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LINCOLN -- A recent Nebraska Department of Natural Resources podcast  features DNR Director Tom Riley on the topic of  the Perkins County Canal.

Nebraska lawmakers endorsed a $575 million canal project this spring, but the state expects it to take two years for engineers to explore possible routes for the 56-mile canal.

The canal is possible through the 100-year-old South Platte Compact with Colorado. It allows Nebraska to build a canal to divert water from the South Platte in winter months.

Riley said most of the state’s water comes from the North Platte, but the South Platte river is an important part of the Platte River system.

 

Riley: “The South Platte River is another one that comes out of Colorado. It’s a snow melt river. We typically see snow melt runoff in May and June and we’re actually seeing a lot of that right now, along with rainfall events. It provides water for cooling power plants, hydropower, irrigation, environmental needs and downstream municipal and industrial supplies really from one end of the state to the other. It’s really important for Nebraska to maintain that water supply. Perkins County Canal gives us the opportunity to do that.”

The current engineering study follows up a Twin Platte NRD study completed 41 years ago.

Pioneer Perkins County residents dug the first 16 miles in Sedwick, Colo., before financing failed in 1894.

For more information click on the water initiatives tab on the DNR website.

You can listen to Around the Watercooler with NeDNR on any of these platforms: