PUB00159

• Year: 1991
• Title: Interstate Transfers of Water: State Options After Sporhase
• CWCB Section: Administration
• Author: Richard S Harsberger
• Description: Interstate Transfers of Water: State Options After Sporhase
• Publications - Doc Type: Historical

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Richard S. Harnsberger*
Josephine R. Potuto**
Norman W. Thorson***

Interstate Transfers of Water: State
Options After Sporhase

TABLE OF CONTENTS

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I. Introduction. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 757

II. Sporhase 'V. Nebraska: An Analysis of the Case and
Nebraska's Response to It ............................... 759
A. The Law Prior to Sporhase ... . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 759

B. The Sporhase Case. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 763

1. The Facts. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 763

2. Origin of the Nebraska Groundwater Export

S'tatute . . . . . . . . . . . . . ... .. .. .. . .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. 763

3. The Litigation in Nebraska.. .. . . . . .. . . .. . . . . . . . . 765
4. The United States Supreme Court Opinion ..... 766
a. Water as an Article of Commerce. . . . . . . . . . . 767
b. An Impermissible Burden on Interstate

Commerce .. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 768

c. The Reciprocity Clause. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 770
d. Congressional Authorization ................ 771
5. The Supreme Court Dissent. . . .. . .. . . . . . . . . . .. . . 771
6. The Case Back in Nebraska . . .. . .. . . . . . . .. . . . .. . 772

7. Conclusion....................................... 772

C. Nebraska Statutory Responses to Sporhase......... 774

III. Water, Water Rights and Water Transfers: State Power
and Jurisdiction Mter Sporhase ......................... 776
A. Water Supplies and Demands. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 776
B. Surface and Ground Water ......................... 777
C. The Nature of Water Transfers..................... 779

. Cline Williams-Flavel A. Wright Professor of Law, University of Nebr8ska Col-
lege of Law
.. Richard H. Larson Professor of Constitutional Law, University of Nebraska Col-
lege of Law
... Judge Harry A Spencer Professor of Law, University of Nebraska College of
Law

754

HeinOnline -- 70 Neb. L. Rev. 754 1991