US EditionNebraska Sues Neighboring Colorado over How Much Water It’s Drawing From the South Platte River
SOUTH PLATTE RIVER REGION BETWEEN NORTHEASTERN COLORADO AND SOUTHWESTERN NEBRASKA, JUL 16 – Nebraska alleges Colorado diverted up to 1.3 million acre-feet of water and is blocking the $600 million Perkins County Canal, critical for agriculture amid climat
- On Wednesday, Nebraska's governor and attorney general revealed that the state has filed a lawsuit against Colorado in the U.S. Supreme Court concerning water rights related to the South Platte River and the Perkins County Canal project.
- The lawsuit follows decades of disputes and accuses Colorado of withholding up to 1.3 million acre-feet of water, violating a 1923 compact that entitles Nebraska to set water rights and use eminent domain if needed.
- Nebraska claims Colorado has provided less water than entitled during irrigation periods, delivering roughly 75 cubic feet per second instead of the 120 cubic feet per second guaranteed, while Colorado officials insist they are meeting the requirements and express regret over the dispute’s intensification.
- Hilgers called this lawsuit potentially the most consequential in his generation, warning that negotiations reached an impasse, while climate experts note worsening drought conditions will increase water demand in Nebraska.
- The legal battle could last 3 to 5 years and cost billions, but Nebraska intends to continue canal construction aiming for completion by 2032 to secure vital water for its agriculture and economy.
42 Articles
42 Articles
Nebraska sues Colorado over how much water it’s drawing from South Platte River
Nebraska is suing Colorado over the amount of water it draws from the South Platte River, the latest in a long history of water rights disputes between the states that have been left increasingly dry by climate change.
Nebraska Sues Colorado in Supreme Court Over Water Rights
Nebraska officials said on July 16 that the state is suing Colorado at the U.S. Supreme Court over the right to use water from the South Platte River, which winds through both states. The U.S. Constitution gives the Supreme Court original jurisdiction, or authority, to try disputes between the states as a court of first impression. In such cases, the court often appoints a judicial officer called a special master to hear the case and issue a rec…
Nebraska Examiner
Colorado NewslineNebraska sues Colorado over South Platte River water rights, Perkins County Canal
Nebraska Attorney General Mike Hilgers, at center, and Gov. Jim Pillen, at right, announce a lawsuit against Colorado before the U.S. Supreme Court seeking to assert Nebraska's water rights to the South Platte River that crosses state lines. At left is Jesse Bradley, director of the Nebraska Department of Water, Energy and Environment. July 16, 2025. (Zach Wendling/Nebraska Examiner)LINCOLN — Nebraska state leaders filed a lawsuit against Colora…
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