Developing Nebraska's Natural Resources...
Protecting Lives,
Protecting Property,
Protecting the Future
Stream Table NE State Fair 2018
Husker Harvest Days 2018
Bagworm, Webworm or Tent Caterpillars
UNL publication providing information and treatment of bagworms, webworms and tent caterpillars.
Now is the time to treat for Bagworms and Tent Caterpillars. Click on Brochure for more information.
Additional Information on Bagworms can be found on Nebraska Extension website.
Nebraska Bostwick and LRNRD Team Up to Improve Water Conditions on the Republican River
(Alma, NE) Lower Republican Natural Resources District (LRNRD) and Nebraska Bostwick Irrigation District (NBID) have signed an Agreement through which the LRNRD will contribute $1 million to Bostwick’s upcoming automated gate project. This project will significantly improve the efficiency of the Franklin Canal in South Central Nebraska helping to preserve precious water in the Republican Basin.
“This project is the very definition of a ‘Win-Win’ situation,” said Todd Siel, General Manager of the Lower Republican Natural Resources District. “Our directors are pleased the project will now be entering the construction phase and are excited about the future of this partnership with Nebraska Bostwick.”
Nebraska Bostwick operates a series of canals within the LRNRD downstream from the Harlan County Reservoir, including the Franklin Canal, which delivers water from Harlan County Lake and the Republican River for surface irrigation.
This project, designed and built by Rubicon Water Systems out of Fort Collins, CO, is designed to install more efficient automated gates on the Franklin Canal, thus allowing for the retention of additional water in Harlan County Lake. The estimated benefit, in terms of water savings, should be over 2700 acre-feet per year achieved through timelier and more precise deliveries of water to Bostwick’s surface irrigation customers.
Tracy Smith, General Manager, of Bostwick Irrigation District said, “I want to thank Todd and the Board of Directors with the LRNRD, as well as the Board of Directors for Bostwick Irrigation District for their efforts and cooperation on this historic achievement. The project will provide much better control and reliability for the district’s water supply, which will conserve water. We are excited to have the cooperation with the Lower Republican NRD, as well as the technical and financial guidance we have received from the Nebraska Department of Natural Resources (NDNR). We look forward to the implementation of the project, as well as future joint partnerships with LRNRD and NDNR to maximize water supplies in the Republican River Basin.”
A grant of $2 million from the Nebraska Water Sustainability Fund will pay 60 percent of the $3.2 million cost with the LRNRD contributing $1 million and NBID contributing the rest of the required matching funds. Prep work is expected to begin later this month.
The Lower Republican Natural Resources District (LRNRD), works to protect lives, protect property, and protect the future of Nebraska’s natural resources. To learn more about the Lower Republican NRD visit www.lrnrd.org. LRNRD is located at 30 N John St, Nebraska 68920. Email LRNRD at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. or call the LRNRD at (308) 928-2182.
“Celebrate Nebraska Water” launched
On March 22, in recognition of World Water Day, Humanities Nebraska announced plans for a yearlong celebration of Nebraska’s water resources.“Celebrate Nebraska Water” will coincide with a Smithsonian Traveling Exhibition, Water/Ways, which will travel to six Nebraska communities from June 2018 through April 2019.The Water/Ways exhibition will provide visitors with the opportunity to explore the relationships between people and water; water as both a critical resource and sacred symbol, asubject of politicians, authors, economists and artists, and a source of food, recreation, work, and celebration. The exhibition will be hosted at the following locations:Niobrara National Scenic River Visitor Center in Valentine June 23 through August 3Custer County Historical Society Museum in Broken Bow August 11 through September 21Bone Creek Museum of Agrarian Art in David City September 29 through November 9Nebraska Prairie Museum in Holdrege November 17 through December 21Knight Museum and Sandhills Center in Alliance January 5 through February 15, 2019Legacy of the Plains in Gering February 23 through April 7, 2019Because water is so essential to Nebraska, a number of Nebraska organizations will join in promoting “Celebrate Nebraska Water!” These organizations include: The Crane Trust, Daugherty Water for Food Global Institute at the University of Nebraska, The Groundwater Foundation, The Nature Conservancy in Nebraska, Nebraska Association of ResourcesDistricts, Nebraska Commission on Indian Affairs, Nebraska Department of Natural Resources, Nebraska Extension, Nebraska State Historical Society, Nebraska State Irrigation Association, Nebraska Educational Telecommunications, Platte Basin Timelapse, Prairie Loft Center for Outdoor and Agricultural Learning, and the USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service.These collaborating organizations encourage all Nebraskans to make a special effort to enjoy, protect, and learn more about Nebraska’s water resources in all its forms. Libraries, museums, schools, and other organizations are encouraged to schedule activities related to waterduring the upcoming year.Visit humanitiesnebraska.org/water for a list of events and resources.Water/Ways is part of Museum on Main Street, a collaboration of the Smithsonian Institution and Humanities Nebraska, a private, nonprofit serving the state with programming related to history and culture. The exhibition and associated programming is brought to Nebraska with funding support from the Nebraska Cultural Endowment, Brown Transfer Company,Valley, and other generous donors.
USDA Offers Renewal Options for Expiring Conservation Stewardship Contracts
WASHINGTON, March 28, 2018 – Agricultural producers wanting to enhance current conservation efforts are encouraged to renew their Conservation Stewardship Program (CSP) contract.
Through CSP, USDA’s Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) helps private landowners build their business while implementing conservation practices that help ensure the sustainability of their entire operation.
Participants with existing CSP contracts expiring on Dec. 31, 2018, can access the benefits of the recent program changes through an option to renew their contracts for an additional five years if they agree to adopt additional activities to achieve higher levels of conservation on their lands.
NRCS will mail contract renewal notification letters to all participants whose contracts expire in 2018, which will contain instructions on how to apply for renewal.
Applications to renew expiring contracts are due by April 13.
Through CSP, agricultural producers and forest landowners earn payments for actively managing, maintaining, and expanding conservation activities like cover crops, ecologically-based pest management, buffer strips, and pollinator and beneficial insect habitat – all while maintaining active agriculture production on their land. CSP also encourages the adoption of cutting-edge technologies and new management techniques such as precision agriculture applications, on-site carbon storage and planting for high carbon sequestration rate, and new soil amendments to improve water quality.
Some of these benefits of CSP include:
- Improved cattle gains per acre;
- Increased crop yields;
- Decreased inputs;
- Wildlife population improvements; and
- Better resilience to weather extremes.
NRCS recently made several updates to the program to help producers better evaluate their conservation options and the benefits to their operations and natural resources. New methods and software for evaluating applications help producers see up front why they are or are not meeting stewardship thresholds, and allow them to pick practices and enhancements that work for their conservation objectives. These tools also enable producers to see potential payment scenarios for conservation early in the process.
Producers interested in CSP are recommended to contact their local USDA service center or visit www.nrcs.usda.gov/GetStarted.
UNL Soybean Benchmark Research Project
Proposed Platte - Republican Diversion Project
Project pdf Fact Sheet
pdf DRAFT of pdf Platte-Republican Diversion Project Feasibility Review
CNPPID Approves Diversion Project with NRDs
NET Story "Proposal Would Divert Platte River Water to the Republican River" View the story here.
Occupation Tax
pdf Occupation Tax Letter pdf Occupation Tax Exempt Form 2018
*Please note that beginning in 2018, both the Owner and Operator may be required to sign the form.
Chemigation Information
pdf Chemigation Rules and Regulations Effective 3-19-2015
Chemigation Form located at the top right of this page under DOWNLOAD FORMS
Pooling Arrangement & Agreement
pdf Pooling Arrangements & Agreement Rule 7-6 Eff 3-21-14 pdf Pooling Form
Assistance Available to Agricultural Producers through the Conservation Stewardship Program
LINCOLN, Jan. 19, 2018 – Agricultural producers wanting to enhance current conservation efforts are encouraged to apply for the Conservation Stewardship Program (CSP).
Through CSP, USDA’s Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) helps private landowners build their business while implementing conservation practices that help ensure the sustainability of their entire operation. NRCS plans to enroll up to 10 million acres in CSP in 2018.
While applications for CSP are accepted year round, applications must be received by March 2, 2018, to be considered for this funding period.
Through CSP, agricultural producers and forest landowners earn payments for actively managing, maintaining, and expanding conservation activities like nutrient and pest management, cover crops and tree plantings– all while maintaining active agriculture production on their land. CSP also encourages the adoption of cutting-edge technologies and new management techniques such as precision agriculture applications, on-site carbon storage and planting for high carbon sequestration rate, and new soil amendments to improve water quality.
Some of these benefits of CSP include:
- Improved cattle gains per acre;
- Increased crop yields;
- Decreased inputs;
- Wildlife population improvements; and
- Better resilience to weather extremes.
NRCS recently made several updates to the program to help producers better evaluate their conservation options and the benefits to their operations and natural resources. New methods and software for evaluating applications help producers see up front why they are or are not meeting stewardship thresholds, and allow them to pick practices and enhancements that work for their conservation objectives. These tools also enable producers to see potential payment scenarios for conservation early in the process.
Producers interested in CSP are recommended to contact their local USDA service center or visit www.nrcs.usda.gov/GetStarted.
Subscribe to Nebraska NRCS announcements and information through GovDelivery
Nebraska Department of Agriculture (NDA) Promotes DriftWatch/BeeCheck
The Nebraska Department of Agriculture (NDA) is encouraging all commercial specialty crop growers to register their crop(s) on the DriftWatch/BeeCheck web registry. This voluntary tool will help to increase communication between commercial specialty crop growers and nearby pesticide applicators. Growers go online to register their contact information and crop locations. Pesticide applicators can go to the online map or get direct data feeds to their mapping program. They can then adjust their spray applications to reduce the potential for drift. Specialty crops include grapes, other fruits, vegetables, beehives, greenhouses/high tunnels, nursery crops, orchards, fish farms, non-specialty certified organic and transition to certified organic crops, and an ‘other’ category, which could include plants grown for seed, cut flowers, flowers for scented products, woody florals, etc.
Under the Nebraska Pesticide Act, it is a violation to allowing a pesticide to drift off of the target site. Some pesticide labels now require applicators to either check DriftWatch or a similar online registry, or even survey adjacent properties for specialty crops. The more producers that post to DriftWatch there will be fewer problems with drift. And NDA would like to have the most current and complete registry as possible.
Please take a look at this infographic below, and go to www.fieldwatch.com to start the registration process. There is a user guide for specialty crop growers found in the Resources section at this link. Please contact Craig Romary, Environmental Programs Specialist at the Nebraska Department of Agriculture, 402-471-6883 This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..
Nebraska Cooperative Republican Platte Enhancement (N-CORPE)
Summer 2018 Rx Grazing Bidding has Begun
The bidding process is now open till March 5, 2018 for producers to submit a bid for Summer grazing at NCORPE. Click on the link below for a bid sheet and instructions.
http://www.ncorpe.org/ pdf NCORPE Factsheet
NCORPE officials seeking wind-solar project proposals, Kearney Hub
Watch this awesome, informative video about the augmentation project south of North Platte
Republican River Compact
Nebraska's recent water history complex, The Grand Island Independent
Supreme Court Ruling:
Kansas Nebraska Ruling 2-24-2015
Well Information
Click on the link below to go to the DNR website to look up wells. At the bottom of the page you can access On-line Options and Information which has forms you may need to change ownership, making a well inactive, modification, etc.
Water Usage Calculator
Option 1
This University of Nebraska-Lincoln Extension App will help irrigators calculate the amount of water pumped by their irrigation pumping plant.
The Water Meter Calculator App allows the user to store data, such as field size in acres, flow meter units and allocation and annual irrigation caps for each field.
The app is available for download at the Apple App Store or the Google Play Store for $1.99.
Option 2
Click on the link with the compatible excel for your computer and enable editing on the bar at the top. Choose meter type, type in Field Name and click on Make Field. At the bottom of the screen is a tab with the Field Name you just entered. Click on that and it will take you into the calculator sheet.
spreadsheet Calculator for Excel 2003 default Calculator for Excel 2010
Option 3
UNL link to simple web version: http://cropwatch.unl.edu/irrigationmetercalculator
Option 4
Employment Application
