Major Water Issues in the North Platte River Basin

The North Platte Basin will face several key points and challenges with respect to water management issues and needs over the next 30 years. The following provides an overview of some of the points and challenges that have been identified.

The North Platte is Colorado’s only basin with concern over lack of growth and economic development.

There is a desire to ensure protection of existing water supplies, and a concern over the impact of the lack of forest management.
It is important that Endangered Species issues on the Platte River in Central Nebraska are successfully resolved and in a manner that does not put pressure on water users to reduce existing uses.
The equitable apportionment decrees on the North Platte and Laramie Rivers quantify the amount of available water and lands that can be irrigated.

The North Platte Basin Roundtable has also looked at the basin's water demands & projections, and has discussed the way ahead.