“Water is a complex, complicated and challenging issue,” Gov. Heineman said. “In the short-term, it is essential for the State of Nebraska to continue maintaining compliance with the Republican River Compact. In the long-term, the State of Nebraska needs to develop sound water management strategies for the Republican River Basin that will benefit future generations.”
The Republican River Basin Water Sustainability Task Force was created when Gov. Heineman signed LB 1057 into law in April. The mission of the task force is to help develop consensus from basin leaders on several water management issues in the Republican River Basin. Responsibilities include defining water sustainability for the Republican River Basin, and developing a plan for achieving water sustainability in the basin.
The task force is comprised of 26 members, which includes 22 voting members appointed by the Governor and four state senators who are non-voting members appointed by the chair of the Legislature’s Executive Board.
Membership includes: two representatives from each of the four Republican River Basin Natural Resources Districts (NRDs); four representatives from basin area irrigation districts; one representative each from the University of Nebraska Institute of Agriculture and Natural Resources, the Nebraska Game and Parks Commission, and the Nebraska Departments of Agriculture and Natural Resources; one representative each from a school district, a city, a county, and a public power district in the basin, and two representatives from agriculture-related businesses in the basin. The task force terminates at the end of the 2011-2012 fiscal year.
Contact:
Jen Rae Hein, Gov’s Office
Brian Dunnigan, DNR