Groundwater Management addressed during three public hearings

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The Lower Elkhorn Natural Resources District (LENRD) held three public hearings during their December board meeting to address modifications to their Rules and Regulations for Management of Groundwater, changes to the LENRD Groundwater Management Plan, and to certify irrigated acres.

The first hearing was to accept public comment on changes to the Rules and Regulations for Management of Groundwater which modified the controls in place for any Phase 2 or Phase 3 Area in the LENRD, and establishes a set of controls for a Phase 4 Area, with all changes intended to provide greater protection of groundwater quality in the LENRD.  The proposed changes will add the prohibition of fall and winter application of commercial nitrogen to fields within the Phase 2 Area between the dates of October 15 and March 15 to further reduce the chance of nitrate-nitrogen leaching into the groundwater.  Although there are currently no areas in the LENRD that are designated as Phase 3 Areas, the changes include a requirement to prohibit the application of more than 80 pounds of commercial nitrogen without the use of a district-approved nitrification inhibitor after March 15 of each year.  The producer also has the option of splitting their nitrogen applications into multiple applications to avoid this requirement.  If an inhibitor is used, proof of such use must be submitted to the district annually.  LENRD Water Resources Manager, Brian Bruckner, said, “The changes also establish a set of controls for a Phase 4 Area, which can be implemented by the Board of Directors in areas with acute groundwater contamination conditions.”  The controls for a Phase 4 Area include: annual deep soil testing for nitrate-nitrogen when planting a non-legume crop (such as corn), proof of APH (actual production history) for determination of yield goals and verification of nitrogen budgets, annual sampling of irrigation wells for nitrate-nitrogen and required use of cover crops to sequester residual crop nutrients.

The next hearing was held to certify irrigated acres across the district.  767 tracts of land were certified as irrigated acres.  Approximately 88% of the district’s acres are now certified.  The next irrigated acre certification hearing will be held on March 23rd at the LENRD office in Norfolk.

The third hearing was to allow changes to be made to the Groundwater Management Plan to include the requirement of flow meter installation on high capacity wells classified for use as: public water supply wells, commercial wells, industrial wells, livestock wells, or any wells that are designed to pump more than 50 gallons per minute.  Bruckner added, “This is the first step in a two-step process to implement this requirement.  The next step will be to develop language for the Rules and Regulations for Management of Groundwater to spell out the specifics of this new requirement.”

The 2017 allocation rates were also set at the December meeting.  Each year, the board must determine the annual groundwater allocation amounts for the Wayne and Madison County Quantity Management Subareas for the upcoming crop year.  The staff recommended using the same amounts for the 2017 season.  Bruckner, said, “These allocation amounts are the same as 2016.  We are continuing to develop the framework for further expansion of irrigated acres in defined areas within the district by 2018.”

In other business, the board approved a proposal from the Nebraska Game & Parks Commission to proceed with a Bathymetric Survey of the Willow Creek reservoir.  LENRD Assistant General Manager, Ken Berney, said, “The survey will help to design potential habitat projects, and also focus on the sedimentation rate of the reservoir.  The data will be very useful in planning for the future of the recreation area.”

The next board meeting will be held on Thursday, January 26th at 7:30 p.m.

 

Irrigated acre certification hearing to be held on December 15th

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The Lower Elkhorn Natural Resources District (LENRD) is in the process of certifying irrigated acres across the 15-county district.  Once certification is completed, irrigation within the LENRD will be allowed only on acres classified as Certified Irrigated Acres.

The next Irrigated Acre Certification Public Hearing will be held at 6:30 p.m. on Thursday, December 15th at the LENRD office in the Lifelong Learning Center on the campus of Northeast Community College in Norfolk.  The parcels to be certified are listed below, or you can view the maps at the LENRD office:  601 E. Benjamin Avenue, Suite 101 in Norfolk.

Contact Mike Murphy at the LENRD office for more information at 402-371-7313.

Hearing Policy

Fields to be certified

Contested hearing form

 

Lower Elkhorn NRD appoints 2 new board members at November meeting

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The Lower Elkhorn Natural Resources District (LENRD) has seen a lot of change this year on their board of directors.  At their November meeting, the LENRD Board of Directors appointed two new members.  David Kathol and Jill Barr, both of Norfolk, took the oath of office and joined the other members around the table.

In the November election, David Kathol of rural Norfolk, was elected in Subdistrict 4 to replace Tim Tighe of Humphrey, who did not seek re-election.  The appointment was possible due to Tighe’s early departure from the board last month, resigning just before the end of his term because he had recently relocated outside of the Subdistrict.  Kathol was appointed at the November board meeting to fill the remainder of Tighe’s term, and will begin to serve his elected term in January.

Kathol worked for NPPD for 40 years.  He is now retired and has some time to commit to being a board member.  When applying for the position, Kathol said, “We all need to know the facts about the water under our feet; how geologically it is stored, moves, replenished, and what happens to make wells go dry.”  He added, “We all need to be educated about water law.”

Jill Barr was appointed to Subdistrict 2 to replace Luke Winkelbauer of Norfolk.  Luke recently resigned from the board due to his previous commitments and the time requirements to serve on the board.  Barr has been appointed to fill the remainder of the two-year term.

Barr is a pharmacist at Hy-Vee West in Norfolk.  In her cover letter, she said, “As the granddaughter of one of the founding fathers of Nucor, I understand the importance of resources and how they play a role in the economics of Nebraska.  Industry, agriculture, and municipalities all rely on the water to survive.  All of us rely on it to drink, bathe, and live.  I look forward to being a part of the conversation on how to keep resources sustainable for current and future generations.”

In other action, a public hearing was held for a proposed Chemigation rule change.  The proposed amendment would allow the chemical injection line check valve to be removed during the off-season.  LENRD Water Resources Technician, Josh Schnitzler, said, “By allowing producers to remove the check valve when they are not chemigating, it should prolong the life of the check valve, as the plastic check valves tend to deteriorate quickly when left out year-round.  It should also give producers a chance to inspect the check valve for any defects or animal damage that may have occurred.”  The board subsequently approved the proposed amendment to the LENRD rules for Chemigation and will forward the approved rule and all other necessary documentation to the Director of the Nebraska Department of Environmental Quality (NDEQ) for their consideration and approval.  The change would become effective soon after approval of the change from NDEQ.

In other business, the board approved 15 Community Forestry Incentive applications and one Forestry Incentive for Public Facilities application, for a total cost of $39,929.50.

The members also approved the staff recommendations for Conservation Cost-share and Lands for Conservation programs and authorized $500,000 for the 2017 construction season.

A request came from the Norfolk Area Visitors’ Bureau for assistance in providing bike racks on Norfolk trails.  A cost-share program was proposed, and the board voted to fund 50% of the cost of the bike racks to be placed around Norfolk, up to $5,000, with the other 50% to be funded by businesses or other entities.

Each year, the LENRD must determine the maximum number of new groundwater irrigated acres to be allowed for the following year.  The board voted to allow 0 acres of new groundwater irrigation development district-wide under the district’s standard variance process for 2017.  Under the district’s expedited variance process, they voted to allow no transfer of irrigated acres district-wide, but to allow approval of applications of 10 acres or less, if the addition of the requested acres will allow the applicant’s center pivot irrigation system to finish its circle.  They also voted to allow for the approval of qualified good cause variances and to approve a total of no more than 250 new irrigated acres in the hydrologically connected area and no more than 250 irrigated acres in the non-hydrologically connected area for expedited variance applications located outside of the district’s quantity subareas for 2017.  In addition, the board directed the staff to allow for the approval of supplemental wells, only in situations where the certified irrigated acres have been severed from the source of groundwater.  LENRD Water Resources Manager, Brian Bruckner, said, “In summary, this policy is identical to the allowable development that had been in place in the LENRD for 2016.  District staff members are continuing to develop the framework for further expansion of irrigated acres in defined areas within the district by 2018."

Bids were received and reviewed to select contractors to perform flow meter maintenance and installation inspections for the district.  The board approved 2 proposals, and authorized the general manager to enter into contracts with the firms.  They approved the proposal from Buchanan Well, Inc. of Osmond, for the northern area of the district to perform the maintenance on an estimated 443 flow meters at $46 per site for a total of $20,378.00.  The other proposal approved was with Derek Becker and Austin Becker of Norfolk, for the southern area of the district at $50 per unit for an estimated 434 flow meters for a total of $21,700.00.

The LENRD officially shared their new logo with the public this week.  It brings together their mission of conserving and protecting water, soil, and trees.  Check it out on their website and social media.

The next board meeting will be held on Thursday, December 15th at 7:30 p.m.

Public hearing to be held December 15th on proposed changes to the Groundwater Management Plan

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The Lower Elkhorn NRD will hold a public hearing to receive public comment regarding proposed changes to Section 7 of the district’s groundwater management plan on Thursday, December 15th at 7:30 p.m.

In 2016, the district modified its groundwater management plan to require the installation of flow meters on irrigation wells. The proposed changes to the plan will require commercial, industrial, public water supply and livestock wells or series of wells that are designed to pump more than 50 gallons per minute to install flow meters as well.

To view the proposed changes to Section 7 of the plan, please refer to this documents below.

Anyone wishing to provide testimony regarding the proposed changes to the district’s rules is welcome do so in person at the public hearing. Written testimony will also be accepted prior to the conclusion of the public hearing.

Notice of Public Hearing

Proposed Modifications

Groundwater Management Plan

 

Public hearing to be held on December 15th at 6:00 p.m.

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The Lower Elkhorn NRD will hold a public hearing to receive public comment regarding proposed changes to the district’s groundwater management area rules and regulations on Thursday, December 15th at 6:00 p.m.

The proposed changes are intended to improve groundwater quality protection efforts of area farmers and the district.

Anyone wishing to provide testimony regarding the proposed changes to the district’s rules is welcome do so in person at the public hearing. Written testimony will also be accepted prior to the conclusion of the public hearing. For more information about the public hearing, please refer to the links below.

Notice of Public Hearing

Explanation of the proposed changes

Amendments to the Rules

Election Results:

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Congratulations to our elected board members: Subdistrict 1 - Mike Krueger of Pierce; Subdistrict 3 - Bob Huntley of Norfolk; Subdistrict 3 - Scott McHenry of Norfolk; Subdistrict 4 - Dave Kathol of Norfolk; Subdistrict 4 - Bob Noonan of Humphrey; Subdistrict 5 - Jerry Allemann of Wayne; Subdistrict 6 - Matt Steffen of West Point; and Subdistrict 7 - Gary Loftis of Craig.  Read more in the Norfolk Daily News article below:

Two incumbents lose seats on Lower Elkhorn NRD board

By KELLY SCHNOOR
kschnoor@norfolkdailynews.com

With many contested races for Lower Elkhorn Natural Resources District seats, eight — and possibly nine — subdistrict winners emerged on Election Day. But some incumbents weren’t among the top vote-getters.

One of those races was in the NRD’s subdistrict 5 where incumbent David Shelton of Wayne lost to challenger Jerry Allemann of Wayne. Allemann received 3,264 votes, while Shelton garnered 1,194.

"I had local people that supported me and encouraged me, and I'm happy with how the results were." Allemann said after the results were known.  Allemann said he has been attending NRD meetings in previous years as a farmer within the district.  "I'm well aware that we need to conserve our water … But we also have areas where there is plenty of groundwater," he said.  "We just have to move forward cautiously," he said, referring to future water use.

Another incumbent who won’t be returning to the NRD board is Danny Kluthe of Dodge, who was defeated by challenger Matt Steffen of West Point to represent subdistrict 6. Steffen won the race with 2,815 votes to Kluthe's 2,096 votes.

Steffen said he wasn't sure how the race would go, but he's happy with the results.  Now that he's been elected he wants to deal with issues as they come and always continue to learn.  "One of the main things is listen to what people in the district say and work with them and do a good job or representing them," Steffen said about his priorities during his time on the board.

In subdistrict 3, Scott McHenry of Norfolk won the race. McHenry received 2,403 votes to Roy Srymanske's 831.  

"Everything went well," McHenry said. "I just would like to thank everyone who voted for me."  But this race was technically over before the voting even began. That’s because Srymanske moved out of the subdistrict recently, meaning he couldn’t have served even if elected. But his move was recent enough that his name still remained on the ballot.  McHenry said he is looking forward to working with the NRD staff and other board members during his term.  Something McHenry said he will focus on going forward is water issues.  "(They) are the hot topic around here, so anything concerning water rights for all users is the most important," he said.

David Kathol, also of Norfolk, won a four-year seat representing subdistrict 4. Kathol received 2,229 votes, while his opponent Eugene Hemmer of Humphrey received 1,863 votes.

Kathol said being a longtime Northeast Nebraskan and working locally factored in to his success.  "People know me. I've been in this area for about 40 years," Kathol said. "It's an awesome responsibility and I'll try to do my best."  Education is still going to be a big thing, Kathol said, regarding his priorities for his term.  "I'm going to try to make things fair for everybody, but also keep in mind that we are sitting on a valuable resource that we need to guard and use properly," he said.

For a two-year seat representing Subdistrict 4, Bob Noonan of Humphrey won by receiving 2,702 votes to the 1,494 won by Robert Lueninghoener of Stanton.

"I'm very passionate about making sure we conserve our resources but also that we're able to use it as well. I just want to represent my subdistrict well," Noonan said.  Noonan, who had been appointed to the NRD board and was seeking election for the first time, said one of his main focuses for this term will be water mandates.  Noonan said that he wants to ensure that "we are sensitive to making sure we do not economically damage businesses in our district while being careful with the conservation and the purity of the water."

Incumbent Gary Loftis of Craig won re-election to a subdistrict 7 seat with 2,950 votes over Paul Chamberlain, also of Craig, who received 1,789 votes.

Loftis attributed his success in the race simply to name recognition more than anything else.  "I'm very satisfied with the amount of support from local counties. That makes me happy," Loftis said.  The whole idea of NRDs is local control, Loftis said, and going forward he said that his focus will be continuing that local voice in the decisions made about what is done with natural resources.  "We're getting to the point where we can make some developments," he said.

Running unopposed for a subdistrict 1 seat was incumbent Michael Krueger of Pierce. Also running unopposed was Robert Huntley of Norfolk for a subdistrict 3 seat.

In subdistrict 2, there were no candidates on the ballot, but Mark Hall of Norfolk, who recently was appointed to the seat, was seeking write-in votes and did receive 19 of them in Madison County voting. Those results, however, are not yet final.

Proposed amendments to chemigation rules will be the topic of the November 22 public hearing

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The Lower Elkhorn NRD will hold a public hearing during its regular board meeting on November 22, 2016 at 7:30 p.m.  The purpose of the hearing is to receive public comment on the adoption of the proposed amendments to the district's rules for chemigation.  The public notice, the explanation of the rule change, and a copy of the proposed changes are below:

Public Notice

Explanation of rule change

Proposed chemigation rule changes

Applications for board vacancy due November 15th

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Due to a vacancy on the Lower Elkhorn Natural Resources District Board of Directors, the Board is now taking applications to fill the remainder of a four year term (2015-2018) for Subdistrict 2. Applicants must be registered voters and reside within the bounds of the subdistrict shown below.  A more detailed map is available at the Lower Elkhorn NRD, Lifelong Learning Center, 601 East Benjamin Ave., Suite 101, Norfolk, NE.

Interested persons should contact the Lower Elkhorn NRD at 402-371-7313 or email: msousek@lenrd.org

A resume’ should be submitted to the Lower Elkhorn NRD by November 15, 2016.

Subdistrict 2 Map

 

 

Winkelbauer resigns from LENRD board

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At their October board meeting, the Lower Elkhorn Natural Resources District (LENRD) Board of Directors accepted the resignation of Luke Winkelbauer.  Winkelbauer farms in the Norfolk area and represented Subdistrict 2 on the board.

Winkelbauer is the fourth board member to step down this year.  Former board members Cory Beller, Chris Carlson, and Tim Tighe resigned after moving out of their respective subdistricts.  Winkelbauer did so because of the time commitment.

In his resignation letter, Winkelbauer said, “At this time, I am unable to fulfill the time commitment needed to fully engage and participate with the discussions and decisions required, as well as being able to attend the meetings and events."  Winkelbauer said that he hopes to someday return to the board when he has the time available.

LENRD general manager, Mike Sousek, said, “Luke is an extremely hard worker and his time commitment is currently involved with his family operation.”  Sousek thanked him for his time on the board.

In other items of business, the board voted 7-6 to reject signing a contract with JEO Consulting Group in the amount of $23,000 to conduct an economic study on the Willow Creek State Recreation Area, near Pierce.

The reservoir has had problems with algae blooms in 7 out of the last 10 years.  It could take as much as $500,000 to do the necessary work to address the issue.

While the economic study could have helped determine if that work would be worthwhile, some of the board members felt the $23,000 price tag of the study was too high.

"A few months ago, we were looking into some possible projects at Willow Creek," Sousek said. "Those projects came with a very large price tag, so the discussion at that time was that maybe we need to look and see what the economic value of the lake actually is.  We'll keep plugging away and we'll try to find more creative ways to find a solution or address the issues that we're currently having at the Willow Creek reservoir."

Tim Tighe resigns from LENRD board

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Long-time board member, Tim Tighe of Humphrey, recently submitted his letter of resignation to the Lower Elkhorn Natural Resources District (LENRD).  The LENRD board members accepted his request, with regret, at last night’s meeting.  Tighe has moved outside of his subdistrict boundaries, and can no longer serve the people of that area.  He has served the district for 25 years and was, currently, the longest serving member of the board.

Tighe said, “I have enjoyed my time on the board, interacting with the staff and public, for the past twenty-five years.  The NRD has made good decisions, weighing the competing interest for water in the state as well as flooding, soil conservation, and other issues.  Until you serve on the board of an NRD, you don’t realize all the things the NRDs actually do.”

LENRD general manager, Mike Sousek, said, “Tim always had a positive outlook and was a great thinker.  He looked at things from a lot of different angles before making a decision.  We want to thank Tim for his years of public service and for providing great leadership on our board for the past 25 years.  You will be missed!”

With the general election less than seven weeks away, the board does not plan to fill the seat on the board at this time.  David Kathol of Norfolk and Eugene Hemmer of Humphrey are both running for Tighe’s seat in the November election.

Tim Tighe.jpg

Two funding sources available to assist producers with flow meter costs

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All irrigation wells in the Lower Elkhorn Natural Resources District (LENRD) will need a district approved flow meter installed by January 1, 2018.  The LENRD has secured two grants to assist landowners with the expense of this requirement.

1)  RCPP:  The LENRD received one of 6 Regional Conservation Partnership Program (RCPP) grants in Nebraska to fund producers’ irrigation water management projects.  The RCPP is administered by the USDA’s Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS).

The RCPP grant, under the Environmental Quality Incentive Program (EQIP), includes incentive payments for the installation of irrigation flow meters, irrigation water management, and nutrient management.  The RCPP grant is for producers who want to utilize more technology in their Irrigation Water Management (IWM).  In addition, the LENRD will offer incentive payments of $250 per flow meter to producers who are approved for the EQIP/RCPP funding.

Landowners must apply at their local NRCS office prior to October 21, 2016, and be approved for EQIP/RCPP funding prior to purchase and installation of the flow meter.

2)  WSF:  The LENRD has also received a grant from Nebraska’s Water Sustainability Fund (WSF), administered by the Nebraska Natural Resources Commission, to assist landowners with the purchase of flow meters.

With the WSF grant, the LENRD will pay producers $500 per flow meter.  All producers who have installed flow meters on or after November 25th, 2015, or producers who have yet to install their flow meters, can now apply for the $500 incentive payments until the funds run out.  Application for the flow meter cost-share can be completed by visiting your local NRCS office or the LENRD office in Norfolk.

LENRD water resources manager, Brian Bruckner, said, “These incentives are available for producers on a first-come, first-served basis.  There is enough grant money to cost-share on 3,000 of the estimated 4,500 meters left to install.  Therefore, it’s very important that producers apply at their local NRCS office or the LENRD office as soon as possible.”

 

A public hearing to certify irrigated acres will be held September 8

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The Lower Elkhorn Natural Resources District (LENRD) will conduct a public hearing to certify irrigated acres on September 8, 2016 at 6:30 p.m. The hearing will be held at the Lifelong Learning Center, located on the campus of Northeast Community College - 601 East Benjamin Avenue in Norfolk.  The attached list of individuals are those who have fields in this certification hearing.  If you have any questions about this hearing or the certification process, contact Mike Murphy at the LENRD.

Acres to be certified

Public Hearing Policy

LENRD approves a lower tax levy for fiscal year 2017 budget

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The 2017 fiscal year budget for the Lower Elkhorn Natural Resources District (LENRD) was approved by the board of directors at their August 25th meeting.

The tax request for 2017 is $4,390,132.  The budget of all expenditures shows a 10.5% decrease of over $1 million from last year, due to the grant funding secured by the district.

The estimated levy based on the property tax request is 2.401 cents per $100 of valuation, a decrease of 0.2% from the fiscal year 2016 levy of 2.406 cents per $100 of valuation.  For example, if a person owns a $100,000 house, the taxes owed to the LENRD would have been $24.06 in 2016, and will be approximately $24.01 in 2017.

The funds received by the LENRD are returned to the citizens of the district, through projects, programs, and studies across all or parts of 15-counties in northeast Nebraska.  Some of these conservation benefits include:  water quality and quantity programs such as groundwater management, flood control, and nitrate management; as well as erosion control, cost-share to landowners who apply for conservation practices, recreation areas and trails, urban recreation and community forestry programs, and many other benefits that protect our natural resources.

LENRD general manager, Mike Sousek, said, “We are working together to create a budget that not only addresses our 12 responsibilities, but that also focuses on improving the quality of life for the citizens across our district.  We are doing more with less, by focusing on efficiencies and streamlining processes to protect our natural resources for the benefit of everyone.”

The LENRD will hold its Fiscal Year 2017 budget hearing August 25th

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The LENRD will hold its Fiscal Year 2017 budget hearing during its regular board of directors meeting this month.  The hearing is set for Thursday, August 25th beginning at 7:30 p.m.  Below are the draft copies of the budget documents.  The regular board meetings and hearings are always open to the public.

Budget Draft

Budget Summary

Supporting Documents

Willow Creek SRA is on health alert due to toxic algae

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The Willow Creek State Recreation Area, southwest of Pierce, NE is on a health alert due to the levels of toxic algae found in the water.  Signs advising people are posted, and the swimming beach is CLOSED.

Lower Elkhorn Natural Resources District (LENRD) assistant general manager, Ken Berney, says “Recreational boating and fishing are permitted, but people are advised to avoid activities that could involve accidental ingesting of water, and to avoid full immersion in the water.  It is also important to keep your pets out of the water.”  Public areas for camping, picnics and other outdoor activities remain open.

To find out more about toxic algae, visit the Nebraska Department of Environmental Quality website, the information is updated weekly:  http://deq.ne.gov/NDEQProg.nsf/Beaches2016.xsp

The LENRD is working with the U.S. Geological Survey to monitor the toxic algae at Willow Creek.  We will post more information on this study as we receive it.

LENRD appoints new board member to subdistrict 2

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The Lower Elkhorn Natural Resources District (LENRD) Board of Directors interviewed two candidates at their July meeting to fill their vacant seat.  Mark Hall and Garry Murren, both of Norfolk, spoke to the board and shared their reasons for applying and their interests in protecting our natural resources.  Hall was selected by a vote of 7 to 6 over Murren, a long-time friend of his family.

Hall is ready for the challenges ahead.  He commented, “Providing good quality water and preserving it for the future is very important.  I’m excited to learn more from the board members and staff as well as the public I’ll be representing.  The NRD has a wide range of responsibilities and I look forward to discovering more about the various programs offered.”  Hall is a farm manager and was previously a computer technician.

The seat was previously held by Chris Carlson of Norfolk, since 2005.  Carlson recently moved outside of the district and was no longer able to represent Subdistrict 2.

In other action, the board approved a flow meter installation and maintenance inspection policy, and discussed phase requirements for the groundwater management area.

The next board meeting will be held on Thursday, August 25th at 7:30 p.m.  A budget hearing will be held at the start of the meeting to set the fiscal year 2017 budget.

 

Cost-share on flow meters available until June 30, 2017

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The Lower Elkhorn Natural Resources District (LENRD) received a grant from Nebraska’s Water Sustainability Fund (WSF) and has cost-share available for producers who have yet to install flow meters on their irrigation wells.  All irrigation wells in the LENRD will need a district approved flow meter installed by January 1, 2018.

To assist landowners with the expense of this requirement, the LENRD will provide financial support of $500 per flow meter.  It is important to note that landowners must first apply and be approved for reimbursement, prior to purchase and installation of the meter.  Application for the flow meter cost-share can be completed by visiting your local Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) office and filling out the appropriate application forms.  These requests are then forwarded to the LENRD for processing.

In addition, the LENRD will offer incentive payments of $250 per flow meter to producers who are approved for the Environmental Quality Incentive Program (EQIP) funding.  The EQIP program is administered by NRCS and offers a host of incentives for irrigation water management.

LENRD water resources manager, Brian Bruckner, said, “The deadline to have flow meters installed on all irrigation wells is January 1, 2018.  These incentives are available for producers who get signed up for the cost-share by June 30, 2017.  The maximum payment that a producer can receive is $5,000 per year for irrigation practices.”

Nebraska’s Natural Resources Commission approved nearly $11.5 million in projects through the WSF, with $900,000 being awarded to the LENRD for water and soil conservation.  The LENRD will provide a match of $600,000.  This will allow the district to have $1.5 million available for cost-share assistance on irrigation flow meters.

Helicopter to make low-level flights to collect groundwater data

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Northeast Nebraska residents should not be alarmed if they see a low-flying helicopter in their area over the coming weeks.  Flights will begin this week and continue until early August over portions of the following counties:  Madison, Platte, Pierce, Knox, Cedar, Dixon, Wayne, and Cuming Counties.  Visit http://enwra.org/2016aem.html to see detailed locations of planned flights.

The helicopter will fly lines spaced approximately 3 miles apart over most of the area.  Scientific equipment is towed about 100 feet below the helicopter in a ‘spider web’ array and is designed to map geologic structures beneath the earth.

The Lower Elkhorn Natural Resources District (LENRD), along with the members of the Eastern Nebraska Water Resource Assessment (ENWRA) and the Bazile Groundwater Management Area (BGWMA), have planned the flights with grant assistance from the Nebraska Water Sustainability Fund and the Nebraska Environmental Trust.

According to Brian Bruckner, LENRD water resources manager, the geologic information available from the flights will improve the district’s understanding of the available groundwater resource and potential groundwater/surface water connections in an area of the state made more complex by the presence of glacial deposits.  He said, “Understanding these isolated aquifers will help us to protect the resource and make better management decisions in the future.”

Aqua-Geo Frameworks, LLC will oversee the flights, process the data, and produce a final report to the LENRD.  The technology they use allows for fast data acquisition, upwards of 50 miles per hour, with exploration depth hundreds of feet below the land surface.

This scientific program is designed to study the area’s water resources and is part of an ongoing program to identify physical occurrences such as changes in geologic materials and sediment types.  If you would like to learn more about the planned flights, visit the ENWRA website at www.enwra.org under the “2016 AEM flights tab”.

AEM Flight Map - 2016