Ask Game & Parks to Protect Niobrara River Flows Take Action Now!
The Nebraska Game & Parks Commission staff has been studying the need for an instream flow water right to protect some of the remaining flows in the Niobrara so they continue to provide recreation, fish, and wildlife benefits. At its October, 2009, meeting, the Commissioners discussed but delayed asking staff to move forward with a water rights application that would protect some of the remaining flows in the Niobrara River. Please write to the Commissioners Today, asking them to move forward with an instream flow water rights application to protect critical flows in the Niobrara River!
Under Nebraska law, irrigators, industries, cities and other water users have been able to apply for and get rights to take water out of Nebraska's rivers for more than a century. Only in recent years did the State Legislature recognize that there is tremendous value in leaving water in streams, where it can provide flows needed to float canoes or kayaks, and to support fish and wildlife. The Niobrara River has been under tremendous pressure in recent years, as more and more irrigators and other water users ask for rights to take more water out of the river. The Department of Natural Resources declared the Niobrara "fully appropriated", meaning the Department of Natural Resources and Natural Resource Districts must now develop watershed management plans to better manage wells and stream flows. However, the designation allows future water uses where they don't harm existing users.

Game & Parks Commission staff and others have studied the river carefully, noting that water rights already in place have reduced the quality of the river for canoeing, and a slight further reduction could make the situation much worse. That would harm canoe outfitters and other area businesses that rely on the current level of river flows.

The Game & Parks Commissioners have supported continued study of the river, including the needs of fish and wildlife for river flows. However, they have not yet given their staff approval to move ahead with filing an in-stream flow water rights application, that would -- if approved by the Department of Natural Resources -- help protect existing flows in the Niobrara for future generations. 

Please write or call the members of the Nebraska Game & Parks Commission today, and ask them to move forward with an instream flow water rights application to protect critical flows in the Niobrara River!
 

Commission Members:

Dr. Mark Pinkerton, 114 West 3rd Street, PO Box 1127, Wilber, NE 68465

(402) 228-1755

Ron Stave, 25827 Blondo Street, Waterloo, NE 68069

(402) 359-2718

Mick Jensen, PO Box 500, Blair, NE 68008

(402) 426-9511

Norris Marshall, 186 W Road, Kearney, NE 68845

(308) 233-4587

Jerrod Burke, 220 Crook Avenue, Curtis, NE 69025

(308) 367-4399

Lynn Berggren, 514 Westridge Drive, Broken Bow, NE 68822

(308) 872-6684

Mark Spurgin, 790 Road East R South, Paxton, NE 69155

(308) 239-4539

Dr. Kent Forney, 5001 Trotter Road, Lincoln, NE 68512

(402) 421-6456

Rex Fisher, 1314 Douglas, 13th Floor, Omaha, NE 68102

(402) 422-3742

 Click for a printable list of Commission members.

For more on the scenic, recreation, and fish and wildlife values of the Niobrara River,

click here.