October 2, 2024 at 6:00 PM - Water Committee Meeting
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1. UNFINISHED BUSINESS
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2. REGULATORY
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2.A. GROUND WATER MANAGEMENT AREA
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2.A.1. Variance Request in the Hydrologically Connected Area (Limited Development Area)
Rationale:
The deadline for applications was September 15. The staff scored this year's applications and the previous years. Attached is the list of applications.
Staff explained to the Committee the variance for Jay Nelson. The well is located in the LPNNRD and will irrigate a tract of land in Lower Elkhorn (LE) NRD. This well already irrigates 35 acres from this existing well. Last year, LE had a well in their district, which LPN allowed the producer to swing the pivot over land in LPN. LE will still have to approve this application within their district. Staff recommends approving all applications that score 333 or higher, which the NRD will approve 2612.16 acres for a total of 199.48 acre feet of depletion.
Recommended Motion(s):
Recommend approving all variances shown on attachment that scored 333 or higher, which is 2612.16 acres for 199.48 acre feet of depletion. Passed with a motion by Board Member #1 and a second by Board Member #2.
Attachments:
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2.A.2. Variance Requests Expansion of Acres with Allocations
Rationale:
The NRD has received 2 applications in SQS #2 management area. John Schure is requesting an additional 10 acres for the purpose of adding a swing arm onto an existing pivot. He currently irrigates 140 acres with a 30-inch 3-year rolling allocation. His average for the last 4 years has been 6.08 acre inches. By adding the additional 10 acres, his allocation would be 28-inches on a 3-year rolling allocation.
Tim Foltz is requesting an additional 20 acres for the purpose of adding a swing arm onto an existing pivot. He currently irrigates 206 acres with a 30-inch 3-year rolling allocation. His average for the last 4 years has been 6.77 acre inches. By adding the additional 10 acres, his allocation would be 27.35-inches on a 3-year rolling allocation. Attached are maps of both sites with each site scoring over 300 points.
Recommended Motion(s):
Recommend approving the expansion of acres variances for John Schure and Tim Foltz, with a new allocation of 28 and 27.35 respectively over a 3 year rolling allocation. Passed with a motion by Board Member #1 and a second by Board Member #2.
Attachments:
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2.A.3. Variance Requests in the Non-Hydrologically Connected Area (Normal Development Area)
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2.A.4. Well Permit Program
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2.A.5. Existing Irrigation Well Update
Rationale:
An irrigation well was drilled in 2017 with conditions in the NE1/4 S20-14N-7E, Saunders County. Attached is some updated information about the water levels in this area.
Staff gave an update of the groundwater levels and trends for this area as this well has been irrigating for over 5 years. Katie Cameron, UNL-CSD and ENWRA evaluated this area with AEM information, data logger information and explained what she observed.
Attachments:
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2.A.6. Eastern Nebraska Water Resources Assessment (ENWRA)
Rationale:
Katie Cameron gave an update on the projects the group is working on. Katie showed an updated website for ENWRA, which is located at https://enwra.org/
Some of the projects she is working on are recharge areas, updating static water levels and accessing the AEM information. She is always available to assist in geological evaluations for well locations. |
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2.A.7. Cost Share Programs
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2.A.7.a. Irrigation Well Sample Kits
Rationale:
339 kits to producers so far in 2024.
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2.A.7.b. Flow Meter Maintenance Program
Rationale:
Staff has sent the list to Tri-City Meters to start meter maintenance. The area that the firm will be working is Zone 1, which is part of Butler, Colfax and Platte County. The NRD is showing 331 meters that will be greased compared to 279 four years ago.
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2.A.8. Bellwood Phase 2 Area
Rationale:
2024 is the twenty-second year for this Phase 2 Area.
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2.A.9. Richland - Schuyler Phase 3 Area
Rationale:
2024 is the ninth year of this Phase 3 Area. This Phase 3 area went into effect September 1, 2015. The 55 sections of this area first went into a Phase 2 Area in 2004. The ten sections that were in Phase 2 are now in Phase 3. As such, the 2020, 2021 and 2022 numbers (at bottom of table) are for 65 sections.
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2.A.10. Schuyler-Richland Management Area
Rationale:
Staff presented information to the Board about considering moving part of the management area into Phase 4. The plan at that time was starting on November 1, but as staff was still sampling wells in September this year, that date will not be attainable. A hearing could be held the week of November 11, which would allow the hearing notices to be published 3 consecutive weeks with the last date 7 days prior to the hearing. The Committee could review the information and make a recommendation to the Board in December and implement the new management area on December 10, 2024.
Attached is the proposed boundary, rules and producer agreement. The proposed rules and boundaries are what staff suggests presenting at the hearing, with the rules being updated from comments received by producers last spring. Staff is asking the Committee to recommend starting the hearing process for moving a portion of the Schuyler-Richland Management into a Phase 4 level with management. It was suggested that staff and the committee determine what the goal and objective for moving into Phase 4 water quality management is.
Recommended Motion(s):
Recommend starting the hearing process to elevate part of the Schuyler-Richland Management Area to a Phase 4 water quality management area. Passed with a motion by Board Member #1 and a second by Board Member #2.
Attachments:
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2.A.11. Nitrate Assessment
Rationale:
An invoice is attached for $1,773.00 for nitrate assessment of the Shell Creek area in conjunction with Newman Grove and Platte Center.
Attachments:
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2.B. Groundwater Management Plan Update
Rationale:
Attached is an invoice for $12,800.37. This includes the 2 stakeholders meeting along with developing the first draft of the plan. LRE is planning on presenting the first draft of the plan for staff's review in the first part of October.
Attached is feedback from the stakeholder meetings.
Attachments:
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2.C. GROUND WATER ENERGY LEVELS
Rationale:
Water levels were measured in the WANN Basin on August 27 with conjunction with USGS, LWS and ECC (company that monitors the NAD cleanup). Water levels were up 0.6 feet compared to the summer of 2023.
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2.D. GROUND WATER QUALITY SAMPLING
Rationale:
The well of one site in Boone County was not run this year (soybeans). Initial results are attached for the District.
Attachments:
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3. GROUND WATER PROGRAMS
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3.A. DECOMMISSIONED WELL PROGRAM
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3.A.1. Well Estimates
Rationale:
# new wells has been reviewed and approved for decommissioning since the last Committee meeting.
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3.A.2. Plugged Wells
Rationale:
# wells have been plugged, reviewed, and ready for cost share payment approval this month.
Recommended Motion(s):
Recommend approving well abandonment payment to Audra Jedlicka for 898.32 for an irrigation well. Passed with a motion by Board Member #1 and a second by Board Member #2.
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3.B. LOWER PLATTE NORTH NRD GROUND WATER STUDIES
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3.B.1. Phase Area Update
Rationale:
Attached is information on LB1368 Nitrogen Reduction Incentive Act (NIRA) being implemented by NeDNR. Lower Platte North could be receiving $38,058.73 once a contract is signed and implemented by both parties. A draft contract is attached for review. There are different priority areas, but staff recommend working in LPN Priority A areas.
If each producer signs up, the NRD could approve 25 acres x $15 x 110 producers equal $41,250. (a little over, but all producers might not qualify) The other options would be 135 acres X $15 X 15 producers. This would be more beneficial by doing larger fields in higher risk areas. Some producers are already at the recommended rate, so decreasing 40 pounds might be tough. Items to consider when ranking the fields
Recommended Motion(s):
Recommend requesting a contract from NeDNR to participate in the Nitrogen Reduction Incentive Act and allow Board Chairmen signature once contract is received. Passed with a motion by Board Member #1 and a second by Board Member #2.
Attachments:
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3.B.2. Lower Platte River Consortium
Rationale:
Conditions Update
Lower Platte River Drought Contingency Plan Trigger Updates
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3.C. MONITORING WELLS EQUIPMENT
Rationale:
The Nebraska Department of Natural Resources has $30,000 in funding for telemetry in monitoring wells. At the present time, most of the LPNNRD dedicated monitoring wells have telemetry already present. Staff will be contacting communities within the district to determine if they have monitoring wells or test holes within their community so that a transducer can be utilized along with telemetry. This can be beneficial during drought for communities to look at real-time water measurements beyond their municipal well locations.
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4. SURFACE WATER PROGRAMS
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4.A. STATE LAKES, FOR THE WEEK OF
Rationale:
This week's beach Bacteria and Harmful Algal Bloom results are now posted on the NDEE web page (Current Health Alerts and Sampling Results For This Week).
There are no lakes on Health Alert this week! Kirkman’s Cove Lake in Richardson County will be removed from Health Alert status. There are 0 beaches on Health Alert this week.
There are 0 beaches with E.coli testing above 235 colonies/100 ml.
Harmful algal bloom at a Nebraska Reservoir. Have a good week and enjoy the lakes! Justin Haas State Lakes Coordinator Nebraska Department of Environment and Energy P.O. Box 98922 245 Fallbrook Blvd., Suite 100 Lincoln, NE 68509-8922 Direct: 402-471-4224 | Main Office: 402-471-2186 http://dee.ne.gov |
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4.B. USGS STREAM FLOW GAUGING SITES
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5. Upcoming meetings
Rationale:
The Committee would like a water retreat in the latter part of January or first part of February. This time period would allow any new Committee or Board members to get a water update. Dave Hume from LRE will plan on attending to discuss the updated groundwater plan, new groundwater levels maps, updated sub-areas and suggested changes. Other things that could be discussed are water quality issues. The staff was looking at a date that would not be on Committee day.
Water Committee meetings in November and December. The November meeting lands on Wednesday, November 27 (the day before Thanksgiving) and the December meeting lands on January 1, 2025. The Water Committee Meeting for November will be held on Tuesday, November 26, at 6 pm and the December meeting will be held on Wednesday, January 8, 2025, at 6 pm. GMDA winter conference will be held February 25-27, 2025 in Temecula, CA. If interested, please let staff know soon. |
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6. OTHER
Rationale:
Attached is a draft statewide report on irrigated acres and basins along with a report from NARD conference from Jacob and Daryl.
Attachments:
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6.A. COMMENTS FROM THE PUBLIC
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