Serving proudly since 1873 as the beautiful Nebraska Panhandle's first newspaper
Serving proudly since 1873 as the beautiful Nebraska Panhandle's first newspaper
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As we begin to move into the summer outdoor season, the District is moving forward with plans and work to develop and maintain its recreation areas. The District owns or cares for four recreation areas, with each county currently holding at least one area. Each has a different offering for the outdoor enthusiast and all provide the opportunity for an outdoor experience unique to our area. Goldeneye and Goldenrod Wildlife Management Areas both lie in Deuel County. The District manages these areas under an agreement with the owner, the Nebraska...
In the last column, we introduced a general overview of the allocation system used by the NRD as one of the tools used to maintain adequate ground water supplies. As the District moves forward to set allocations for the irrigation years 2016-2018, we want to share how the process works and what we’re trying to accomplish. In 2004, the Nebraska Department of Natural Resources designated the entire South Platte NRD as full appropriated, or using as much ground water as there was ground water recharge. Later that same year, the South Platte R...
The District is beginning the process of review and evaluation of its ground water management in preparation to set ground water allocations for irrigators over the next allocation period (2016-2018). The 2015 growing season marks the end of the second allocation period the District has imposed after beginning to use allocations as part of its ground water management practices. The board of directors felt this was a necessary step after seeing ground water levels drop drastically, in some instances more than 30 feet, from historic levels. The...
The Nebraska Association of Resources Districts – the trade association for the 23 districts in Nebraska – held its annual Legislative Conference the last week of January. The conference is one of things we do as Nebraska’s resources districts to watch out for your interests as landowners and residents and to protect your interests. Eighteen new senators are part of the first session in the 104th Legislature, which is a 90-day session. There are 10 new committee chairs within the body, which has seen 603 bills introduced. One of the most impor...
The District recently hosted a series of meetings with the Ground Water Management Advisory Committees representing each county within the District. It outlined proposed changes to the Ground Water Management’s rules and regulations. Many of these changes are housekeeping measures. But one significant change is importing the District’s Chemigation Program rules into the districtwide regulatory document. This past session, the Nebraska Legislature adopted changes to the Nebraska Chemigation Act, which provides controls to maintain ground water q...
With Thanksgiving just past and Christmas rapidly approaching, this is an appropriated time to be thankful for the gift of the natural resources that provide for our livelihood, enjoyment and very survival. Nebraska is all too often considered a state best flown over, or driven through as quickly as possible. But those who take the time to slow down in our state and take a look around can discover what we already know. That even our parched “desert” region is teaming with life. As with the state’s other NRDs, part of our management respo...
In September, the District Board of Directors approved the current annual operating budget of $2,959,361. These are the funds the District uses for operating expenses and projects and programs for its current fiscal year, which runs from July 1, 2014, to June 30, 2015. Of that budget, only 44 percent, or $1,312,448, of the funding needed is derived from new property tax, or about 2.5 percent of your total tax bill. Our overall tax asking figure is 5.6777 cents per $100 in valuation, or $56.77 for a $100,000 home. For perspective if you buy,...
Nebraska’s Natural Resources Districts are unlike any natural resource management system anywhere. So unique in fact, the system is the only one of its kind and the envy of managers across the country as they seek to adequately manage their own natural resources. One of the things that make NRDs so special is the makeup that allows for local management responsibilities, based on river basins, being overseen by locally elected boards. These board members, who live in the areas they represent, depend on the same water, use the same land, and brea...
