February 27, 2019 at 5:00 PM - Water Committee Meeting
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1. UNFINISHED BUSINESS
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2. USGS STREAM FLOW GAUGING SITES
Rationale:
Additional information from meeting on February 25 with LPS, PMR, MUD and LWS. Points to consider for the Leshara Water Quality Monitoring Site:
The Lower Platte Corridor Alliance (LPRCA) actually has two stream gage agreements coming due in April. One is the Leshara site and the other is the 3-long term sites further downstream. If we want to continue the monitoring gages without any interruptions, we will need to consider approving the agreements in a March timeframe. The 3-year agreement for the Leshara site is currently funded by Lower Platte South NRD (22% of funding), Lower Platte North NRD (22%), Papio-Missouri River NRD (22%), Lincoln Water Systems (10.5%), M.U.D (10.5%), and USGS (13%). The total cost of that project was $110,564 with LPRCA partners paying $84,743 and USGS paying $25,821. The proposed cost of the 2nd 3-year agreement would be $113,893 with USGS picking up $15,468. If the five agencies were to equally contribute to the balance ($98,425), it would be a cost of $19,685 per agency or about $6,652 per agency per year. If we worked with the same percentages as before, the cost would be adjusted. However, if we all benefit, then it should probably be equally split. Below is some further explanation of the cost: The total cost of the monitoring is to be $113,893 for Leshara, the portion that LPRCA is billed for appears as $98,425. I took the information below from the previous and current proposed agreements. The 2016-2018 monitoring costs of $110,564 is the amount it took to operate the Leshara site and publish the data for three years. Leshara agreement:
Committee/Board desire to continue to monitor water quality at the Platte River at Leshara gage?
Recommended Motion(s):
Recommend to enter into an agreement to continue with the Leshara Water Quality Monitoring Site for additional 3 years (2019-2021) for $19,685 with an annual cost of $6,562. Passed with a motion by Board Member #1 and a second by Board Member #2.
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3. REGULATORY
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3.A. GROUND WATER MANAGEMENT AREA
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3.A.1. Irrigation Certification Policy
Rationale:
Chuck Hasselbrook from Sandhills Energy and Vanessa Silke of Geronimo Energy discussed desired projects involving Solar Panel Installations to the Committee. Discussion was regarding the policy that a parcel of land needs to irrigated 2 out of 10 years to keep irrigation certification on a parcel. Other individuals also addressed the Committee on this policy.
The Committee heard from the industry representatives and individuals that were interested in pursuing solar installation sites, along with an individual that wanted to expand his cattle operation onto irrigated acres. They would like the option to retain irrigation rights, if the land is not irrigated 2 out of 10 years. Some of the solar installation sites can be as large as 800 - 1000 acres and need to be in close proximity to transmission lines. The solar installation sites pays property tax along with a nameplate tax for renewal energy. Other comments were an opportunity for a young family to come back to the farm if cropland is limited. The Committee discussed banking and transfer rules along with selling the irrigated right. One company has individuals that will be needing to sign agreements in April. If Board is interested in a policy change, this could be done in a couple of months. A rule change for banking or transferring would required more time. The Committee directed Jovan or staff to write up a policy to clarify certified irrigated acre as it relates to "historically irrigated acre". The Committee wanted the Board to review the policy and then the Committee would review it at the next Committee Meeting. For Discussion Only - Retirement of Certified Irrigated Acres: ______________ made the motion, seconded by _________________, to clarify that once an irrigated acre has been certified as either a "historically irrigated acre" or has been issued a variance by the District those acres are no longer subject to the "two of the last ten years" rule as described within the District’s groundwater rules and regulations. As a result, certified irrigated acres will not be retired by virtue of the fact they have not been put to beneficial use by the landowner for an extended period of time. Once the certified irrigated acres are put back into beneficial use by the landowner they shall be subject to the then existing rules and regulations of the District. The District retains the right to amend its groundwater rules and regulations should it later determine it as necessary or appropriate (ergo landowners should govern themselves accordingly as the District is not precluded from later adopting a rule for retirement of certified irrigated acres). |
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3.A.2. Well Permit Program
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3.A.2.a. Well Permits Approved
Rationale:
Wells Permits Approved: #
The total number of approved permits for 2019 is #
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3.A.3. Transfer of Acres
Rationale:
Last month the Board approved a irrigation transfer from LPN to LL for the Kettlesons'. Lower Loup uses the Elm model for determining SDF while the LPN used the numbers provided by DNR. The ELM model showed a SDF of 12.9%, while the number that was used by LPN was 54%. It allowed the Kettlesons' to expand up to 16 acres, which will work in this situation.
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3.A.4. Lower Platte River Basin Water Management Plan Coalition (LPRBC)
Rationale:
The LPNNRD directors appointed for LPRBC are Bob Hilger and Larry Feala to attend the next meeting to be held Monday, March 18 in Ord from 11 to 1:30. A technical group meeting is planned for Monday, March 4 in Kearney starting at 3 pm.
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3.A.5. Voluntary Integrated Water Management Plan - LPNNRD
Rationale:
Report is due to the state on March 1.
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3.A.6. Bellwood Phase 2 Area
Rationale:
2019 is the seventeenth year for this Phase 2 Area.
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3.A.7. Richland - Schuyler Phase 2 Area
Rationale:
2019 is the fourth year of this Phase 2 Area.
Fertilizer application reports have not yet been received from Brian Goff. Goff called Oaklund and said he would bring his report to the class at Ag Park, Columbus, as his re-certification is due in 2019. The class was subsequently cancelled due to inclement weather. Goff will mail in his report. |
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3.A.8. Richland - Schuyler Phase 3 Area
Rationale:
2019 is the fouth year of this Phase 3 Area.
Fertilizer application reports have not yet been received from Mike Settles [Barta Family LLP] for tracts south of Richland. Efforts to contact him by telephone have been unsuccessful. A January 25th reminder letter has gone unanswered. Settles may not be the tenant for these tracts in 2019. |
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3.A.9. LPNNRD Operator Certification
Rationale:
Comments from the meeting in Schuyler are attached. Two online tests have been completed since previous meeting (see following table).
Attachments:
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3.A.9.a. 2019 LPNNRD Certification Classes for Nitrogen and Water Management
Rationale:
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3.A.10. Flow Meter Program
Rationale:
There is 7056 active high capacity well, with 4584 irrigation wells. By NRD records, 868 wells has submitted a water use report. If you look at the chart, the NRD could do about 1000 wells a year over a 3-year period to handle the irrigation wells. How is the NRD going to handle the other high capacity wells?
Attached are a few maps showing high capacity wells sorted by management areas or SDF. These maps shows all wells and wells with meters that the NRD receives water use reports.
Attachments:
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4. GROUND WATER PROGRAMS
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4.A. DECOMMISSIONED WELL PROGRAM
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4.A.1. Well Estimates
Rationale:
# new wells has been reviewed and approved for decommissioning since the last Committee meeting.
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4.A.2. Plugged Wells
Rationale:
# wells have been plugged, reviewed, and ready for cost share payment approval this month.
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4.B. LOWER PLATTE NORTH NRD GROUND WATER STUDIES
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4.B.1. Lower Platte River Consortium
Rationale:
A meeting was held Monday, February 25 starting at 1:00 pm at Lower Platte South. Public comments were reviewed and discussed by the group with the Draft Drought Plan approved for submittal to Bureau of Reclamation (BOR) on March 1st after some final revisions. The major revision was including the possibility of connecting MUD and LWS.
The Flatwater Group presented the information obtained from the piezometers and water levels installed for this project. The sites in the District are at Columbus, Linwood, North Bend and Fremont. Discussion will be held later in March on keeping these sites for longer periods of time. If the sites are kept, the NRD would be taking over the sites for maintenance and gathering information. Approximated cost would be 80 hours of time with the cost of batteries. The cost of the data logger that is being used now is $750, which should last for a while. As the data loggers have only been in just over a year, no data was collected during a low flow event on the river. |
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4.B.2. Phoenix Database and Online Reporting
Rationale:
At the meeting in Schuyler, 20 individuals answered they would utilize online reporting with 24 with no comments and only 3 saying no. Attached are two contracts from the Phoenix webgroup, which one would include developing online reporting for water use and phase reports along with submitting chemigation permits. Part of the online reporting will include a dashboard with tables, charts, graphs and notifications, The online report quote is for $73,100, with 50% due at signing. The other contract is a change order for $3,950 to add additions to the current database. The Board approved $126,000 in this year's budget, with the plan that online reporting would be developed. To date $31,200 has been spent for the workflow dashboard.
Recommended Motion(s):
To approve the quote from Phoenix WebGroup for $73,100 for developing online reporting and the change order for $3,950 with necessary payment set-forth in quote made upon Board approval. Passed with a motion by Board Member #1 and a second by Board Member #2.
Attachments:
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5. OTHER
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5.A. COMMENTS FROM THE PUBLIC
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