Four natural resource districts are joining forces for a project to increase water flows to the Republican and Platte Rivers, both crucial to Nebraska farmers and subject to water-usage agreements with Kansas and other states.

District officials have agreed to buy a farm south of North Platte and retire approximately 15,800 acres from production. Doing so will allow them to save water that would otherwise be used for irrigation, and ship it down to the rivers when it’s needed to make sure Nebraska stays in compliance with interstate water agreements.
The districts are expected to split the $83 million cost to buy the property and make upgrades to help ship the water.

Officials estimate that they’ll need 17 miles of pipeline to transport water to both rivers.