Water
supply huge concern with NRDs, others who convened
By
GINGER JENSEN Hub Regional Correspondent
ALMA — Summer rains in the Republican River Basin have helped crops
and soothed some immediate concerns for farmers trying to survive the
multi-year drought. However, major problems remain.
Most surface water districts had no water for their customers this year
and natural resources districts are working on water management plans
required to comply with the Kansas v. Nebraska lawsuit settlement, the
Republican River Compact and the state’s new water law, LB962.
Those issues were discussed at Thursday’s meeting in Alma of the
Nebraska Republican River Management Districts Association, which includes
four surface water districts, four NRDs, and associate members such as
public power companies and recreation interests.
Tri-Basin NRD General Man-ager John Thorburn of Holdrege reported that
as part of LB962 compliance, his board voted to protect at the 1985 level
the groundwater mound south of the Platte River created by seepage from
Central Nebraska Public Power and Irrigation District projects.
Nebraska receives Republican River Compact lawsuit compliance credit for
mound water that gets into the Republican Basin.
In exchange for the mound protection resolution, Tri-Basin was allowed
by the state Department of Natural Resources to extend the deadline to
Sept. 15 for a moratorium on new irrigated acres. The moratorium applies
to land in the Republican Basin and in the Platte Basin west of Highway
183.
Without a deadline variance, LB962 required an immediate stay July 16
on acre development in such fully appropriated or overappropriated basins.
Another change in Tri-Basin’s groundwater management rules requires
quarter-mile spacings for new high-capacity wells.
Jasper Fanning was introduced as interim manager of the Upper Republican
NRD based at Imperial. Board chairman Greg Pelster of Elsie said the board
hopes to name Fanning as manager.
Middle Republican NRD Manager Dan Smith of Curtis said his board is seeking
ideas to help with the integrated water management plans required by LB962
for fully appropriated and overappropriated basins.
DNR Director Roger Patterson asked all Republican Basin water users to
become actively involved in helping the NRDs and DNR prepare the plans.
Lower Republican NRD Manager Mike Clements of Alma said his district is
on schedule to have all irrigation wells metered by April 1. All irrigated
acres must be certified by Dec. 31, the date set by a July 16 vote of
the LRNRD directors.
Rain is the only thing improving the outlook for surface water irrigators.
Don Felker, manager of Frenchman Valley/H&RW Irrigation District based
in Culbertson, said recent rains have helped. “Enders (reservoir)
is still not going up,” he said. “But compared to the last five
or six years, things are looking excellent.”
Even dryland crops are looking good in the Frenchman Cambridge Irrigation
District, according to Manager Roy Patterson. He said it’s hoped
that 8 inches of water can be delivered over nine weeks this summer at
the Cambridge canal.
He added that there is water in the Republican River at Cambridge for
the first time this summer.
Nebraska Bostwick Irrigation District Manager Mike Delka of Red Cloud
said natural flow water from river tributaries below Harlan County Lake
has been diverted into the Cortland Canal for Kansas Bostwick irrigators.
No water is being released from the lake this summer for Nebraska Bostwick
irrigators.
“We’ve had timely rains,” Delka said, “but we’re
needing more water from someplace.”
Bob Bettger of Fairmont, an ag representative for Rep. Tom Osborne, said
federal help may be available through the Conservation Reserve Enhancement
Program. CREP money could be used as incentives to limit groundwater pumping
or retire irrigated acres.
Roger Patterson reported that DNR is looking at a five-year study of how
conservation practices, specifically terraces and farm ponds, affect Republican
River streamflows. Funding would be 75 percent federal and 25 percent
state and local matching funds or in-kind services.
Nebraska officials also are studying innovative water consumption reduction
programs in other states.
