February 25, 2015 at 5:00 PM - Water Committee Meeting

Rationale:  We need to issue an "Order" for our GWMA rules change.

Rationale:  Several producers have requested applications for new irrigated acres in the HCA.

Rationale:  Mr. Kucera is asking permission to alter how he will be irrigating 11 acres that were approved in S2-T16N-R7E in Saunders County.  The expanded water use variance was approved in February of 2014 for 11 acres under the name Ronald V. Freeman, variance number LPN-V-013-0344.  Staff has compared the two irrigation patterns and there would be no change in the original ranking score.  Attached is a map of the field.  The black outline is what was initially approved, and the red is what is proposed.

Rationale:  One new application has been submitted for 10 acres in the NHCA.

Rationale:  No updates.

Rationale:  Wells Permits Approved: 5

Landowner	Number of Wells	Number of New Irrigated Acres	Type of Well	County	Subarea
KWEA LLC	1	0	Irrigation	Dodge	North Bend
Allan Shonka	1	0	Irrigation	Colfax	Lower Shell Creek
Kenneth Ebel	1	0	Irrigation/Replacement	Butler	Bellwood
Laverna E Maguire Rev Tr	1	0	Irrigation/Replacement	Butler	Prague
White & Rupp Fam Tr	1	0	Irrigation/Replacement	Dodge	North Bend
Jerome Herink	1	0	Irrigation/Replacement	Colfax	Middle Shell Creek
Karl Grotelueschen	1	0	Irrigation/Replacement	Platte	Lower Shell Creek

 



The total number of approved permits for 2015 is 21


Location of Approved Well Permits for 2015:  Correct as of 4/1/2015

County	Irrigation - New	Irrigation - Replacement	Stock	Commercial	Municipal	Other	Total
Butler	1	2	0	0	0	0	3
Colfax	1	2	0	0	0	0	3
Dodge	3	2	0	0	0	0	5
Boone	0	2	0	0	0	0	2
Madison	0	0	0	0	0	0	0
Platte	3	1	0	0	0	0	4
Saunders	3	0	0	1	0	0	4
Total	11	9	0	1	0	0	21

Rationale:  Ryan Loseke has applied for a new livestock well in the SW 1/4 of the SW 1/4 of Section 36-T19N-R1E in Platte County.  The well will serve an average of 3500 head of feeder cattle with a permitting limit of up to 4500 head.  The lot was originally permitted for 2500, but was expanded in 2013 to service 4500 head of cattle.  The new well will make up for this expansion and is estimated to pump ~13,000,000 gallons annually.  

Rationale:  Duane Kroeger has applied for a new sand pit well to irrigate 15 acres in the SW 1/4 of the NE 1/4 of Section 9-T17N-R3E in Colfax County.  He is currently irrigating out of another sand pit, but would like to pump out of the pit closer to the field.  See attached map.

Rationale:  Cottonwood Valley Farms is requesting a transfer of 17 irrigated acres from a farm in the NE 1/4 of the SW 1/4 of S23-T16N-R2E in the Octavia Subarea of Butler County to the SW 1/4 of S19-T16N-R2E in the Bellwood Subarea of Butler County.  They will submit a variance for the field in section 19 with the plan to move the transferred acres back to section 23 if the variance is approved.  Attached is the packet of information submitted by Jesse Hough, Manager of Cottonwood Valley Farms LLC.

Rationale:  John Temme is requesting a transfer of twelve irrigated acres from two certified irrigated corners in the W1/2 SW1/4 in S14-T22N-R6W in Boone County to the SE1/4 SW1/4 and SW1/4 SE1/4 of S15-T22N-R6W. See attached map.

Rationale:  Mike Steinbach would like to transfer 42 acres from the E1/2 SE1/4 of S31-T17N-R9E in the Fremont Subarea of Dodge County to the SW1/4 SW1/4 of S21-T17N-R9E in the North Bend Subarea of Dodge County.  See attached map and request letter.

Rationale: 

Two educational classes have been held for producers in the Butler-Saunders SQS.  Twenty-one producers attended.

The Lower Platte South NRD will hold a single class on Wednesday February 25, 2015 in Valparaiso for producers of their adjoining Quantity management area.

Rationale: 

Lower Platte North NRD

Meter Repair and Maintenance Program (see attached LPNNRD approved flow meters)

 

1. Yes or No to establish a Meter Repair and Maintenance Program / staff recommends we start such a program.
2. If yes, Maintenance cost share program for one meter (McCrometer) or all approved flow meters / staff recommends we cost share and do maintenance on one meter, McCrometer.
3. Contractor or LPNNRD / staff recommend that LPNNRD run this program.
4. Cost share options
   1. Republican NRD’s: NRD staff does the labor for the maintenance programs and producer pays 100% of the cost on equipment.
   2. UBBNRD: They contract out the maintenance program / The individual meter is not eligible for cost share repair more than once every 4 years (meter can receive cost share payment only once in a 4 year period) / cost share rate is 50% not to exceed $150 per a water meter repair /
   3. LPNNRD recommendation: / NRD staff do the repair and maintenance program / cost share rate is 50% not to exceed $200 on each individual meter in a 4 year period (meter can be repaired more than once in a 4 year period, up to a limit of $200 in cost share funding) / on meters installed before February 17, 2015 then LPNNRD will consider cost share on purchase of straightening vanes, flow stabilizers, and anti-reverse feature as part of that $200 cost share limit in a 4 year period.
5. Cost share amount – 50%, or some other amount
6. Water meters are not eligible for cost-share payment on equipment replacement or repair if the flow meter is still under warranty.

Rationale:  The last technical committee met in Ord at LLNRD on February 10, 2015 (see attached minutes).  The main topics were DNR depletion analysis tool under development as part of the Upper Platte Basin project.  DNR anticipates the tool to be used first for the Upper Platte basin in the next few months and eventually state wide by the end-of-summer.  The other topic was on Water Banking.  David Kracman of the Flat Water Group presented on the history and accepted definition of water banking as well as examples of various kinds of water banking both in Nebraska as well as an example in California.  Water Banking can be actual physical water and/or paper water.

The Water Banking workshop will be held in Columbus NE at the Community College on March 10, 2015 starting at 1:00 pm.

Rationale:  The latest Stakeholder meeting was held on February 3, 2015.  Stakeholders were asked to vote on individual action plans within the goals and objectives as to their estimate of the time and expense to carry out each action (see attached minutes).  Results will be shown at the next Stakeholder meeting on April 7, 2015 at our office starting at 2:00 pm.  Only one or two stakeholder committees remain and the contract is to end in June of this year.

Rationale: 

One kit has been requested since the last committee meeting.  Kits will be mailed in June, before the start of the irrigation season.

Rationale: 

2014 was the twelfth year of this Phase 2 Area. 2014 Annual Fertilizer Application Reports have now been received from Osantowski Brothers and Steve Semin.  211 reports have been received for this area.

To be in compliance with our Rule we will need to either reduce the size of this Phase 2 Area or discontinue it.  The Bellwood Phase 2 & Subarea Groundwater Results (attachment) is summary of LPNNRD’s sampling - this map shows that high nitrates are still an ongoing concern in a portion of this area.  The recommendation for this area is to reduce it from the 32 sections approved in 2003 to 21 sections for 2015 (map attached).

Need motion to change boundary of Phase 2 area.

Rationale: 

2014 was the eleventh year of this Phase 2 Area.  2014 Annual Fertilizer Application Reports have now been received from Chris Dvorak.  406 reports have been received for this area.

 

To be in compliance with our Phase 3 rule we should declare the 55 sections of the Richland-Schuyler Area (map with most recent LPNNRD sampling is attachment) as Ground Water Quality Management Area -Phase Three.  If 50% or more of the wells sampled are > 10.01 ppm then a Phase 3 area can be declared. Additional Phase Three rules are:

Rule 2 Continuation of Phase One and Two Rules  A continuation of Phase One Rules as defined in Section E, Rules 1-6, Section F, Rule 2 and in Phase Two Rules as defined in Section G, Rules 3, 4, 5, 8, 9, 10 and 11 shall apply.  

Rule 3 Fertilizer Application On All Soils  The application of commercial nitrogen fertilizer is prohibited in the fall and winter on all soils until after March 1. Spring applications of commercial nitrogen fertilizer will require split applications (pre-plant and side-dress) or the use of an approved inhibitor applied as recommended. If a split application is used and 50 percent or more of nitrogen fertilizer is applied as a pre-plant, the use of an approved inhibitor, applied as recommended, is still required.  

Rule 4 Record that District Approved Inhibitor was Used  If 50% or more of commercial nitrogen fertilizer is applied at pre-plant, then operators are required to furnish the District a record from the fertilizer dealer that a District inhibitor was used at recommended rates. This record shall accompany the Fertilizer Application report made to the District by December 31 of each year.

Need motion to change to Phase 3 area

 

Rationale: 

Cert. Number	Cert. Date	Name	Re-Cert.	Comments
6344	2/13/15	Craig Jelinek	No	first timer

There have been two on-line test requests since the last committee meeting.  One of these has completed the test and a certification card was mailed. 

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Six of the eleven scheduled classes have been held.  The class scheduled for the morning of Wednesday, February 4^th, was cancelled due to blowing and drifting snow. 

Class	Date & time	Location	Attendance	First-time
# 1	Thursday, January 8th @ 2:45 p.m. (after Corn Expo)	Fremont - Christensen Field	75	17
# 2	Thursday, January 15th @ 1:30 p.m.	Columbus - Ag Park	56	6
# 3	Monday, January 26th @ 1:30 p.m.	ARDC - Mead	52	8
# 4	Wednesday, February 4th @ 9:30 a.m.	Schuyler - St Benedict Center	Cancelled
# 5	Wednesday, February 4th @ 1:30 p.m.	Lindsay - Village Office	24	1
# 6	Thursday, February 19th @ 1:30 p.m.	David City - Hruska Library	36	2
# 7	Tuesday, February 24th @ 9:30 a.m.	Columbus - Pinnacle Bank	28	6
# 8	Wednesday, March 4th @ 1:30 p.m.	Fremont - Extension Office
# 9	Tuesday, March 24th @ 9:30 a.m.	David City - Hruska Library
# 10	Thursday, March 26th @ 7:00 p.m.	ARDC - Mead
# 11	Tuesday, March 31st @ 7:00 p.m.	Columbus - Ag Park

The class schedule was mailed to about 500 producers.                   271                40

Rationale:  Norman Kavan Jr. is asking the Board to recognize a field in the NW 1/4 of S27-T14N-R8E in Saunders County, as being historically irrigated.  Mr. Kavan has submitted FSA-578 forms showing a range of 113 to 146 certified irrigated acres between the years of 2000 and 2004.  The Kavan's were unaware of the 2 in 10 rule for historically irrigated acres when they purchased the farm in 2009.  They applied for 40 in 2011 and were approved but decided to allow the variance to expire.  Justin Kavan reapplied in 2013 and the variance application has yet to be approved due to the 2,500 acre limit in the HCA.  Attached is a map of the proposed system as well as the supplied FSA-578 forms.  The new pivot will irrigate approximately 60 acres from an existing well located in the same quarter.

Rationale:  Bob Vering is requesting 69.3 irrigated acres for a farm he owns in the SE1/4 of S28-T18N-R8E in Dodge County.  The acres were part of a cattle operation that has since been converted to crop land.  The field was irrigated in 2014 and the violation was discovered during the acre certification process.  Mr. Vering would like the Board to consider his water use for the cattle as an offset for the new irrigated acres.  The attached map shows the quarter in question, but does not reflect the current irrigation system.  

Mr. Vering addressed the Committee on his situation.  He would like to sign with NRCS and list this as irrigated ground due to the higher seeding rate for a cover crop.  NRCS also has a non-irrigated rate and Committee members felt he could sign up with that program.  The Water Committee took no further action.

Rationale:  Poole reports that certification papers were due February 1, 2015 from Dodge County.  He reports that about 80% of these have been turned in.  As in other situations, the last ones to turn in their reports take the longest.

Rationale: 

Rules will be submitted to DEQ for their review and hopefully their approval.

Renewal forms are being developed for our District and these will be mailed out in late March or early April.

Rationale:  The LPNNRD has received one new livestock permit applications from DEQ since the last Water Committee meeting.

Name	Livestock	Type of Permit	Legal Description	County
Scott Schmid Feedlot 127 Road I Columbus NE 68601	Cattle 3,500 Head 3,500 A.U.	Construction & Operating Permit	NW1/4, Section 30, T18N, R2E	Colfax
Little Pine Ridge Feedyard PO Box187 Bellwood NE 68624	Cattle 10,800 Head 10,800 A.U.	Expansion on Operating Permit	SW1/4, Section 23, T16N, R2E	Butler

• The Scott Schmid Feedlot operation is two miles north of the current Richland-Schuyler Phase 2 area.
• The Little Pine Ridge Feedyard is expanding operations of existing 5,000 Head with addition of 5,800 Head for a total of 10,800 head or 10,800 A.U.  This operation is 4 miles east of the current Bellwood Phase 2 area.

Rationale:  Two new wells has been reviewed and approved by Gottschalk for decommissioning since the last Committee meeting.

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

Well Owner	Type of Well	Cost Share Estimate	County
Charles Emanuel & Sons	1 Irrigation	$514.03	Dodge
Wilma Loseke	1 Irrigation	$613.16	Platte

 

Rationale:  The ENWRA Technical Committee met on Wednesday Feb. 25, 2015 to discuss the addition of 125 miles of AEM flightlines that are to be flown this spring (see attached sheet).  These are still scheduled to be flown in late March into April.

Rationale:  LPNNRD staff has identified several sites for future test holes and potential monitoring wells.  C&SD division is currently scheduling test hole drilling for June and it is not clear if the test holes requested by our NRD will be drilled within this fiscal year.

Rationale:  The GMDA Summer Session is scheduled for Coeur d'Arlene, Idaho on June 10-12, 2015.  Agenda is still being worked on, but one possible topic is the use of drones in agricultural production.

Rationale:  The LPNNRD is again considering hiring two to four interns this summer.  Work areas will include tree planting, spraying dams and other areas for weeds, repairing fence, ground water sampling, chemigation, summer gwel readings, etc.  Bob Heimann and Russ Oaklund will interview and hire these individuals. 

Rationale:  Arnie Stuthman addressed the Water Committee about his request for 40 additional irrigated acres.  His original application for more acres (in the now SQS area) was made in 2012 and he purchased the pivot at that time.  His application was apparently lost in the mail since the LPNNRD never received it.