July 27, 2022 at 6:00 PM - Water Committee Meeting

Rationale:  Lindsay Manufacturing is doing a project for cleanup purposes utilizing vapor extraction wells and thermal monitoring points.  Staff and representatives from EA Engineering will update the Committee.  

A presentation was given by Jason McNew from EA Engineering explaining the cleanup that Lindsay Manufacturing is planning on removing solvents around 40 feet below the surface in about 2000 square feet area.  They will be installing 12 vapor extraction wells which will release about 2 GPM.  This project has already been approved by EPA but EA Engineering wanted to make sure that all permits are obtained that are needed.    

Staff explained State Statue 46-735:
(1) Any person who intends to construct a water well in a management area in this state on land which he or she owns or controls shall, before commencing construction, apply with the district in which the water well will be located for a permit on forms provided by the district, except that (a) no permit shall be required for test holes or dewatering wells with an intended use of ninety days or less, (b) no permit shall be required for a single water well designed and constructed to pump fifty gallons per minute or less, and (c) a district may provide by rule and regulation that a permit need not be obtained for water wells defined by the district to be replacement water wells. A district may require a permit for a water well designed and constructed to pump fifty gallons per minute or less if such water well is commingled, combined, clustered, or joined with any other water well or wells or other water source, other than a water source used to water range livestock. Such wells shall be considered one water well and the combined capacity shall be used as the rated capacity. A district may by rule and regulation require that a permit be obtained for each water well or for one or more categories of water wells designed and constructed to pump fifty gallons per minute or less, other than a water source required for human needs as it relates to health, fire control, and sanitation or used to water range livestock, in ground water management areas in which regulations have been imposed to control declining ground water levels. Forms shall be made available at each district in which a management area is located, in whole or in part, and at such other places as may be deemed appropriate. The district shall review such application and issue or deny the permit within thirty days after the application is filed.

The committee felt that staff should send the well permits back but wanted EA Engineering to keep LPN informed on the process.   

Rationale:  A draft variance scoring sheet is attached.  It was mentioned that should  Water Quality BMPs be included in a Water Quantity Variance?

Water Quantity BMPs - 
Variable Rate Irrigation
Soil Moisture Sensors 
Cover crops might be justified because of erosion control and catching winter snowfall 

Water Quality BMPs -
Split Application of Nitrogen
Grid Sampling
Chemigation/Fertigation - easy to verify.  

Grassed waterways or buffer strips?

Committee felt that the BMPs should be easy to document.  It was pointed out that these practices are designed for producers to make their variance eligible for consideration.  

Attached is a recommended corrected form from the Committee meeting.  

Rationale:  Applications are due August 15.

Rationale:  There will be some carry-over applications from last year.  

Rationale: 

Wells Permits Approved: # 2 replacement wells

Landowner	Number of Wells	Number of New Irrigated Acres	Type of Well	County	Subarea
Donald Hemmer	1 Replacement	0	Irrigation	Platte	Middle Newman Grove
Arps Gravel and Concrete	1 Replacement	0	Commerical	Colfax	Octavia

 

 

 

 

 

 

The total number of approved permits for 2022 is # 18

Location of Approved Well Permits for 2022:  Correct as of 7/25/2022

County	Irrigation - New	Irrigation - Replacement	Stock	Commercial	Municipal	Other	Total
Butler		3					3
Colfax		1		1			2
Dodge	1						1
Boone
Madison
Platte	3	4	1				8
Saunders	4						4
Total	8	8	1	1			18

 

Rationale:  Discussion of grant collaboration with University of Nebraska Med Center.

Staff and Committee discussed a proposal that UNMC wanted LPN to take the lead on a grant dealing with an environmental project on water sampling around AltEn.  The committee felt that this project really doesn't fit the NRD's responsibility, but would consider a  letter of support.   
 

Rationale:  There are over 60 water samples at the lab,with a lot of kits being sent. 

Rationale:  Attached is some information from sites that NRD cost-shared on the equipment.  

Staff reviewed the information with the committee showing the different sites and equipment.  

Rationale:  Staff have been receiving more requests for tests with 15 producers attending the 4R program.   

Rationale:  2022-23 dues are attached

Rationale:  Staff reviewed the groundwater budget portion with the Committee.. 

Rationale: 

For 2022 thus far, we have 676 renewal permit applications, 52 new permit applications, for a current total of 728.  All 52 new permits have been visited and passed inspection. 200 Inspections for renewal permits have been completed. 252 permitted sites have passed inspection. There are 4 inspections left to complete. There were 30 permitted sites that needed reinspection. Mainly due to leaks/broken springs on the mainline check valve and interlock failures (not wired correctly or did not have a dedicated plug in installed).

Rationale:  Informing the Committee and Board that staff will be assisting in the water sampling project around AltEn.  Staff will be collecting samples from some LPN monitoring  wells and taking them to UNL Water Center for analysis.  There will be no cost to the District as this is part of UNL/UNMC water sampling project.    

Staff is planning a water sampling project between Richland and Schulyer to evaluate the area that is lower in nitrates.  A proposal of the cost is attached.  Cutouts from the Geological Framework Project show the area that will be sampled.  

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

 

Rationale:  A cover crop inter-seeding field day will be August 8 just north of Cargill at Schuyler.  A flyer is attached.  There will be 1325 acres that are participating in this project in Shell and Wahoo Creek Watersheds.  Other times will be available to view as the equipment moves throughout the area.  

Pictures are attached from the Iron Chlorosis Demonstration Field.  

The grant has been submitted to WSF for best management practices in this area.   A cost-share program will potentially need to be developed.  

Rationale:  An invoice is attached from USGS for $17,635 for streamgages at Shell Creek near Columbus and Wahoo Creek at Ashland, and one real-time groundwater level monitoring site.  These sites have been a joint project with USGS for numerous years.