April 29, 2015 at 5:00 PM - Water Committee Meeting

Rationale:  Variance Request Penalty for Violation of LPNNRD R&R.  This would apply to the ranking criteria and the issuance for new irrigated acres.  Need to establish a policy on this.  Options that were previous discussed included:

• 50 points per acre
• points removed per type of violation, whole field vs. corner
• 1st time violation given just warning
• penalty by subarea
• one, two, or three year suspension, which could be based on number of acres per that violation.

Staff recommendation is the last one.

Committee members discussed this and would like more details on the last point and examples from the Republican NRD's.  

Rationale:  The district received two applications in the HCA totaling 40 acres.

Rationale:  The district received one application in the NHCA totaling 164 acres.

Rationale:  Wells Permits Approved: 4

Landowner	Number of Wells	Number of New Irrigated Acres	Type of Well	County	Subarea
Rainier Resource Holdings 1,  LLC	2	0	Replacement	Saunders	Todd Valley
Samson Inc.	1	0	Replacement	Platte	Lower Shell Creek
242 Riversedge LLC	1	0	Replacement	Dodge	North Bend

The total number of approved permits for 2015 is 25


Location of Approved Well Permits for 2015:  Correct as of 4/29/2015

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	3	0	0	0	0	6
Boone	0	2	0	0	0	0	2
Madison	0	0	0	0	0	0	0
Platte	3	2	0	0	0	0	5
Saunders	3	2	0	1	0	0	6
Total	11	13	0	1	0	0	25

Rationale:  KWEA LLC is requesting a modification to replacement well permit # LPN-009-1077.  The well is located in the SW 1/4 NE 1/4 1-17-7E in Dodge County (North Bend Subarea).  The permit was approved to replace LPN-007-967 (G-147448), which began pumping sand after one year.  The replacement well was drilled in June of 2009 and it has begun to lose yield.  The original well has not been decommissioned as require by State law and the hole has remained idle for the last 4 years.  KWEA LLC is asking to put a pump down the original well and pump all three wells, in a series, at a lower rate to supply the 324.23 irrigated acres.  All three wells are in the North Bend subarea.  The permit in question and a map of the section are attached.

If granted, the well permit for LPN-009-1077 would be modify from a replacement to a supplemental well permit and the well permit LPN-007-967 would be allowed to be on active status.

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 the Platte Center subarea and the Platte-Colfax SQS area 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 provide water to the entire operation and is estimated to pump ~13,000,000 gallons annually.  No offset was offered.


Doing the math:
-  13,000,000 gallons / 325,851 gallons per acre foot = ~40 acre feet
-  40 acre feet * 12 inches per foot = 480 acre inches
-  if net corn crop irrigation requirement is 8 inches per acre
-  then 480 acre inches / 8 inches per acre = 60 acres of irrigation

Rationale:  Todd Mueller would like to transfer 17.9 certified irrigated acres

Transferred From:
Field A: S1/2 NW 1/4 29-18-1E Platte County; Lower Shell Creek Subarea

Transferred To:
Field B: 5.4 acres; SE 1/4 SE 1/4 30-18-1E Platte County; Lower Shell Creek Subarea
Field C: 5.3 acres; SW 1/4 SE 1/4 30-18-1E Platte County; Lower Shell Creek Subarea
Field D: 7.2 acres; NWW 1/4 SW 1/4 30-18-1E Platte County; Lower Shell Creek Subarea

Rationale: 

Six information packets for SQS #1 (Butler-Saunders) were sent by “certified mail” for the final educational class.  Three producers attended the April 15^th class, held in the LPNNRD Board Room.  One requirement for the Butler - Saunders SQS area is that flow meters need to be installed by May 1, 2015.  Staff will start making well site visits in mid May.  

Rationale:  The last managers meeting was held on April 28, 2015 at LPSNRD and John Miyoshi attended. 

The next technical meeting is scheduled for May 12, 2015 in Ord NE at the LLNRD.

The second Basin Water Banking Workshop has been set for Thursday, June 18, 2015 starting at 11:00 a.m. at the Central Community College - Columbus.

Rationale:  The last stakeholders meeting was held on April 7, 2015 at our office.  The Goals and Objectives have been finalized and will be discussed at the next Coordination meeting scheduled for May 5th at 10:00 am.  The Goals and Objectives are attached, as well as the meeting minutes.

The next step is writing the Plan for the V-IMP.

We have received an invoice from Olsson Associates for services rendered for our V-IMP to April 16, 2015.  This is part of our contract with Olsson Assoc. and doesn't need Committee approval but will be voted on by the Board under 'bills pending'.

Rationale: 

No new kit requests received since the last committee meeting.  Kits will be mailed in June, before the start of the irrigation season.

Rationale: 

Eighteen producers have submitted an Order for this cost share program (spreadsheet is attached).

LPNNRD’s cost share portion is $1,533.00 (32%) with the producer portion $3,199.00 (68%).  Aaron Nygren, UNL Extension Educator in Colfax County, and Oaklund have been coordinating for the order. Upon approval Order will be placed.  Our goal for 2015 participation in this cost share program was twenty producers.

Rationale: 

2015 is the thirteenth year for this Phase 2 Area.  This area has been reduced from 32 sections to 21 sections.

Rationale: 

2015 is the twelfth year of this Phase 2 Area.  The 55 sections of this area will go into a Phase 3 Area September 1, 2015.  Also effective September 1, 2015, the ten sections immediately north of this area will become a Phase 2 Area.  These sections are:  Township 18 North, Range 2 East, sections 31 to 36; Township 18 North, Range 3 East, sections 31 to 34.

An information meeting will be held in mid summer concerning the Richland - Schuyler Phase area.  

Rationale: 

There have been three more on-line test requests since the last committee meeting.  Two of these have completed the test and a certification card was mailed. 

Cert Number	Cert date	Name	Re-cert	Comments
6517	4/22/2015	Chad Reeves	No	first-time
6518	4/22/2015	Cole Wojtalewicz	No	first-time

 

Rationale: 

For 2014 we had a current total of 463 chemigation permits.  Renewal letters were mailed out in late March and so far we have received 202 renewals and 11 new permit applications.  In addition, we have received notice that 13 permits will be cancelled.  Reminder letters will be mailed in early May to those who have not renewed.  Renewal fee is $30 and the deadline is June 1st.

Rationale:  No new livestock permit applications from DEQ since the last Water Committee meeting.

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








See attached spreadsheet.

Rationale:  No wells have been plugged, reviewed, or ready for cost share payment approval this month.

Well Owner	Type of Well	Cost Share Estimate	County

Rationale:  No new updates.

Rationale:  Flights over eastern Nebraska have been completed.  Final report expected by late July of this year.

Rationale:  Future Potential Ground Water Studies:

1. Deep Test Holes and Monitoring Wells, this is carryover from present fiscal year / $60,000
2. AEM flights over our SQS areas, dependent on getting grant funding
3. Ground Water elevation model of Wann Basin subarea, tracking contaminate plumes from Former Ordnance Plant near Mead.
4. Delineation of Tile Drains in LPNNRD, ground water inputs to streams / ~$30,000 for GIS work to $50,000 if include in-field work such as drone flights
5. Update of Farm Process Model near Ashland NE, previous study completed 3 years ago. / $11,160 each year for 3 years.

On a related note, the Water Department would like to fund a master database for the District, which has already been delayed for two years.

Rationale:  Due to the heavy schedule for the drilling of test holes in Nebraska, C&SD has delayed the drilling of our test holes until later in the summer.  Therefore, most of the NRD funding set aside for test hole drilling in the current fiscal year will not be spent.

A Level Troll 500 data logger has been sent to In-Situ for their review/evaluation of the water level sensor.  An older data logger (Troll 4000, purchased in 1998) has been sent to In-Situ for trade-in of a Level Troll 500 (attached is Sales Quote which includes the 15% discount).  The Troll 4000 is obsolete and is no longer repaired.

Rationale: 

Staff finished collecting the Spring readings in mid-April.  Subareas of concern for potential “Level” change:  David City (Uplands), Prague (Uplands), Octavia (Platte Valley), and Fremont East (Platte Valley).  The higher water levels in these subareas will make any ‘level’ change unnecessary for this year.  The Prague subarea continues to be the one of most concern.  Ground Water Level Summary Comparison of Spring 2014 to Spring 2015 is attached.

 

Rationale:  We received an invoice from USGS for $5,250.00 for water quality monitoring on Shell Creek north of Columbus.

Need motion to approve.

Rationale:  Precipitation patterns across the District were highly variable, not just in location but over the course of the year.  While it was a wet year in Saunders County, it was near normal near Bellwood, and even below normal at Lindsay.  Lindsay had approximately 23 inches for the year, while normal is closer to 28 inches.  See attached maps and report.

Rationale:  Last call for the GMDA Summer Session in Coeur d'Alene Idaho on June 10-11, 2015.  Conference registration and agenda is attached.

Rationale:  The three summer interns are expected to start in mid-May.

Rationale:  Melissa Konecky asked about posting of the Water Committee agenda and ground water energy levels (GWEL).  The GWEL will need to be updated on our webpage.

Rationale:  The Water Committee adjourned at 7:30 pm.