August 28, 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:
Deadline is September 15.
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2.A.2. Variance Requests in the Non-Hydrologically Connected Area (Normal Development Area)
Rationale:
The NRD has received 2 applications for this area.
Reichmuth Ag - C N1/2 18-18-1E, Platte County, 15 acres Doug Bartek - E SW 23 -16-8E, Saunders County. 64 acres Staff explained to the Committee on Reichmuth Ag application that if you score just the 15 acres, then it would not be eligible because of the previous land class prior to removing the trees and leveling the land. If the whole field is scored, it then becomes eligible with maps attached showing the differences. The committee discussed the efficiency of the irrigation system by allowing it to complete the circle. The committee discussed the erosion potential and whether cover crops and/or filter strips should be required. This would require more oversight by the NRD staff, but this is what NRCS conservation plans are designed to address.
Recommended Motion(s):
Recommend approving a conditional variance for 15 acres to Reichmuth Ag in the C N1/2 S18-18N-1E, Platte County to approve the irrigation efficiency, require a NRCS conservation plan to prevent erosion and water flow meter with annual water use reports. Passed with a motion by Board Member #1 and a second by Board Member #2.
Recommended Motion(s) #2:
Recommend approving a conditional variance for 64 acres to Doug Bartek in the E SW S23-16N-8E, Saunders County with the requirement of a water flow meter and annual water use report. Passed with a motion by Board Member #1 and a second by Board Member #2.
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2.A.3. Variance Requests in the Restricted Development Areas
Rationale:
Randy Vavrina was present to explain the reasoning for asking for this variance. He was agreeable to adding the acres without increasing pumping. He is aware of domestic wells in this limited water area and is in contact with his neighbors.
Discussion from March 28 Water Committee Meeting: Vavrina and Sons Inc purchased property in SW1/4 33-16N-4E, Butler County. (2 miles NW of Bruno). They currently have an irrigation well, G-064907, in the middle of the East Half of 32-16N-4E, where they irrigate 66.79 aces. The 3-year average for this field is 5.17 acre-inches/year. They are requesting an expansion of acre variance which would decrease their current 27-inch rolling allocation to irrigate the additional 64 acres in Section 33. They would be irrigating 130.79 acres with a 13.79 acre-inch allocation over 3 years. Map attached. This well is in the LPNNRD GWEL network with a graph attached. The committee discussed the locations of the domestic wells in this restricted (red) area. The committee asked for further information like FSA cropping information, soil types and slopes. When the information is obtained, the committee will discuss this situation. Attached is the soil map for this tract.
Recommended Motion(s):
Recommend approving the conditional variance for 64 acres to Vavrina and Sons Inc in the SW1/4 S33-16N-4E, Butler County from irrigation well G-064907 S32-16N-4E with no increase of the 27-inch 3 year rolling allocation for distribution over the increased acres. If domestic wells interference occurs then the irrigation well will need to be controlled or shutdown. Passed with a motion by Board Member #1 and a second by Board Member #2.
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2.A.4. Voluntary Integrated Water Management Plan - LPNNRD
Rationale:
Staff from NeDNR and LPNNRD made their required annual report on V-IMP activities to the Committee. The presentation is attached.
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2.A.5. Well Permit Program
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2.A.6. Expansion of Irrigation Acres Variance
Rationale:
The committee directed staff that a variance application would be required as the land was never developed.
The tract is shown by the NRD as irrigated, but the producer did not develop it. He has now applied for a gravity to conversion application with NRCS in the Richland-Schuyler Area. These acres were already included in the certified irrigation acres report for the V-IMP and scored 453.08.
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2.A.7. De-Certification of Irrigated Acres
Rationale:
Eugene Walla is requesting to de-certify 7.56 irrigated acres in the SW SE 21-17-5E, Saunders County. Staff explained to them that they would not be able to irrigate this tract and would need a variance if they plan on irrigating in the future. Saunders County Assessor is requesting a letter to this effect. Staff will be sending a letter to the assessor to notify them that this land will be de-certified as requested by the producer.
Attached is the location and their plan to put this tract into CRP.
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2.A.8. Cost Share Programs
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2.A.8.a. Irrigation Well Sample Kits
Rationale:
301 kits to producers so far in 2024. More kits continue to arrive in the mail and are being requested.
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2.A.9. Bellwood Phase 2 Area
Rationale:
2024 is the twenty-second year for this Phase 2 Area.
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2.A.10. 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.11. Nitrate Assessment Project
Rationale:
Attached is an invoice for $10,702.75 per contract with LRE for the nitrate assessment in the Shell Creek Area in conjunction with Newman Grove and Platte Center.
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2.B. Groundwater Management Plan Update
Rationale:
Staff from LPN and LRE conducted 2 public open houses in Platte Center (16 in attendance) and Wahoo (12 in attendance). People in attendance had opportunities to provide feedback on the water resources in the District. A couple of discussion items were on what practices are being done to curb the nitrate issues and domestic wells on acreages or subdivisions. Staff will be complying more details on the feedback at the next Water Committee Meeting.
Attached is some information on proposed goals and aquifer sub-areas. Please review as adjustments can be made by the local knowledge of the areas. Other information from the open houses is attached.
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2.C. CHEMIGATION
Rationale:
For 2024, we have 652 renewals and 56 new permit applications for a current total of 708. Inspections for 195 renewal permits have been completed.
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2.D. GROUND WATER ENERGY LEVELS
Rationale:
Staff conducted summer water level measurements in the WANN Basin.
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2.E. GROUND WATER QUALITY SAMPLING
Rationale:
The remaining two sites in Butler County were sampled with 1 remaining in Saunders County. The remaining Boone County site may not be irrigated this year.
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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:
One well has been plugged, reviewed, and ready for cost share payment approval this month.
Recommended Motion(s):
Recommend paying Dworak Agribusiness LLC for decommissioning of an irrigation well for the amount of $753.77. 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:
Received 1 application for flow meter cost share and 4 applications for chemigation equipment to 1 producer for payment.
Erin Peterson G-016935 N NW S22-17-3, Colfax - $1,000 MJM Farms 4 sites at $500/site - $2,000 NNE 27-17-2, SENW 27-17-2, NW 33-18-2, and NNW 27-17-2, Colfax County. Attached is some information about the demonstration projects of variable rate nitrogen in the phase areas. These projects utilized satellite imagery to apply nitrogen and compared this to the producer decisions on nitrogen management. The Nebraska State Legislature passed LB 1368, the Nitrogen Reduction Incentive Act (NiRIA) with a draft of the proposal attached. At the present time, the LPN has 2 management areas in higher nitrate management with information shown below. Richland- Schuyler (Phase 3) - 24,812 reported irrigation acres at $15/acre would be $372,180. Bellwood (Phase 2) - 7,514 reported irrigated acres at $15/acre would be $112,710. LPN would be receiving $38,058.73. Part of the process of moving to a Phase 4 level will require reduction in nitrogen use on some fields, split application and water use information. During the phase 4 process, staff would meet with producers to develop a management plan.
Recommended Motion(s):
Recommend approving flow meter cost share to Erin Peterson on G-016935 in the N NW S22-14N-3E, Colfax County for $1,000 and MJM Farms for chemigation equipment for $2,000. Passed with a motion by Board Member #1 and a second by Board Member #2.
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3.B.2. Lower Platte River Consortium
Rationale:
The group met on August 21 to update the basin water flow, a 5-year update and potential projects to include in the update. The group decided on the following projects to include in the updated plan for further review.
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4. METOS Update
Rationale:
LPN staff and METOS staff have been in discussion on a suitable agreement for all parties about the equipment damaged by their former employee. Potential action at the board meeting.
The proposal that has been brought forward is outlined.
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5. Long Range Plan
Rationale:
Attached is LPN long range plan. Please take the time to review before the board meeting.
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6. SURFACE WATER PROGRAMS
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6.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).
Maple Creek Recreation Area Lake in Colfax County will be on Health Alert this week. Calamus Reservoir in Garfield County will be removed from Health Alert. West Mormon Island Lake (SRA) in Hall County remains closed, so no sample was taken. There will be 1 beach on Health Alert this week.
There are 4 beaches with E.coli testing above 235 colonies/100 ml.
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6.B. USGS STREAM FLOW GAUGING SITES
Rationale:
As discussed at the last committee, a 5-year annual contract for stream gauges was suggested. A contract to that effect is attached with LPN responsibility for the 5 years would be $89,675 ($17,935annually) and invoiced quarterly.
An invoice is attached for $19,010 for last year's contract with USGS for 2 stream gauges and 1 groundwater monitoring well.
Recommended Motion(s):
Recommend approving a 5 year contract with USGS for 2 stream gage sites for $89,675 with expiration date of September 30, 2029 with Board Chairman Signature. Passed with a motion by Board Member #1 and a second by Board Member #2.
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7. OTHER
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7.A. COMMENTS FROM THE PUBLIC
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