A BRIEF SURVEY OF HIGH PLAINS STATES WATER DISTRIBUTION LAWS AND POLICIES

This paper contains brief summaries of the high plains states water distribution laws and policies. At first glance there appears to be homogeneity among these states regarding their water policies because of their uniform adoption of the appropriation doctrine: First in time to apply a quantity of water to beneficial use has senior rights to it in times of water shortage. A closer examination of these states rules and policies reveals active political arenas wherein each state grapples with modifying its appropriation rules to balance historical and new claims to water given inevitable changes in circumstance associated with population increase, environmental concerns, economic considerations, new technologies and climatic uncertainties. Given the scope of this paper, the powerful effect of Federal laws upon state water policies and politics is addressed in one situation: The Platte River Recovery Implementation Program.