LINCOLN, Neb. (AP) — Nebraska’s Natural Resources Commission is laying the groundwork for projects intended to preserve the state’s long-term water supply.

The commission received $21 million this month as part of a new state water sustainability law, and is expected to collect $10 million to $11 million annually for water management and flood-control projects. The state money will pay for projects related to water management and qualify, flood control, and compliance with interstate water compacts.

The law was passed in the midst of recent drought years and legal fights with Kansas over access to the Republican River, which runs through southern Nebraska.

The law also expanded the commission from 16 to 27 members to include new representation for cities, agriculture, manufacturing, public power districts and wildlife conservation, among others.