A Nebraska Supreme Court ruling has resolved a dispute between surface water Irrigators and NPPD over water rights.

 

Dave Aiken University of Nebraska Lincoln Extension Water and Ag Law Specialist says the dispute was between NPPD and their Spencer Hydro dam on the Niobrara River and area irrigators.

 

Aiken says there has been a procedure in state water law for some time…

 

The utility wanted to charge users for water use, and the irrigators sued, saying since they had not been charged in the past, NPPD had abandoned its water rights. Aiken says the court found otherwise…

 

 

Aiken says the lawsuit was not necessarily about the money…

 

 

Aiken says irrigators may have to pay between one hundred forty and one hundred sixty dollars to irrigate a one hundred sixty acre field.