December 27, 2023 at 6:00 PM - Water Committee Meeting

Rationale: 

The total number of approved permits for 2023 is 40

Location of Approved Well Permits for 2023

County	Irrigation - New	Irrigation - Replacement	Stock	Commercial	Municipal	Other	Total
Butler	2	7	0	0	0	0	9
Colfax	1	4	0	0	0	0	5
Dodge	2	0	0	0	0	0	2
Boone	3	1	0	0	0	0	4
Madison	0	1	0	0	0	0	1
Platte	0	1	0	0	0	0	1
Saunders	11	6	0	0	0	1	18
Total	19	20	0	0	0	1	40

 

Rationale:  Notices were put in local newspaper and the NRD website asking firms for proposals to update the 1995 groundwater management plan.  The deadline was Wednesday, December 27, 2023, with the committee reviewing the proposals to determine which firms to interview the week of January 1, 2024. 
The Lower Platte North NRD received 4 proposals to update the Groundwater Management Plan.  

• HDR
• JEO
• LRE
• Olsson

The RFQ is attached which explains the requirements needed by State Statues.  The plan is to interview either January 3rd or 4th with a Board motion on January 8 to approve a firm.   

Interviews were conducted with JEO, LRE and Olsson on January 3rd with Committee representatives Bob Hilger, Joe Birkel and Tom McKnight.  NRD staff sitting in on the interviews were Eric Gotttschalk, Ryan Chapman and Daryl Andersen.  All the firms were qualified with each one having their own strengths and weaknesses.   

The Interview Sub-Committee recommends negotiating a contract with LRE to update the Groundwater Management Plan, with the contract not to exceed $54,000.  (Motion needed)

Rationale:  A meeting for SQS#2 individuals is scheduled for the Community Center in Humphrey on Thursday, January 18, starting at 2 pm.   This meeting will give an update on the data that has been collected in this area, including AEM flights, data loggers and water use information.  

Rationale:  One of the requirements of the LPN Groundwater Rules and Regulations is that all producers that irrigate or apply nitrogen are required every 4 years to attend a NRD Operator Certification class. 
 
Classes being held in 2024:
January 16 - Fremont Extension Office
February 1 - ENREEC Mead
Febuary 8 - Lindsay Village Hall
February 16- Ag Park Columbus
February 22 - David City Butler County Event Center
March 14- ENREEC Mead

Rationale:  The technical group met on Tuesday, December 19 to review the database for handling the depletion in the Basin.  The group discovered some issues which will be corrected, and then the data will be uploaded again.  The group discussed the IMP reports, drought scenarios and acres not being accounted for prior to 2016.  

Rationale:  Shown are the Phase 4 rules with discussion bullets for the Committee to review or consider: 

Section I    Groundwater Quality Management Area - Phase Four

Rule 1    Phase Four Criteria
When levels of nitrate-nitrogen exceed 15.01 parts per million, or levels of other human induced non-point source contaminants exceed 100% of the MCL or LHAL, a Phase Four area will be declared.  Within the same aquifer; boundary setting for Phase Four Areas will be initiated when: water quality analytical results within a minimum 9 square mile area are at identified trigger levels for a minimum of 2 sampling events.  The area must contain a minimum of 10 registered wells and contaminant trigger levels must be exceeded in over 50% of the wells. When irrigation wells are not available, other wells may be used. Initial investigation by the District will be to determine if the contamination is a result of point-source or non-point source pollution. If non-point source pollution is found to be the reason, more intensive investigation for boundary setting will ensue. If a Wellhead Protection Area should be established due to non-point source pollution, the District may set boundaries that are less than 9 square miles.  After the establishment of a Phase Four Area, if non-point source contamination levels should decline, two consecutive sampling events below the trigger levels are needed before the Area could be placed in Phase Three, Phase Two or Phase One.

• A map is attached for boundaries to consider, with uranium as a non-point source contaminate.
• The Committee decided to proceed with the map presented which includes the sections with higher uranium. 

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

• Reporting dates for dual reporting
• April 1 to make recommendation
• December 15 for year-end report
• Consideration for a January 15 deadline for groundwater rule change
• Consider a one on one discussion with all producers when moving into a Phase Two Management Area.  
• The Committee recommends a 2-step reporting process with March 15th for soil samples and District nitrogen recommendations and December 15th for reporting actual yields and nitrogen applications.  

Rule 3    Fertilizer Application On All Soils
Split application of commercial nitrogen fertilizer is required with 80 pounds maximum applied before May 1.

• Application of manure on fields is allowed before this date.
• The Committee recommends proceeding with rule 3 as presented with manure emphasized as a credit.  

Rule 4    Nitrogen Recommendations
Nitrogen applications must not exceed District Recommendations. Application data may be required to verify the amount of nitrogen that is applied to the field(s) within the management area.
 

• Following LPN formula for nitrogen recommendations
• Reasonable yield goal will be the main criteria in the calculation.  
  • 2022 Yield Information: 
    Irrigated Corn Fields Richland-Schuyler Area - 253
    93 fields were 10% or more off yield goals (37%)
    160 fields were under 10% off yield goals (63%)
• NRD staff will take averages from the last 2 - 10 years to calculate this yield goal and allow a maximum of a 5% increase. 
• Soil sampling correctly will be emphasized as staff have seen samples showing 0-8 and 0–36 inches on the same field.   
• The Committee directed staff to work closely with producers on correct soil sampling protocols and determine an acceptable yield goal when determining nitrogen recommendations.   

Rule 5    Well Metering
Flow meters are required on all high capacity wells.   

• Meters on irrigation wells only or include livestock and other wells. 
• The Committee recommends requiring flow meters only on high capacity irrigation wells.  

Rule 6    Acre-Inch Allocations
A rolling acre-inch allocation, in 3-year increments, will be put into place by the District and will be based on the aquifer subarea, crop planted, irrigation distribution system, percent decline of the aquifer, water use of the aquifer, climatic conditions, net corn crop requirements, and discretionary factors.

• This is a water quality area and not quantity.
• Allocation for 3 or 4 years
• Allocation amount for 3 years 30, 33, 36.
• Allocation amount for 4 years 40, 44, 48.
• Different amounts for irrigation types or soils. 
• The Committee recommends no allocation and evaluating this rule after obtaining water use information for 3 years.   

Rule 7    Staff Assistance
NRD Staff will work directly with individuals on Best Management Practices. Staff may spot check fields before May 1 by collecting a soil sample to monitor Rule 3.

• Nutrient/Irrigation Plan Agreement
• 3-year plan where producers agree to a minium on one of the best management practices
• Practices could include yield goal reduction, cover crops, soil moisture sensors, split application of nitrogen more than 2 times, variable rate nitrogen, variable rate irrigation, gravity conversion, updating irrigation nozzles, grid sampling, taking manure credit for 3 years.  
• After 3 years, a new agreement can be signed and to confirm if practices were implemented.  
• The Committee recommends staff to develop the best management agreement for producers to pledge to adopt a new best management practice.   

The Committee directed staff to make the changes discussed into a working document and present them at the next Water Committee Meeting. The Committee will review the updated changes and boundaries for a potential public meeting in the first part of February and possibly a hearing in the latter part of March with an implementation date of November 1, 2024.  This can still allow for the boundary to be adjusted when additional data is collected and analyzed.  

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
Osantowski Bros	Irrigation	1122.29	butler

 

Rationale:  Received invoices for 4 water flow meters to be paid for Kracl Implement Inc and Jerold Kracl for $4,000. 

Applications received and will be approved upon NRCS approval:
Erin Peterson - Two gravity to pivot/SDI for $20,000
Dan Wachal - One gravity to pivot/SDI for $10,000.
Erin applied for soil moisture sensor incentives and flow meters for both fields for an additional $3,500.
Dan applied for soil moisture sensors and a flow meter for $1,750.
Additional applications for flow meters have been sent out to producers with more interest in gravity to pivot/SDI conversions.  

Current Budget for the following 2 cost-share items:
Flow Meters - Budgeted $170,000 
Paid 9 invoices for $9,000
Approved application 65 for $65,000

Gravity to Pivot/SDI - Budgeted $100,000
Paid 2 invoices for $20,000
Approved applications 2 for $20,000
3 applications waiting for NRCS approval for $30,000.

2023 Phase Report Entry:
Reports submitted/approved: 289
Reports started: 95
384 reports either done or started
Missing ~150 reports

Staff will be sending reminder emails/calls this week.

Rationale:  At the January 31, 2024 water committee meeting, an update will be given by Joe Luck on the variable nitrogen applications results on sites within the District.  Shane Ohlde  from VariMax will also discuss their "Crop Based Nitrogen and Irrigation Management."

Rationale:  Equipment cables that will be repaired by In-Situ has been delivered to Fort Collins.