July 2, 2026 at 9:30 AM - 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)
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2.A.2. Variance Requests in the Non-Hydrologically Connected Area (Normal Development Area)
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2.A.3. Variance Requests in the Restricted Development Areas
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2.A.4. Well Permit Program
Rationale:
Bruce Williams has applied for 2-60 GPM livestock wells permit which will be tied together in a series. The wells together will pump 120 GPM, so a well permit is required. These wells are for chicken barms located in NW SW S15-16N-6E, Saunders County. The site is 5 miles NW of Colon or 5 miles SW of Cedar Bluffs. This location is in the Hydrological-Connected Area (Blue), so a stream depletion allotment has been calculated at 5.37 acre feet. This site will have 2 and 1/2 barns with approximately 65,000 total chickens.
Attached is a map and permit. If the well permit is approved, it has been requested that Netafin Prop meter be used. Comments from Grosch Irrigation shown: Looking for approval to use a Netafin prop flow meter for a customer's chicken site to fulfill the NRD's water flowmeter requirement. The max required flow rate is going to be 60 gpm. Therefore, I would prefer to use a Netafim meter instead of a McCrometer meter. This is due to the higher sensitivity of the Netafim meter. The Netafim meter also totalizes in gallon instead of acre-in. This would probably be easier to deal with since we have a smaller pumping rate. Since the McCrometer meter isn't really even listed for flow rates less than 40 GPM. I have a feeling that most of the flow rates encountered at this site will be less than 40 except during the hot summer months. Thanks for your time. Spencer Grosch Grosch Irrigation Co., Inc. Office: 308 773 2261 Cell: 402 340 2754
Recommended Motion(s):
Approve well permits for two 60 GPM livestock wells, will be tied together in a series, located in NW SW S15-16N-6E, Saunders County with a flow meter required. Passed with a motion by Board Member #1 and a second by Board Member #2.
Attachments:
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2.A.5. Acre Certification
Rationale:
Staff at the LPNNRD met with Troy Brandt over a well location issue. After reviewing the location, it was discovered that the well was in the wrong location and attached to the tract of land to the west of the road. Paperwork was completed to move the well to the right location. (Map attached) Staff discovered that the tract of land was never certified, even though the well had been drilled in 1977 and been used by Troy since 2000. The County Assessor shows that Troy is paying taxes on 9.07 irrigated acres in the SE SE 18-18-2W, Platte County. Troy has documentation showing this as an irrigated tract from FSA. Attached are 2 maps drawn by NRD staff on the acres being considered to be certified. The NRD would certify this tract for 9.07 acres.
The other tract land is Section 32-15N-8E in which this will be certified as surface water irrigation from the lagoon at Darling Inc. Staff made a site visit to confirm that a groundwater well was not being used. The committee understood the situation and felt this was an appropriate action.
Attachments:
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2.A.6. Domestic Well Interference Discussion
Rationale:
Attached is the original well interference form, a new 2026 draft for individuals to fill out with the LPNNRD, and a draft protocol for how to handle complaints internally. Once the form is received, staff evaluates locations, well registrations and make suggestions on what can be done. If a well is not registered, there is no documentation of location, so registering wells that pump less than 50 GPM is beneficial when a well permit is received.
Attached is an example of a cone of depression interference, which will probably be handled differently in both cases. The Complaint flow chart is how staff handles irrigation runoff and chemigation issues. The Committee was given a well interference policy and complaint application form for review. It was recommended that a GPS location be included on the form. More discussion will be held on this issue.
Attachments:
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2.A.7. Cost Share Programs
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2.B. CHEMIGATION
Rationale:
Total renewals: 664 |
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3. GROUND WATER PROGRAMS
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3.A. Longitude 103
Rationale:
The Longitude database was developed for the NRDs in 2022 in which each NRD contributed $5,000 for their match with a grant obtained by the NARD. The other payment of $9,036.59 was to update the database and include online reporting. It was decided as other NRDs started using the database they felt they should be required to contribute. The total invoice is for $14,036.59 for LPN contributions for matching funds.
Recommended Motion(s):
Recommend paying NARD 14,036.59 for LPN portion of the contributions to Longitude 103 and Hydro Data App. Passed with a motion by Board Member #1 and a second by Board Member #2.
Attachments:
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3.B. DECOMMISSIONED WELL PROGRAM
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3.B.1. Well Estimates
Rationale:
# new wells has been reviewed and approved for decommissioning since the last Committee meeting.
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3.B.2. Plugged Wells
Rationale:
Roger Nelson's had been approved for $874. An updated estimate was received changing the cost-share amount.
Recommended Motion(s):
Recommend paying Roger Nelson $1,471.95 and Williams Ag Corp $1,467.40 for well decommissioning. Passed with a motion by Board Member #1 and a second by Board Member #2.
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3.C. NEW MONITORING WELLS
Rationale:
Attached are invoice options on the subscription with HydroVu on the monitoring wells data loggers. The subscription ran out on June 30, so the next payment will be needed on July 31. A 1-year subscription for 60 sites is $6,732. HydroVu is the program to allow the NRD to receive real-time water level measurements from the 60 data loggers throughout the district.
Attached is a quote for extra antennae for data loggers within the district in the amount of $239.47
Recommended Motion(s):
Approve 1-year subscription for HydroVu for 60 sites totaling $6,732. Passed with a motion by Board Member #1 and a second by Board Member #2.
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3.D. SOURCE WATER PROTECTION
Rationale:
Attached is a quote from InSitu in the amount of $15,137.32 for data loggers. These loggers will be placed in the Yutan, Wahoo and Newman Grove Wellhead Protection Areas. Through our agreement with the State, these data loggers will be 100% reimbursed.
Attachments:
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3.E. LOWER PLATTE NORTH NRD GROUND WATER STUDIES
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3.E.1. Phase Area Update
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3.E.2. Weather Stations
Rationale:
These sites will be free by agreement with METOs until the end of the year, at which a half-year payment will be paid in January.
Attachments:
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3.E.3. Water Flow Meter Summary
Rationale:
Aquifer zones were developed through the Groundwater Management Plan in March 2026. Below shows the number of wells and reporting flow meters per zone. The maps attached give a perspective on what these areas look like. Staff showed the information to the Committee for consideration on the next agenda item.
Attachments:
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3.E.4. AI Discussion
Rationale:
As a means to augment existing flow meters in the district, and not require additional flow meters for irrigation and groundwater monitoring, LPNNRD is evaluating the potential of artificial intelligence (AI) and machine learning to estimate pumping, well interference from new wells, and water level prediction given environmental factors. This would involve using existing data to train an AI model in a phased approach, first starting with the SQS area, then scaling to the rest of the district.
Discussion was held with the committee, staff and Jesse Korus — UNL-CSD. The Committee is interested in seeing how this might work and would like to pursue this project more. |
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4. SURFACE WATER PROGRAMS
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4.A. STATE LAKES, FOR THE WEEK OF
Rationale:
There are 4 beaches with E.coli testing above 235 colonies/100 ml.
Have a good rest of your week! Justin Haas State Lakes Coordinator Department of Water, Energy and Environment 245 Fallbrook Blvd., Suite 100 Lincoln, NE 68509-8922 Direct: 402-471-4224 | Main Office: 402-471-2186 Unsubscribe from the DWEE-BEACHWATCH List |
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5. OTHER
Rationale:
Budget and groundwater video review.
X:\I & E\Marketing\Videos\Water Video\2026 Water Dept Video\lpn_26_001_final (1080p).mp4 |
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