May 28, 2020 at 7:30 AM - Water Committee Meeting

Rationale:  Staff selected two firms from the initial four to present at the Water Committee.

7:30 am - LR/JEO 
8:30 am - EA Engineering

Attached are the firms proposals.  Staff would like a recommendation from the Committee to take to the Board after hearing both proposals. 

Both firms had excellent presentations for the Committee and are capable of completing the project tasks.   The Committee discussed the pros and cons of both firms with discussion on the analysis tool and was it to technical, distance of the firm from the NRD office and matching geological data to neighboring NRDs.  

Rationale:  Barta Family is asking for a second well for the north side of Shell Creek.  They have been irrigating the north side by running a pipe across Shell Creek.  The pipe was damaged in last year's flood and would like to eliminate the pipe crossing the creek.  

Committee was concerned on adding the extra well would potentially increase the total water use if the NRD had to go to an allocation.  They did understand that running water through a pipe over Shell Creek was a lot of work. 

Rationale:  Coalition Directors held a virtual meeting on May 21, which the Coalition approved budgeting dues of $10,000 per member.  More discussion will be held soon on the next allotments or extension.   

Rationale:  Discussion on developing a geological framework on the Lower Platte Basin between the 3 NRDs in the Basin.  This would combine the AEM flights, irrigation logs and any other available geological information in developing a geological framework of the saturated and unsaturated zones.  This information would be able to assist the NRD in refining aquifer boundaries, recharge or leaching areas and will be needed if a numerical hydrological model will be be needed in the future.  The total cost for this project is estimated at $544.500 with funding provided by DNR, PMRNRD, LPSNRD and LPNNRD.  Paul Woodward from PMRNRD presented an option shown below.  This would obligate the LPNNRD for around $43,000, which would include applying for a WSF grant to assist in funding this project.   Staff would like a motion to participate in a WSF grant with this as a budget item in next year's budget.  Discussion by the three NRDs would have JEO write the grant for $9,000 with PMRNRD the lead in this project. (Attachment)

Alternative - FULL WSF SMALL GRANT
NRD	COST PER NRD	MAP BOOK	TOTAL W/O Map Book	WSF Cost-share ~46%	NRD 40% Match	NDNR Remaining
Papio	205,000.00	65000	140,000.00	$    93,181.82	$    62,121.21	$    49,696.97
LPS	205,000.00	65000	140,000.00	$    93,181.82	$    62,121.21	$    49,696.97
LPN	140,000.00	0	140,000.00	$    63,636.36	$    42,424.24	$    33,939.39
Total	550,000.00		420,000.00	$  250,000.00	$  166,666.67	$  133,333.33
				FY 21 - 50%
			NRD	WSF Cost-share* ~46%	NRD 40% Match	NDNR Remaining
			Papio	$    46,590.91	$    31,060.61	$    24,848.48
			LPS	$    46,590.91	$    31,060.61	$    24,848.48
			LPN	$    31,818.18	$    21,212.12	$    16,969.70
			Total	$  125,000.00	$    83,333.33	$    66,666.67
				FY 22 - 50%
			NRD	WSF Cost-share* ~46%	NRD 40% Match	NDNR Remaining
			Papio	$    46,590.91	$    31,060.61	$    24,848.48
			LPS	$    46,590.91	$    31,060.61	$    24,848.48
			LPN	$    31,818.18	$    21,212.12	$    16,969.70
			Total	$  125,000.00	$    83,333.33	$    66,666.67

Rationale:  Invoice for flow meter maintenance.  The plan is to start the bid process for meter maintenance for the next 3 or 4 years in July.  

Rationale: 

For 2020 we have 443 renewals and 5 new permit applications for a current total of 448.  Inspections for 16 renewal permits have been completed.
 

Rationale: 

The LPNNRD has received # 4 livestock permit applications from DEQ since the last Water Committee meeting.

Committee discussed how the poultry barns are increasing quickly in Butler County. It was suggested the possibility of having a discussion with NDEE on manure application.  The Board did past a motion to stay neutral on livestock facilities and the NRD responsibility is with the permitting of high capacity wells.  Manure application is usually treated as any commercial fertilizer, which soil sampling and manure analysis should be conducted and handled by NDEE.    

Name	Livestock	Type of Permit	Legal Description	County
Wildcat Farm	Poultry, Broilers	New Construction	S1/2 SE Section 7-15N-1E	Butler
Tar Heel	Poultry, Broilers	New Construction	W1/2 NE Section 16-15N-1E	Butler
Wolfpack Farm	Poultry, Broilers	New Construction	N1/2 SE Section 8-15-1E	Butler
6M LLC	Poultry, Broilers	New Construction	NE Section 2-15-1E	Butler

 

 

 Description of permit application

Wildcat is 760,000 head of broilers 5-6 lbs
Tar Heel is 760,000 head of broilers 5-6 lbs
Wolfpack is 760,000 head of broilers 5-6 lbs
6M LLC is 380,000 head of broilers 5-6 lbs

Rationale:  Update on the number wells that have been decommissioned and total reimbursement amount for the 2019 Fiscal Year:

40 wells have been plugged for a total reimbursement amount of $27,727.30 (including this month).



 

Rationale: 

# new wells has been reviewed and approved for decommissioning since the last Committee meeting.

Rationale: 

# wells have been plugged, reviewed, and ready for cost share payment approval this month.

Well Owner	Type of Well	Cost Share Estimate	County
Justin Lee	Unregistered Stock	$503.44	Boone
Line Rider LLC	Irrigation	$637.62	Colfax
Walter Bohaty	Irrigation (2)	$2,000	Butler

 

Rationale:  UNL-CSD would like to amend the initial agreement that was created around 2004 to June 30, 2022.  This agreement has been amended 3 other times.

Rationale:  The Watersmart grant (attached) has finally been approved by the Bureau of Reclamation for $108,200.  Equipment has been ordered and being installed to have remote reads for 71 water level data loggers District wide. Staff is hoping to get most of the equipment installed by the middle of June. 

An invoice is attached for $91,975.45 that $110,000 was budgeted for this fiscal year.  50 percent will be reimbursed through the grant.  

Rationale:  Invoice from UNL Water Center on the analysis work being done on the vadose soiling sampling in the LPN Nitrogen Management Areas.  

Rationale:  From Jennifer Schellpeper on Drought Plan.  (Attachments)

Conditions continue to indicate that the drought triggers, as described in the Plan, have not been reached.
 
Attachments include:

1. The Wyoming Basin & Water Supply Outlook Report for May 2020 from NRCS (Att1_WY_Basin_Outlook_Report_20200501)
2. Palmer Drought Severity Index (PDSI), weekly value ending May 16, 2020, from NOAA (Att2_PDSI_NOAA_20200516)
3. Minimum and Maximum Daily Discharge for  the Platte River near Ashland for time period of April 20, 2020, to May 20, 2020 from the USGS gage 06801000 (Att3_PlatteRiver_Nr_Ashland_Gage_20200420_to_20200520),data downloaded from the USGS website and used to create a graph by the NeDNR.
4. Standard Precipitation Index (SPI) map, May19, 2020, from NOAA (Att4_SPI_NOAA_20200519)
5. Nebraska Snow Depth and Accumulation for 24 hours preceding May 21, 2020, from NOAA (Att5_NE_SnowDepth_20200521)
6. Wyoming SNOTEL Snow Water Equivalent % of Normal, as of May 20, 2020, from NRCS (Att6_WY_SnowWaterEquivalent_%ofNormal_ 20200520)
7. Weekly Snow Report, May 18, 2020, from Wyoming NRCS (Att7_WY_Weekly_Snow_Report_20200518)
8. Nebraska Platte River Basin Lakes and Reservoirs Data from Reclamation (Att8_PlatteR_Basin_Reservoir_Levels_USBOR_20200521)
9. The US Drought Monitor, for the High Plains from the National Drought Mitigation Center (Att9_High_Plains_Drought_Monitor_NDMC_20200512)
10. Water and Climate Update data compiled by the NRCS (Att10_Water&ClimateUpdate20200514)
11. Midwest and Great Plains Climate and Drought Outlook, May 20, 2020, Monthly Webinar by the USDA and partners (Att11_MidwestGreatPlains_Climate_Drought_Outlook_20200520).

 
Plan Excerpts:

12. Page 58 of the plan (Att12_DroughtTriggers_p58_LPRDC).
13. Page 94 of the plan (Att13_Actions_p94_LPRDC).

Rationale:  An update  was shown to the Committee for online reporting.  Invoice is attached for $18,275 for online reporting contract.