The North Platte Natural Resources District Monday welcomed Governor Dave Heineman's comments calling for civility among the state's water users. Heineman encouraged the Central Nebraska Public Power and Irrigation District of Holdrege, owners of Lake McConaughy, and the North Platte NRD, to get back to negotiating their differences rather than trying to solve them in court.

Central has filed three lawsuits and two administrative proceedings against the Scottsbluff-based NRD challenging traditional water allocations and state law governing water appropiations. North Platte NRD general manager Ron Cacek says the lawsuits are costing the district time and taxpayer money to fight. Cacek echoes Heineman's comments that court decisions generally are "black and white" and don't provide much felxibility, adding "a board of locally elected representatives made up of landowners, businessmen, and irrigators who make a living here, are better qualified to make water management decisions than a judge or Central Nebraska Public Power and Irrigation District."