South Platte Water Related Activities Program:
The South Platte Water Related Activities Program, Inc. (SPWRAP), a Colorado nonprofit corporation, has been formed by Colorado water user participants under the Platte River Recovery Implementation Program (PRRIP). SPWRAP assists the State of Colorado in fulfillment of various PRRIP responsibilities including accounting and reporting requirements, obtaining interests in facilities, water rights and/or recharge credits, and assisting with the State's cash contributions to the PRRIP, if necessary. In addition to the State of Colorado delegate, Colorado water users also have representation on the PRRIP Governance Committee and advisory committees through membership in SPWRAP.
Prior to the formation of SPWRAP and the official development of the PRRIP, several local and regional partners were actively involved in mitigating endangered species concerns in Central Nebraska all while protecting and enhancing irrigated agricultural in the lower South Platte river, and preserving the right to develop new water supplies within the entire basin. The South Platte Lower River Group (SPLRG) was formed in 1996 to advance local managed groundwater recharge projects that would benefit both local agriculture and augmentation needs and mitigation requirements by Colorado water users for endangered species. LSPWCD was one of the original contributing partners of SPLRG and helped in advancing many local recharge and augmentation projects. After the creation of the PRRIP in 2007, SPWRAP was formed to generate revenues across the South Platte Basin on behalf of the water users to provide for the water mitigation requirements of Colorado water users in the basin. After SPWRAP was formed, SPLRG was no longer needed and was shortly thereafter dissolved. LSPWCD works cooperatively with SPWRAP and other agencies to develop and operate water conservation activities for multiple benefits. LSPWCD continues to take an active role with SPWRAP both through administrative and technical support. LSPWCD has partnered on numerous multi-purpose projects with SPWRAP and other entities primarily through technical assistance on local projects. LSPWCD is financially compensated for the administrative and technical services that it provides to SPWRAP. The SPWRAP annual report and other SPWRAP summary documents are available on the SPWRAP website.