SPNRD Recognizes Employees At Board Meeting

Two employees of the South Platte Natural Resources District (SPNRD) received special recognition during the district’s regular Monthly meeting in December.

Recognition was given to two employees Travis Glanz and Tyler Sanders for their years of service. Chairman Bill Halligan spoke, emphasizing how appreciated the work and dedication the employees have given to the District is. On behalf of the board, Halligan presented Travis Glanz with a certificate of appreciation for his 10 years of service to the District and Tyler Sanders with a certificate for five years of service.

The 2017 Fiscal Year Audit Report was presented by Julia Peetz, CPA, Rauner & Associates, PC. She reported that no problems were found in the process of the audit, presenting a clean audit opinion.

Chris Kaiser, SPNRD natural resources coordinator, gave the 2017 Final Chemigation Report. Kaiser reported that there were 383 chemigation permits in 2017. There were 178 inspections performed during the year, 147 renewal permits and 31 new permits. Seven permits were suspended due to faulty equipment, and of those only three had not been fixed yet.

Galen Wittrock, SPNRD assistant manager, covered the Final Report of the NEFT Project: Preserving Conservation Reserve Program (CRP) Grassland Benefits in Western Nebraska. Wittrock said the final report to the Nebraska Environmental Trust had been submitted and that the Trust was satisfied. Wittrock reviewed the history of the grant with the Board. First awarded in 2010, 85 percent of the grant dollars had gone back to producers. Overall, 74 producers had participated with an average size of each project around 201 acres.

Wittrock also presented the 2017 Community Forestry Program Report. Final payments have been made and almost all of the budgeted amount for the program was utilized this year. Communities that participated in the program spent a little more than their required 50 percent share. Total trees planted came to 221 trees, while the number of trees removed was 110 (removed due to declining health, they were dead, or they had become hazardous). Communities continue to show interest in the program and there was more interest in removing trees than in previous years.

Also discussed during the meeting was a review of the Western Irrigation District Excess Flows/Expanding the Re-Use Pits Recharge Project in Deuel County. Ryan Reisdorff, Water Resources Specialist, reported to the Board that the District submitted an application to the Platte Basin Coalition to add re-use pits in the Western Canal System to increase recharge to the aquifer during times of excess flow. The total project cost is estimated to be around $180,000. This proposal may add up to eight new pits, and the current plan is to dig out three of the already existing six pits. This proposed project could take the total number of re-use pits to 14. The Platte Basin Coalition has approved the project. NeDNR will be picking up 60 percent of the cost and the District will pick up 40 percent of the project costs.

The Allocation Period 2019-2021 Advisory Committee Meetings will be starting soon, and after discussion the Board decided to have one committee meeting in each county beginning in February 2018 with a final hearing being held at the end of April. The SPRND office will be releasing information to the public on when and where the meetings are to be held as they are scheduled.

For questions or more information, contact the South Platte NRD at 308-254-2377 or visit online at http://www.spnrd.org. SPNRD Board of Director Meetings are held every second Tuesday of the month.