kansas Counterclaims for Injunction<br />
• 1943 Supreme Court Rules for Colorado
<strong>Arkansas</strong> <strong>River</strong> Chronology<br />
(cont.)<br />
• 1944-1948 Compact Negotiations<br />
• 1949 Compact Approved<br />
• 1950-1965 Major Well Development Along<br />
the <strong>River</strong><br />
• 1985 Kansas Files Suit
Wish List For The<br />
<strong>Arkansas</strong> Compact<br />
1. Quantification of the Allocation<br />
2. Explicit Consideration of Groundwater<br />
3. Explicit Time Frame for Compliance<br />
4. Better Dispute Resolution Procedures
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