Colorado fires back at Nebraska in "unserious" water fight

Colorado leaders are asking the U.S. Supreme Court to reject Nebraska's claims that its western neighbor is interfering with Nebraska's water rights on the South Platte River.

Why it matters: Nebraska's push for more water and the construction of a canal threaten the water supply for the Front Range and farmers in northeastern Colorado.

Driving the news: Gov. Jared Polis and Attorney General Phil Weiser filed a legal brief Wednesday asking the Supreme Court — which handles disputes between states — to disregard Nebraska's claims because Colorado is complying with a 1923 water rights compact and not impeding the canal project.

What they're saying: "The unfounded and unserious lawsuit filed in Nebraska is just that — a meritless escalation," Polis said at a briefing. "We were surprised by the lawsuit. We've, frankly, been surprised by the boondoggle that has been this entire project."

Catch up quick: The water fight between Nebraska and Colorado has simmered for years before talks between the states broke down in July when Nebraska filed its lawsuit.

• The legal filing suggested Colorado is using more water than allocated in the summer, much of it to fuel growth on the Front Range, and obstructing the canal construction, which is permitted under the compact.
• "Water is the essential lifeblood of Nebraska's economy, and it's my goal to protect one of the state's most important assets," Attorney General Mike Hilgers said in a statement upon the lawsuit's filing.

Inside the room: Colorado officials contend Nebraska's lawsuit is a pawn to leverage new terms of the 102-year-old South Platte River Compact, given the legal questions in the case are not ripe enough for the high court's consideration.

• "There is no evidence … that we've, in any way, stood in the way of progress, and that assertion is ludicrous," Polis said. "They haven't, frankly, taken any steps that we could have even stood in the way of even if we wanted to, which we don't."