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ii Earl's fields, nestled in the rolling Colorado needed to find ways to put his livestock and he'll have enough water <br />grasslands the locals call the Sand Hills, water back into the Republican and to grow feed for his cattle; he just won't <br />are where Colorado, Nebraska and Arikaree rivers, and send it downstream have any extra feed to sell anymore. <br />Kansas meet. Most people in the area rely to Kansas. Instead, the water from Earl's wells <br />on groundwater wells for their homes, To contribute water to the Republican will contribute to the flow of the Arikaree <br />farms and businesses, and tap into the and Arikaree rivers, the 2004 state leg- River less than a half -mile from the <br />Ogallala aquifer, also called the High islature created the Republican River stream gauge that measures Colorado's <br />Plains aquifer, a once - bountiful aquifer Water Conservation District —a tax -fund- water credited to the compact. <br />now plagued by pollution concerns and ed entity designed to work with irrigators So far the program is voluntary, with <br />dropping water levels. to voluntarily shut down wells. The first some farmers seizing the opportunity to <br />One of Earl's pastures borders year, it will pay Earl $120 for each acre receive compensation for poorly perform - <br />Kansas, the state that recently settled a he does not irrigate with his three wells. ing wells. Others hope shutting down for <br />lawsuit with Colorado and Nebraska over If the experiment works, next year Earl a while will increase flows enough to sat - <br />neighboring states' wells depleting water will receive $150 per non - irrigated acre. isfy the compact requirements. <br />from the already marginal flows of the Receiving a guaranteed income isn't so "I just hope they won't come in here and <br />Arikaree and Republican rivers. bad when you're in a job where you live say everybody's going to shut their wells <br />Kansas originally accused Nebraska of day to day, and even on the best days down," Earl says. "I hope this works." <br />over - pumping its wells. In 2000, Kansas you don't make much. Paying off the debt of water to anoth- <br />and Nebraska dragged Colorado into the In fact, Earl approached the district er state is only one of the hardships <br />suit because it was party to the original with the offer. communities like Wray and Yuma face. <br />i compact dividing the river. A compact "It's a good deal for me," Earl says, A rift between those fortunate enough to <br />settlement reached in 2003 determined noting he still has two other wells to water own surface -water rights and those who <br />ANA <br />OL <br />IN.- <br />r- dPft� JW _ C <br />1 <br />q <br />r <br />7e_ <br />