David is a partner with Rembolt Ludtke. His practice areas include municipal and governmental law, water and natural resources law, and general litigation. David’s background in agriculture, advanced education in municipal management, and legal training and experience, including having clerked for the United States Court of Appeals for the Eighth Circuit, provide the foundation for effective service to clients in these areas.
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This curated list of water law related articles is designed to keep you informed.
Norfolk Daily News: Battle Creek community members came out in force Thursday night to voice their opinions about flood protection proposals. More than 100 citizens and rural residents — including Mayor Barry Ponton and at least three city council members — crowded into the meeting room at the Lower Elkhorn Natural Resources District in Norfolk….Read More
Scottsbluff Star-Herald: The Bureau of Reclamation forecasts for the North Platte River Basin indicate that there will be a full water supply for the growing year. The Wyoming Area Office in Mills said in its May 10 snowmelt runoff forecast for the North Platte River Basin that runoff for the spring will be above average….Read More
The Columbus Telegram: The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers is increasing water releases at Gavins Point Dam because of heavy rainfall in the past week. Releases were set to increase to 60,000 cubic feet per second, up from 50,000 cfs. John Remus, chief of the corps’ Missouri River Basin Water Management Division, said there’s no…Read More
KRVN 880 Rural Radio: Today, the U.S. Senate passed a disaster supplemental bill that included funding for Nebraska flood recovery. U.S. Senator Deb Fischer (R-Neb.), who worked with her staff to include the state of Nebraska in the bill, applauded its passage and released the following statement: “Today the U.S. Senate came together in a…Read More
Hastings Tribune: A majority of directors of the Little Blue Natural Resources District decided Tuesday they are ready to push ahead in the process of finalizing an integrated water management plan for their district’s portion of the Little Blue River Basin. Directors voted 10-5 to take the proposed IMP to a public hearing prior to…Read More
Des Moines Register: Eighteen Iowa communities will receive a combined $23.1 million in low-interest water quality loans from the state. The Iowa Finance Authority and the Iowa Department of Natural Resources this week announced the recipients of the State Revolving Fund loans, which help Iowa cities with drinking water and wastewater infrastructure projects. The loan amounts…Read More
Omaha World-Herald: Omaha attorney David Domina traveled to Niobrara this week after fielding many inquiries about whether legal action could be taken as a result of the damage from the failure of the Spencer Dam in March. The Niobrara Lutheran Church’s fellowship hall was full of area residents — homeowners, farmers and businessmen — some of whom…Read More
Sioux City Journal: The Iowa Citizens for Community Improvement organization is holding a meeting in Sioux City on Thursday to discuss their quest for ensuring the state has clean water. […] It is one of eight statewide meetings in which Iowa CCI will describe the fight for clean water being taken to the judicial system….Read More
Kearney Hub: Well owners in flooded areas of Nebraska are advised to have well water tested for safety and to drink bottled water until that can be done. “Certainly, if a well was covered by floodwater, it needs to be evaluated once floodwaters recede,” said University of Nebraska-Lincoln College of Engineering Professor Bruce Dvorak. “If…Read More
Sioux City Journal: Releases from Gavins Point Dam will remain above normal while the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers continues to evacuate near-record runoff from Missouri River reservoirs. April runoff in the upper river basin above Sioux City was 7.8 million acre-feet, the third highest April total in 121 years of record keeping. Average April runoff is…Read More
Norfolk Daily News: The water tower has its logo, now it just needs to be built. The Lindsay Village Board of Trustees voted last fall on how the tower will look, and is now advertising for bidders to construct it. The board accepted the plans and specifications and authorized Dale Bohac, project engineer for JEO…Read More
Des Moines Register: A national civil-engineering group released its report card on Iowa’s infrastructure Thursday, giving the state’s roads, bridges, dams and levees middling to poor grades. Overall, Iowa’s infrastructure earned a C on the American Society of Civil Engineers’ report card — a slight improvement from the C- the state received in 2015. Iowa’s railroads, roads and solid…Read More
Des Moines Register: Officials in eastern Iowa are warning residents near the Mississippi River about a plethora of safety hazards as record flooding inundates one of the region’s most populated areas. The wastewater treatment plant in deluged Davenport has reached capacity, according to officials, meaning Scott County is pushing sewage into rivers with the approval of the Iowa Department of Natural…Read More
The Grand Island Independent: Each of the city’s department heads were asked to present future needs for their facilities and services, as the mayor, administration and council start looking at the budget for next year (and well into the future) and talking about the city’s finances. York Public Works Director Mitch Doht talked about the…Read More
Sioux City Journal: New reports on Iowa water argue that nitrate and bacteria levels in private wells have increased for more than a decade, while water quality funding has remained grossly inadequate. The two reports were released Wednesday. A report by the not-for-profit Iowa Policy Project took a look at the state’s spending commitment to…Read More
Des Moines Register: Thousands of private wells that Iowans use for drinking water are contaminated with unsafe levels of bacteria and nitrates, a study looking at 16 years of data shows. The Environmental Working Group and the Iowa Environmental Council blame farmers’ use of fertilizer for the pollution. Some tests showed nitrate levels in water as…Read More
Water Online: As the American Midwest works to recover from catastrophic flooding that has plagued the area since mid-March, some communities are just setting out on the long road to recovery. In one example of just how disruptive the disaster has been, critical water and wastewater treatment operations that residents in Nebraska depend on will…Read More
The North Platte Telegraph: The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers in Omaha says it has awarded a $12 million contract to repair a Missouri River levee near Hamburg, Iowa, that broke during catastrophic flooding last month. The Corps says the breach repair should provide temporary flood protection of critical infrastructure. The contract was awarded to…Read More
KRVN 880 Rural Radio: A bipartisan group of Senators is seeking a USDA-wide National Water Quality Initiative to prioritize conservation measures in the 2018 Farm Bill to address water quality. In a letter, the Senators point out that the 2018 Farm Bill made “historic investments” in voluntary conservation efforts to address water quality challenges. Specifically,…Read More
Kearney Hub: The federal agency that manages dams along the Missouri River received stern criticism from several U.S. senators Wednesday during a hearing held in Iowa to examine the massive spring flooding this year that caused more than $3 billion in damage in the Midwest. The flooding and actions taken by the U.S. Army Corps…Read More
KRVN 880 Rural Radio: Midwest lawmakers last week introduced a bill that would provide tax relief for disaster victims stemming from events this spring. Senator Chuck Grassley of Iowa announced the Tax Relief Act of 2019. The bill would provide tax deductions for individuals and businesses affected by federally declared disasters that occurred between January…Read More
Hastings Tribune: Iowa Senators Joni Ernst and Charles Grassley are putting the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers’ river management practices under review Wednesday. Ernst chairs a U.S. Senate Environment and Public Works Committee field hearing on the corps’ response to the disastrous Missouri River flooding Wednesday morning at 8:30 at Kaufman Hall at 24116 Marian…Read More
The North Platte Telegraph: Nebraska groundwater levels continued to rise in the areas most affected by the 2012 drought, according to a new report from the University of Nebraska–Lincoln’s Conservation and Survey Division. Still, some portions of the state recorded levels below those of the pre-drought years. The annual statewide report, part of a nation-leading…Read More
Omaha World-Herald: Opponents of the long-stalled Keystone XL oil pipeline asked a federal court in a lawsuit on Friday to declare that President Donald Trump acted illegally when he issued a new permit for the project in a bid to get around an earlier court ruling. In November, U.S. District Judge Brian Morris ruled that…Read More
KRVN 880 Rural Radio: U.S. Senator Ben Sasse wrote to U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Sonny Perdue, seeking regulatory relief for Nebraska’s farmers and ranchers in the wake of the state’s historic flood. “Agriculture took a big hit, but nobody outworks Nebraska’s farmers and ranchers,” said Senator Sasse. “Nebraska is going to get the job done, and we could use…Read More
The Scottsbluff Star-Herald: Several communities along the Missouri River continue to struggle to restore drinking water service weeks after massive flooding swept through the area. People who live in the affected Nebraska and Iowa towns have had to adjust to boiling water before drinking it or relying on bottled water while officials work to repair…Read More
Omaha World-Herald: Metropolitan Utilities District customers may notice a difference in the taste of their tap water, an MUD spokeswoman said Monday.Flooding, increased snowmelt and rainfall all are factors, Tracey Christensen said. “Although the district has not increased the amount of chlorine in the water, we have increased the amount of time the chlorine is…Read More
Sioux City Journal: FEMA representative Michelle Oliva is becoming quite knowledgeable about Woodbury County. She and a crew of about a dozen Federal Emergency Management Agency workers went door-to-door in Sioux City Monday afternoon, assisting people in registering for disaster assistance from recent flooding. On March 23, President Donald Trump issued an expedited major disaster…Read More
KRVN 880 Rural Radio: The Lower Loup Natural Resources District is now offering free water testing to well owners whose supply wells were encroached upon by flood waters. The NRD will test for bacteria in the samples dropped off at the NRD headquarters, 2620 Airport Drive, in Ord. Lower Loup NRD General Manager Russell Callan…Read More
Omaha World-Herald: Every day, Omaha is being forced to dump about 65 million gallons of raw, untreated sewage into the Papillion Creek, near the mouth of the Missouri River. The putrid flow is expected to continue for weeks, if not months, until repairs can be made to the city’s flooded wastewater treatment plant near Bellevue….Read More
Rapid City Journal: Officials in the Omaha area are re-evaluating the city’s flood-control measures, shortly after heavy rains caused dozens of counties and cities in the state to declare a state of emergency. A flash flood event caused by heavy rain in the Papillion Creek Basin is Omaha’s biggest flooding vulnerability, John Winkler, the general…Read More
Scottsbluff Star-Herald: Leo Hoehn swears by the benefits of the Conservation Reserve Enhancement Program (CREP). “We’re in a water deficient area,” said Hoehn, who farms in the Pumpkin Creek area about 20 miles southeast of Gering. “There were a number of things that we could do to reduce our usage of water, CREP being one…Read More
Hastings Tribune: Plagued by continual worries over elevated groundwater nitrate concentrations and other matters, the Upper Big Blue Natural Resources District has adopted a new, cross-referenced approach to managing water resources across its jurisdiction. Now, district staff and board members are inviting patrons to an open house Tuesday in York to learn more about a…Read More
KRVN 880 Rural Radio: Today, U.S. Senators Ben Sasse and Deb Fischer urged the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) to expedite aid for Nebraska counties which have not yet been designated eligible for individual assistance. Full text of the letter is found below. Dear Acting Administrator Gaynor, In light of the devastating storms and ongoing flooding in…Read More
The North Platte Telegraph: North Platte water has won first place for the second year in a row. Water from all over the state was brought to the American Water Works Association conference in Kearney and was judged on appearance and taste. “We have really good water,” said Chris Holley, city water protection specialist. The…Read More
Omaha World-Herald: The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers on Thursday completed the temporary repairs to the levee protecting Valley, a day early.Repair work on the Union Dike started Monday and fix a 500-foot breach caused by flooding on the Platte River. Flooding has significantly damaged more than 350 miles of levees on the Missouri, Platte,…Read More
Norfolk Daily News: Hundreds of people remain without running water in Boyd County and they could be facing four to eight more weeks of the same. That’s the word from Rex Black, president of the Boyd County Rural Water District, which is seeking to raise funds to help rectify the situation as soon as possible….Read More
The Columbus Telegram: City and county damages are being assessed, which will be an ongoing process during upcoming weeks. The city is currently nearly positive, though, that the levee which upheld the torrential flow of the Loup River over the course of the past, will need some repair. Though it didn’t suffer a breach, the…Read More
Sioux City Journal: Water releases from Gavins Point Dam were increased Monday as snow from northern plains begins to melt and flow into Missouri River reservoirs upstream. Releases were raised from 24,000 cubic feet per second to 27,000 cfs. Releases are scheduled to be increased to 30,000 cfs on or near Saturday, the U.S. Army…Read More
Des Moines Register: A small town in northwestern Iowa has ended its decades-long practice of treating the city’s drinking water with fluoride. The Ida Grove City Council narrowly voted this week to halt fluoride treatment in the city’s water supply, the Sioux City Journal reported. The move comes after city leaders and residents questioned whether the fluoride was…Read More
Newton Daily News: Sioux City has issued $77,500 in fines to a Nebraska plant for exceeding its daily limits on solids sent to the city’s wastewater treatment plant, as local officials also consider the company’s permit renewal request. The city in northwestern Iowa granted Wisconsin-based Big Ox Energy an industrial wastewater discharge permit in 2016….Read More
The Grand Island Independent: Landowners and residents of the Upper Big Blue Natural Resources District (NRD) are invited to attend an open house to learn more about the Upper Big Blue NRD’s recent water resource planning efforts that address both water quality and quantity. This joint planning process, the first of its kind in Nebraska…Read More
York News-Times: More than two-thirds of Nebraska’s counties in a state of emergency. Fourteen bridges damaged or destroyed, severing major transportation corridors. Extensive livestock and crop losses. And three confirmed deaths — so far. “The most extensive damage our state has ever experienced,” Nebraska Gov. Pete Ricketts said Monday, summing up the impact of the…Read More
Lincoln Journal-Star: Mandatory water conservation regulations will likely be in effect in Lincoln for at least a few more days, as the city water department works to repair flood-related problems at its Platte River wellfields. Mayor Chris Beutler and the City Council approved an emergency declaration Monday with mandatory water restrictions for businesses and residences….Read More
The Washington Post: Vice President Pence will survey the widespread destruction across the Midwest on Tuesday, following “historic” flooding that has killed at least four people, leveled bridges and submerged huge swaths of the region with bone-chilling floodwaters. Nebraska, Iowa and Wisconsin have declared states of emergency after the most powerful late-winter storm in a decade unleashed…Read More
KRVN 880 Rural Radio: As the threat to human lives from the last week’s storms that engulfed the state has begun to subside, the Nebraska Department of Agriculture (NDA) will now be concentrating efforts to assist our ranch families and their livestock. Producers that have been impacted by the blizzard and flooding and are now…Read More
The North Platte Telegraph: The mayor of Nebraska’s capital has ordered residents to cut their water use in half because the city’s well fields are threatened by record flooding on the Platte River. Lincoln Mayor Chris Beutler (BITE-lur) says the system lost temporarily lost pressure Sunday evening. It was again producing drinkable water by 9:30…Read More
KRVN 880 Rural Radio: The likelihood of more prolonged flooding along the Missouri River increased Thursday night when the Army Corps of Engineers was forced to increase water releases from Gavins Point Dam in South Dakota to 90,000 cubic feet per second because of inflows from the Niobrara River and other watersheds, the Corps stated….Read More
Kearney Hub: Two action items for the Upper Prairie/Silver/Moores Flood Control Project in northwest Grand Island were approved by the Central Platte Natural Resources District’s board of directors at their February meeting. The board approved purchased of a real-time monitoring and data logging equipment for $30,368. The equipment consists of water level sensors, cameras, and…Read More
Des Moines Register: Residents of Bagley in Guthrie County have been warned not to drink tap water after unsafe levels of manganese were discovered in their public supply. And it’s unclear when the water will be OK to drink. The town of about 300 people, approximately 60 miles northwest of Des Moines, issued a public notice Friday to…Read More
Sioux City Journal: Missouri River reservoirs are prepared to capture what’s expected to be above-average runoff in 2019. The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers on Thursday said forecast runoff for the year is 28.4 million acre-feet, 112 percent of average. Storage in the six reservoirs currently is at 56.1 MAF, leaving the entire 16.3 MAF…Read More
McCook Gazette: Some water customers on the west side of the city will see better pressure on hot days after a major improvement project is completed on West Fifth and G. The McCook City Council approved Monday night with other consent agenda items an engineering agreement with Miller & Associates, Consulting Engineers, P.C., for the…Read More
Lincoln Journal-Star: Voters will decide in May whether to continue the Lincoln tradition of paying for stormwater construction projects with bond issues, funded through property taxes. The Lincoln City Council approved the $9.9 million stormwater bond election issue on a 6-0 vote Monday, with Councilman Jon Camp absent. Since 1977, Lincoln voters have approved 14 other…Read More
The North Platte Telegraph: The Upper Republican Natural Resources District will have its annual public hearing for the Rock Creek Augmentation Project at its regular meeting Tuesday. The meeting will be at 10 a.m. MT at the NRD office, 511 E. Fifth St., Imperial. The Rock Creek Augmentation Project report is available at urnrd.org/resources. According to…Read More
The Grand Island Independent: The Lower Loup Natural Resources District will continue to pursue funding for a drought study. LLNRD Information and Education Coordinator Larry Schultz told the Kearney Hub a grant was sought from the Nebraska Water Sustainability Fund for $52,260 of the estimated $92,000 total cost.He said the LLNRD request was the highest…Read More
McCook Gazette: While most people associate the NRD’s with managing ground water usage, Jack Russell, manager of the Middle Republican Natural Resource District, told members of McCook Rotary that the district accomplishes that function in a variety of ways. For example, it applies for and receives water sustainability grants. The grants provide funding for installing…Read More
The Daily Nonpareil: An Iowa commission has rejected a proposal from two environmental groups to adopt stricter standards for the state’s nearly 160 recreational lakes, saying the effort would be too expensive. The Iowa Environmental Protection Commission rejected the proposal Tuesday because of the $205 million estimated cost, The Des Moines Register reported. The cost “per capita…Read More
The Columbus Telegram: Under pressure from Congress, the Environmental Protection Agency said Thursday it would move toward setting safety limits for a class of highly toxic chemicals contaminating drinking water around the country. Environmentalists, congressional Democrats and state officials countered that the agency wasn’t moving fast enough. Acting EPA Administrator Andrew Wheeler released an “action…Read More
KRVN 880 Rural Radio: The Environmental Protection Agency has rescheduled public hearings on the updated Waters of the U.S. definition. The hearings were scheduled to take place during the government shutdown, but were postponed. The hearings will be held on February 27th and 28th in Kansas City, Kansas. The EPA, along with the Army Corps…Read More
The North Platte Telegraph: Officials say the reservoirs along the Missouri River are ready to handle the floodwaters that are expected to flow into the system this year. The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers says it has the full flood storage space available in the reservoirs, so it is in good shape headed into the…Read More
Sioux City Journal: Ida Grove city leaders and residents disagree on whether fluoride should continue to be placed in the city water supply, so residents in the Ida County town seat may be surveyed on the subject. Ida Grove Councilman Doug Clough on Friday said the fluoride issue at hand may be placed as a…Read More
Kearney Hub: The North Platte Natural Resources District (NRD) is opening enrollment in the Encouraging Producer Innovation through Conservation (EPIC) allocation buy-back program, which will help the District meet obligations under its Integrated Management Plan. The EPIC Program provides financial incentives for producers to help the District reduce consumptive use and reach its resource management…Read More
Scottsbluff Star-Herald: Once the costs were revised, Terrytown is about ready to start work on the next phase of its project to completely update the city’s water system. The city has already completed its connection with Gering, which is providing water for Terrytown. The next two phases are to upgrade the city’s water mains and…Read More
Norfolk Daily News: Water quality in the Lewis & Clark Natural Resources District is becoming an issue. “In recent years, we have been seeing an increase of nitrates in the ground water in the Bazile Creek watershed and also in central Cedar and Knox counties. We started wondering what’s going on with our surface water,”…Read More
Kearney Hub: Meeting reports included an overview by CNPPID Government and Public Relations Manager Jeff Buettner of some water-related bills in the Nebraska Legislature. One, LB134, would reinstate a 3-cent levy authority for natural resources districts within basins that have designated fully appropriated or overappropriated areas. Those NRDs are required by the Nebraska Department of…Read More
Sioux City Journal: A company facing opposition from environmentalists and landowners as it works to build an $800 million oil refinery near Theodore Roosevelt National Park in western North Dakota has cleared another hurdle by obtaining a state water permit, though the matter could still end up in state court.State Engineer Garland Erbele on Thursday…Read More
Scottsbluff Star-Herald: A bill introduced by State Sen. John Stinner, of Gering, which would reinstate the 3 cent levy authority for fully or over-appropriated natural resources districts, was heard before the Legislature’s Revenue Committee on Wednesday afternoon. Fully and over-appropriated natural resources districts, such as the North Platte NRD, are districts directed by the state’s…Read More
Sioux City Journal: A regional water system providing water to communities in southeast South Dakota and northwest Iowa awarded an $8.2 million contract Thursday for construction of 10 miles of a new pipeline near Sioux Center, Iowa. The low bid, under the $11 million initially budgeted for the project, was submitted by Carstensen Contracting of…Read More
Kearney Hub: A JEO Consulting Group study has determined that Buffalo County’s Ravenna Lake is not feasible as water-holding site for a possible groundwater recharge project. Results of that study were part of General Manager Russell Callan’s report at Thursday’s Lower Loup Natural Resources District Board meeting in Ord. Callan told the Hub that water…Read More
The Grand Island Independent: The City of York will be contracting with Olsson Associates for the formulation of a water system master plan. The project will cost the city $44,725 – the city already budgeted $45,000 for this to take place in this fiscal year. York Public Works Director Mitch Doht explained to the council,…Read More
KRVN 880 Rural Radio: The Nebraska Supreme Court recently confirmed the authority of a natural resources district to impose groundwater management requirements and levy penalties on a landowner. The Supreme Court said the Lower Loup Natural Resources District had authority to impose sanctions on Robert J. Prokop of Wilber, who owns land in Nance County….Read More
Sioux City Journal: As the court case against one former Sioux City wastewater treatment plant worker begins, plant supervisors continue with new oversights and improvements aimed at preventing a repeat of the activities that resulted in numerous violations and potential state action against the city. “I think we’ve got a lot of safeguards in place…Read More
Kearney Hub: Central Nebraska Public Power and Irrigation District will lower Jeffrey Lake near Brady on Monday as part of a maintenance project on the Jeffrey Hydroplant generation units. The lake level will fluctuate up and down the next two weeks, before returning to normal winter operating levels by Feb. 1. During that time, it…Read More
Sioux City Journal: Oil leaking from a tanker truck at a Boyden co-op has caused a blue-colored oily sheen in a creek running past the town. The Iowa Department of Natural Resources traced the source of the leak to the truck at the Farmers Co-op Society in Boyden. The co-op manager estimated than about 1,100…Read More
The Columbus Telegram: The amount of water being released into the lower Missouri River will remain elevated at the start of the year, but should return to normal levels throughout 2019. The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers says the amount of water being released from Gavins Point Dam on the Nebraska-South Dakota border was recently…Read More
Sioux City Journal: The Sioux City Council will decide Monday whether to award contracts to two construction companies to demolish an aging storage tank and construct a new water main on the city’s west side. The project will connect the Western Hills pressure zone with the Indian Hills pressure zone, creating a single zone. It…Read More
KRVN 880 Rural Radio: President Donald Trump on Thursday evening signed H.R. 4689, legislation championed by Congressman Adrian Smith (NE-03) and U.S. Senator Deb Fischer (R-Neb.) to rollback outdated regulations negatively affecting ag producers in the Nebraska panhandle. The bill passed the House of Representatives in September and the Senate in December. “This law will…Read More
Hastings Tribune: Two Northern North Dakota landowners with a history of oil-related spills on their land have donated $250,000 to promote education about cleaning up brine spills. The Bismarck Tribune reports that Daryl and Christine Peterson made the contribution this week to the Northwest Landowners Association Foundation. They says they want to bring more attention…Read More
York News-Times: The City of York and the Upper Big Blue Natural Resource District (NRD) are continuing collaboration, in conjunction with Project GROW, within the city’s wellhead protection area . . . and this next step will include unique, interesting offerings for residents by way of rain gardens, rain barrels, compost projects, water testing and…Read More
Scottsbluff Star-Herald: An administrative law judge in North Dakota is recommending that state officials issue a water permit for an oil refinery being developed near Theodore Roosevelt National Park that’s being opposed by environmentalists and some area landowners. Three landowners last summer challenged a proposed State Water Commission permit allowing the Davis Refinery to draw…Read More
Yankton Daily Press & Dakotan: In order to head off problems, the James River Water Development District (JRWDD) will start real-time monitoring for nitrates in the river near Yankton. The JRWDD board unanimously decided Wednesday to rent the monitor, according to board chairman Dan Klimisch of Yankton. The action was taken during the board’s regular…Read More
Sioux City Journal: A court document says a former supervisor intends to plead guilty to federal charges that he conspired with others to manipulate water sample test results at the Sioux City wastewater treatment plant. Patrick Schwarte’s attorney filed a notice Monday in U.S. District Court. His plea hearing is scheduled for Jan. 23. Prosecutors…Read More
The Columbus Telegram: A federal judge is allowing four Native American tribes in the Dakotas to challenge the recent conclusion of federal officials that a Dakota Access oil pipeline spill wouldn’t unfairly affect them, further prolonging a court case that has lingered for more than two years. The Standing Rock, Cheyenne River, Yankton and Oglala…Read More
Kearney Hub: The Agricultural Improvement Act of 2018, more widely known as the Farm Bill, will increase overall funding for conservation programs in Nebraska. “In Nebraska, almost all wildlife habitat — and therefore almost all habitat improvement work – is located on privately owned lands,” said Jim Douglas, director of the Nebraska Game and Parks…Read More
Des Moines Register: The Minnesota Pollution Control Agency said Tuesday it has taken the unusual step of denying denied a permit for a large hog farm proposed for Fillmore County in southeastern Minnesota because of the threat of adding to groundwater nitrate pollution in the geologically porous region. MPCA Commissioner John Linc Stine said at…Read More
Des Moines Register: Burdensome and excessive federal regulations often delay or prohibit American businesses from investing in infrastructure or land development projects that will create jobs, grow crops and improve how we manage our natural resources. Upon taking office, President Trump initiated a process to review and replace these regulatory barriers, which included the Obama Administration’s…Read More
The Grand Island Independent: The Lower Platte River Basin Consortium unveiled a detailed drought contingency plan last week that is a step toward ensuring that the Lincoln and Omaha areas have enough water to serve their growing population decades from now. This is the first time that state managers have collaborated with utility providers to…Read More
Des Moines Register: Bondurant city leaders have decided not to add a new $5 monthly fee to most water bills next year after hearing concerns from residents. The city was considering charging the new “handling fee” to water customers who receive their bills by mail as a way to cover increasing staffing demands associated with paper billing and…Read More
Omaha World-Herald: Their worries have a long history. For nearly 50 years, rural residents outside Omaha have battled governments intent on damming creeks on the residents’ land for reservoirs that would help reduce urban flood risks. First it was the Army Corps of Engineers, beginning in the late 1960s. Then it was the Papio-Missouri River…Read More
Scottsbluff Star-Herald: Facing a possible million dollar cost overrun on its water project, Terrytown council members heard about a possible solution — eliminating the city’s water tower. The complete overhaul of Terrytown’s water system was divided into four phases. The first has been completed: connecting the city’s water system to Gering to provide them with…Read More
Omaha World-Herald: The average Omaha-area homeowner can expect to pay about 7.9 percent more for the water portion of their Metropolitan Utilities District bill, after board members approved a rate increase Wednesday. The extra funding will accelerate how quickly MUD can replace aging water mains across the city, with an emphasis on those at greatest…Read More
Argus Leader: Smithfield Foods has been fined for wastewater violations at its Sioux Falls plant. The South Dakota Department of Environment and Natural Resources fined Smithfield Foods more than $53,000 for violating its surface water discharge permit in August. The fine includes $26,900 for surface water quality violations and $26,482 for laboratory costs incurred by…Read More
The North Platte Telegraph: Irrigation customers of Central Public Power and Irrigation District will pay the same next year for their water as they did in 2018. The CNPPID board of directors voted Monday to keep the rate for a base allotment of 9 inches per acre at $34.61. Each additional inch will continue to…Read More
Fox Nebraska: USDA announced plans to invest $1.2 billion to help rebuild and improve rural water infrastructure for 936,000 rural Americans across 46 states. The report released Tuesday shows that two Nebraska communities will receive funding for improvements. City of Edgar will receive a $981,000 loan and $2,296,000 in grant funding to improve the water…Read More
Omaha World-Herald: Omaha-area homeowners dealing with the sting of a big sewer rate hike now face a likely increase in water rates. The Metropolitan Utilities District says it needs the money to replace aging water mains. MUD management is proposing a 19 percent increase in water rates. The bill for an average homeowner would increase…Read More
Omaha World-Herald: Back in 2012, when the rain stopped and the earth cracked open, cities across Nebraska cut back water use. In some, including Lincoln, watering your lawn on the wrong day could bring a knock on your door. The strain on the Lower Platte River, which serves about 80 percent of the state’s population,…Read More
The Grand Island Independent: On a cold winter-like Tuesday afternoon, earth-moving equipment and a tractor pulling a disc carved contours for water-holding cells on a 400-acre site along the Platte River southwest of Elm Creek. The cells are part of a unique project to divert and then temporarily hold Platte River water at times when…Read More
KDLT News: The City of Sioux Falls is responding to recent reports of contaminated drinking water. They say the water is safe now after a contaminant was found in 2012. “As a water professional it’s one of those things during your career that you hope you never have to deal with a contaminant like this,”…Read More
Sioux City Journal: Siouxland residents will notice the Missouri River water levels beginning to recede soon. The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers on Sunday began incrementally reducing water releases from Gavins Point Dam from 58,000 cubic feet to a winter rate of 20,000 cfs by Dec. 11. On Monday, releases were at 52,000 cfs. The…Read More
Kearney Hub: At the Central Platte Natural Resources District’s board of directors November meeting, they approved issuing 94 cease and desist orders to producers for failure to submit crop report forms for the CPNRD’s Nitrogen Management Program. Landowners have been notified of the violations. More than 900 producers are in the Phase II/III program, and…Read More
The Grand Island Independent: The Nebraska Buffer Strip Program provides cost-share payments for landowners to install buffer strips in cropped fields adjacent to perennial and seasonal streams, ponds and wetlands. These buffer strips are designed to protect water bodies adjacent to cropland by stabilizing the environment and filtering ag chemicals such as fertilizers and pesticides….Read More
Des Moines Register: Indianola’s plans to built a new waste water treatment facility north of town are on hold after the Warren County Board of Adjustment shot down a special use permit the city needs to build the facility. “The city will be evaluating our options and next steps,” City Manager Ryan Waller said. “From…Read More
The Hastings Tribune: The Lower Platte River Basin Consortium is working to develop a drought contingency plan for the basin. The planning process includes sharing information with the public. A public open house will be 5-7 p.m. Dec. 5 at the Lower Platte South Natural Resources District, 3125 Portia St. The consortium is made up…Read More
The Hemingford Ledger: Until the Hemingford Board of Education got to “Water Usage” on the agenda Monday night’s meeting ran smoothly. However, when Superintendent Charles Isom told the board the city is saying they used over 5.5 million gallons of water between May to September concerns quickly rose. […] All the board members rose concerns…Read More
Des Moines Register: Ankeny residents are searching for answers after June 30 flooding left liquid sewage feet deep in their basements. Several people who attended a recent meeting on flood damages said this summer’s backups were not the first time the city’s sewer system has failed to keep up with heavy rains. […] Ankeny was among the hardest-hit areas…Read More
The Grand Island Independent: A Jan. 8 public hearing has been set by the Tri-Basin Natural Resources District directors to determine if Anderson Township in Phelps County northeast of Funk should be moved from Phase One to Phase Two groundwater quality management. The hearing was approved for a 1:30 p.m. start at the Tri-Basin office…Read More
Plainview Daily Herald: Relatives of a Massachusetts inmate who died from cancer say he was exposed to water contaminated with a hazardous chemical before his death. The Boston Globe reports that Sophia Bishop-Rice lead a rally last weekend in Boston to protest the death of her uncle, Roger Herbert. Herbert was an inmate at MCI-Norfolk…Read More
KRVN 880 Rural Radio: A federal judge ruled Thursday that the Trump administration violated bedrock U.S. environmental laws when approving a federal permit for TransCanada’s proposed Keystone XL tar sands pipeline project. The judge blocked any construction on the pipeline and ordered the government to revise its environmental review. The decision is a significant setback for a…Read More
The North Platte Telegraph: An order to boil tap water has been issued for the northeastern Nebraska city of Hartington. Sioux City, Iowa, television station KCAU reports that the boil order was issued after testing of the city’s water revealed E. coli contamination. Officials say tap water should be boiled for at least a minute…Read More
Sioux City Journal: Runoff into the Missouri River’s upper basin continues at levels well above average. Water releases from Gavins Point Dam remain above average, too, and will continue to be so for much of November. Even winter releases from the dam will be higher than normal. By keeping those releases high, the Missouri River…Read More
Kearney Hub: A water service agreement amendment was approved Monday by the Central Nebraska Public Power and Irrigation District directors to allow additional surface water diversions into Elwood Reservoir this fall. The agreement is with the Platte River Recovery Implementation Program. According to a press release, CNPPID civil engineer Cory Steinke said he expects excess…Read More
McCook Gazette: Larger storm sewers and drainage pipes will help move surplus rainwater away from Westridge Parkway. The McCook City Council Monday night heard from Public Works Director Kyle Potthoff and Street Superintendent Greg Wolford on proposed plans to fix drainage problems in that area. Those plans include constructing several “open throat” storm sewer inlets,…Read More
Sioux City Journal: Runoff into the Missouri River’s reservoirs continues at above average levels. To evacuate that water to make room for next spring’s runoff, releases from Gavins Point Dam near Yankton, South Dakota, will remain at above-average levels through November. The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers said Monday that Gavins Point releases will remain…Read More
Aviation Pros: In 1970, innumerable gallons of toxic, chemical-laden firefighting foam started contaminating the grounds of Sioux Falls Regional Airport. Almost 50 years later, the city is now dealing with the consequences. Today, 19 municipal wells sit dormant. Chemicals linked to cancer and other health maladies have contaminated 15 of those wells, including 10 with…Read More
The Grand Island Independent: The Central Platte Natural Resources District’s board of directors voted to lift the 180-day temporary stay on new wells and new irrigated acres at its October board meeting. The stay was implemented to update the rules and regulations for the fully and over-appropriated areas of the district. During the temporary stay,…Read More
Scottsbluff Star-Herald: Terrytown’s water project has temporarily stalled as bids for major improvements came in far over budget. City Engineer Jeff Wolfe said the city only received one bid for internal improvements to the water system and one bid for installing water meters on all residential and commercial buildings. Paul Reed Construction bid $1,188,494 to…Read More
Kearney Hub: A 180-day temporary stay on new wells and new irrigated acres in the Central Platte Natural Resources District was lifted by a vote at Thursday’s NRD board meeting. The stay had been in place as updates were made to rules and regulations for fully appropriated and over appropriated areas of the district. Also…Read More
KRVN 880 Rural Radio: The Irrigation Association is pleased to support America’s Water Infrastructure Act of 2018, which was signed into law on October 23. This sweeping legislation includes many provisions backed by the IA over the past few years. Included in America’s Water Infrastructure Act of 2018 is the congressional authorization of the WaterSense…Read More
Norfolk Daily News: A light agenda made for a brief regular meeting of the Lower Elkhorn Natural Resources District on Thursday evening. Income and expenses were discussed, and monthly reports were given, including the administrative report by Mike Sousek, NRD manager. Sousek said NRD staff recently met with City of Norfolk personnel for a status…Read More
KRVN 880 Rural Radio: A 2015 rule that expands the federal government’s control over private land nationwide should be vacated in its entirety, attorneys argued in papers filed with the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Texas. AFBF and a broad coalition of business groups, along with the state of Texas and others,…Read More
Omaha World-Herald: A creek that runs through the heart of Lincoln has been removed from the nation’s list of impaired waters. Mayor Chris Beutler credited several agencies Thursday as he announced the delisting of Antelope Creek. The Lincoln Journal Star reported that the creek was added to the Clean Water Act list of impaired waters in…Read More
Hastings Tribune: Three opponents of a proposed poultry farm in southwest Lancaster County have notified the county they plan to appeal a decision to allow it. E. Jane Egan, Janis Hewlett and Ken Tesar filed a “notice of appeal” last week with the Lancaster County Clerk. According to the notice, the three are seeking to…Read More
Norfolk Daily News: Maintaining the levees in place on the North Fork River through Norfolk was the focus of attention Monday night at the Norfolk City Council meeting. Council member Jim Lange said the process is expensive and required by the federal government, but it also results in benefits. If it wasn’t done, property owners…Read More
KRVN 880 Rural Radio: The future of the 2015 waters of the United States, or WOTUS, rule may be decided in a district court in Georgia, as the American Farm Bureau Federation and supporters of the Obama-era rule have asked a court there to decide on its merits. For the past three years, the WOTUS…Read More
Sioux City Journal: Congress has approved a sprawling bill to improve the nation’s ports, dams and harbors, protect against floods, restore shorelines and support other water-related projects. If signed by President Donald Trump, America’s Water Infrastructure Act of 2018 would authorize more than $6 billion in spending over 10 years for projects nationwide, including one…Read More
Kearney Hub: The public can comment on the proposed Republican Basin Integrated Water Management Plan next month at public hearings hosted by the four natural resources districts within the basin. The Tri-Basin hearing will be at 1 p.m. Nov. 14 at the NRD office in Holdrege. Tri-Basin General Manager John Thorburn told the Hub the…Read More
Kearney Hub: The parties to a landmark Niobrara River Basin agreement continue to move forward together, setting a fine example of how Nebraska organizations can resolve a difficult issue when their interests collide. The agreement, signed in 2016, balances the interests of the Nebraska Public Power District, irrigators and the recreation industry along the Niobrara….Read More
Sioux City Journal: Releases from Gavins Point Dam near Yankton, South Dakota, will remain above average levels through October. The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers said Friday that runoff into the Missouri River and its reservoir system remains well above average, creating the need to evacuate the extra water to make room for next spring’s…Read More
The North Platte Telegraph: Things will soon be back to normal for three area lakes, following maintenance and inspection work. Jeffrey and Johnson lakes were lowered for inlet structure inspection. Jeffrey Lake was refilled quickly from the supply canal, said Jeff Buettner, public relations manager for Central Nebraska Public Power and Irrigation District. Johnson Lake…Read More
The Grand Island Independent: A flood control project that has been in the works for more than a decade should be finished this year. The Hall County Regional Planning Commission heard an update Wednesday on the Upper Prairie/Silver/Moores Flood Control Project. Hall County Planning Technician Rashad Moxey gave the review of the project that is…Read More
The Grand Island Independent: The Central Platte Natural Resources District (CPNRD) board of directors has issued an order for changes to its rules for the Groundwater Management Plan. The order was approved during the CPNRD’s September board meeting, with changes to take effect Nov. 1. Changes include new language regarding wells and adding a timeline…Read More
The Grand Island Independent: There have been only two years in the last 30 when Central Nebraska Public Power and Irrigation District delivered less irrigation water than during the recently completed 2018 growing season. In his report Monday to the CNPPID directors, Irrigation Division Manager Dave Ford said average 2018 irrigation water use was 4.68…Read More
The North Platte Telegraph: State environment officials say Willow Creek Reservoir in northeastern Nebraska remains on health alert because of high levels of a toxin produced by blue-green algae. The Nebraska Game and Parks Commission says the state’s Department of Environmental Quality tested the water last week, which showed high toxin levels. Visitors to Willow…Read More
Sioux City Journal: The city of Paullina has extended a water advisory through Sunday, as more testing continues. Paullina officials urged city residents to conserve water in their homes and that water bottles are available at City Hall, at 127 S. Main St. A release on the city website said, “We received notice (Thursday) morning…Read More
Kearney Hub: A pilot project to save and store surface water not needed for irrigation was successful in its first year. That was the message to Central Platte Natural Resources District directors Thursday by CPNRD General Manager Lyndon Vogt and Hydrologist Brandi Flyr. Vogt said water designated for crop acres in Dawson County that now…Read More
Omaha World-Herald: The Missouri River this year has reached its highest levels in Omaha since the historic flooding of 2011. On Wednesday, the river crested near 28.7 feet, just a few inches below its peak in late June, which itself was a hair below flood stage of 29 feet. In 2011, the river rose about…Read More
Des Moines Register: Hazardous material crews are cleaning up after hundreds of gallons of liquid chlorine spilled into a water holding facility at Maffitt Reservoir in south-central Iowa. Television station KCCI reports that the spill Tuesday. Des Moines Fire Department hazmat crews and Northern Warren firefighters were sent around 3 p.m. Tuesday to the L.D….Read More
Omaha World-Herald: The U.S. State Department, in response to a judge’s order, has reported that operation of an alternative route for the Keystone XL pipeline would pose “negligible to minor” threats to groundwater and other natural resources. The 340-page report says safeguards used by pipeline developer TransCanada would most likely prevent a leak from causing…Read More
Bellevue Leader: Bellevue residents will see their sewer rates rise in each of the next five years as the city attempts to keep pace with rate increases imposed by the City of Omaha. Water rates on Jan. 1 will climb from $14.31 for the first 1,496 gallons of water used to $15.45, and from $3.44…Read More
The North Platte Telegraph: The amount of water being released into the lower Missouri River will be temporarily reduced because of recent heavy rains in southeastern South Dakota and northwestern Iowa. The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers says it is reducing the amount of water being released from the Fort Randall and Gavins Point dams…Read More
Omaha World-Herald: Anyone planning a trip this weekend to Willow Creek Reservoir should avoid swimming. The state says toxic algae blooms in the lake pose a health risk. The Nebraska Department of Environmental Quality tested the water at Willow Creek State Recreation Area this week and found elevated toxin levels produced by blue-green algae blooms, according…Read More
Sioux Falls Argus Leader: City officials are asking residents to limit water usage through Saturday night so the sanitary sewer system can catch up. Heavy rains this week — about 6 inches over the last few days — have caused high flows into the sewer system. All that extra water is putting extra stress on…Read More
Des Moines Register: The Missouri River’s fluctuating water levels are keeping crews busy fixing broken sewer lines and filling sinkholes around Council Bluffs. The Army Corps of Engineers believes the river will fluctuate between 23 feet and 28 feet deep over the next week, The Daily Nonpareil reported. The water rises as upstream dams release water in…Read More
Des Moines Register: A federal judge in North Dakota has handed Iowa Gov. Kim Reynolds a victory in temporarily halting enforcement of a Barack Obama administration clean water rule in the state. The Waters of the United States rule is disliked by conservative groups including the U.S. Chamber of Commerce and the American Farm Bureau…Read More
KRVN 880 Rural Radio: The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) today announced that Nebraska will receive nearly $7 million of investment in water and wastewater infrastructure. U.S. Senator Deb Fischer (R-Neb.), a member of the Senate Agriculture Committee and the Senate Committee on Environment and Public Works, released the following statement: “I’m happy to hear…Read More
The Grand Island Independent: Third and final readings will be given to the increases of the city’s water and sewer rates when the council meets in regulars session Thursday night. While this reading is scheduled, the rate increases have already been built into the budget for the 2018-19 fiscal year. The water rates will increase…Read More
Lincoln Journal-Star: The women at the Nebraska Correctional Center for Women in York have been complaining for at least a couple of years about the appearance, taste and what they believe are negative effects of water they drink, shower in and use for laundry at the prison. They say they have had skin rashes, thinning…Read More
The North Platte Telegraph: The Twin Platte Natural Resources District board approved the district’s new budget at their meeting on Thursday night, and they are asking for $505,000 less in property tax revenue than they received last year. In FY 2017-18, they received $2,004,850 and in FY 2018-19, the board will ask for $1,499,850. That…Read More
Des Moines Register: More than a year after the contentious Dakota Access pipeline began carrying crude oil underneath Iowa fields, local landowners who opposed the project finally got the chance to argue their case in front of the Iowa Supreme Court. “We’ve waited a long time for this,” Boone County farmer Dick Lamb said. The…Read More
KRVN 880 Rural Radio: Following a hearing to include Grant Township (5N-13W) in eastern Kearney County in Phase 2 for groundwater quantity management, Tri-Basin Natural Resources District’s (TBNRD) directors voted to table the issue until the December 11 board meeting. Several landowners from eastern Kearney County expressed concerns about the progress of the district’s Joint Integrated…Read More
Sioux Falls Argus Leader: Fixing the aging, often overworked systems that treat municipal wastewater in South Dakota would cost nearly $160 million, a cost borne mostly by state residents whose drinking water could be at stake. Officials with the state Department of Environment and Natural Resources said in an email to News Watch that “the…Read More
Hastings Tribune: As members of the Hastings Utility Board recommended approval of the Hastings Utilities budget as well as water and sewer rate increases on Wednesday, they also discussed a desired increase in renewable energy options offered by HU. “We’re moving forward with our analytics; we’re moving forward with immediate discussions with Bluestem (Energy Solutions)…Read More
Norfolk Daily News: The Willow Creek reservoir in Pierce County again is under a state health alert. advertisement State officials said the lake near Pierce is the subject of a health alert for harmful algal blooms, also known as toxic blue-green algae. The lake had been on alert earlier this summer only for it to…Read More
Hastings Tribune: The Lower Platte South Natural Resources District has implemented a new program to help landowners establish cover crops that help control erosion and make the soil more productive. Applications need to be submitted by Oct. 1 for the Cover Crop Program. Landowners can receive up to $2,000 annually on qualifying land in targeted…Read More
KRVN 880 Rural Radio: The North American Free Trade Agreement talks between the U.S. and Canada continue as farm leaders remain hopeful an agreement will be made soon. A small group of state Farm Bureau President’s met with the administration this week and walked away with a positive view that an agreement could quickly be…Read More
Kearney Hub: The Central Nebraska Public Power and Irrigation District’s board of directors voted Tuesday to renew a water leasing agreement with the Platte River Recovery Implementation Program (PRRIP) for five more years. Under the agreement, Central will offer to lease surface water from its customers during the 2019 irrigation season provided the customer agrees…Read More
The North Platte Telegraph: Endangered species along the central Platte River need water to survive, and Central Nebraska Public Power and Irrigation District is working to ensure that they have it. For the last five years CNPPID has leased water from farmers in cooperation with the Platte River Recovery Implementation Program. At its meeting Tuesday…Read More
The North Platte Telegraph: Lake Maloney is near 80 percent capacity which, with irrigation season winding down, is considered good for this time of year, according to civil engineer Cory Steinke, with Central Nebraska Power and Irrigation District. He said more water is due to arrive this week from upstream reservoirs and the addition is…Read More
Kearney Hub: Bids were approved Tuesday for pipelines that will link four U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service waterfowl production areas to Central Nebraska Public Power and Irrigation District canals. The goal is to deliver high Platte River flows, when available, via the canals and pipelines to WPA wetlands to benefit waterfowl habitat and groundwater recharge….Read More
Lincoln Journal-Star: More than 100 years ago, city leaders decided there was not enough groundwater in the Lincoln area to support a growing city. So they began planning for the future by looking east to the Platte River and establishing a well field and treatment plant in Ashland that provides Lincoln water today. Now city…Read More
The North Platte Telegraph: Federal regulators have reached settlements with two northeast Nebraska livestock feeders accused of violating the Clean Water Act. The Environmental Protection Agency says in a Thursday news release that both facilities have agreed to pay civil penalties. Bar MK, LLC, has agreed to pay a penalty of $29,000. Cindy Stratman, doing…Read More
Hastings Tribune: Rockford Lake near Beatrice in southeastern Nebraska remains on health alert because of toxic algae blooms. The lake has been on a health alert since mid-June, when testing by the Nebraska Department of Environmental Quality first showed the lake had high levels of toxins. The Nebraska Game and Parks Commission says testing earlier…Read More
Rapid City Journal: From a riverbank or roadside, South Dakota’s waterways appear placid and picturesque. The tree-lined Big Sioux River meanders smoothly and silently along the state’s eastern border. The mighty Missouri rolls below cliffs and ridges on a curvy path through the center of the state. Rapid Creek glistens with crystal clear water as…Read More
KRVN 880 Rural Radio: A federal court has been asked to stay a nationwide injunction that effectively makes the 2015 waters of the United States, or WOTUS, rule the law of the land in 26 states. This is according to a motion filed by agriculture groups on Monday in the U.S. District Court for the…Read More
Sioux City Journal: The Iowa Department of Natural Resources is investigating a fish kill that started on the north fork of the Floyd River about seven miles northeast of Sheldon. A news release from the Iowa DNR said a resident reported the fish kill late Saturday. On Sunday, staff found dead fish starting close to…Read More
Hastings Tribune: The Little Blue Natural Resources District board of directors has finalized the boundaries of an area in northwestern Adams County now under an open-ended stay on drilling of new irrigation wells and net expansion of irrigated acres. Meeting in Davenport for their regular monthly meeting Tuesday, district directors voted 12-4 to approve a…Read More
Kearney Hub: The Nebraska Department of Natural Resources received 97 comments on a water appropriation application for the proposed Platte-Republican Diversion project by Thursday’s deadline. Mike Thompson, head of DNR’s Permits and Registration Division, said his staff spent most of Friday sorting comments. Ninety were done under an option open to anyone. Thompson said they…Read More
Kearney Hub: A biological opinion from the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service is nearly done as an important step toward seeking congressional approval to extend the Platte River Recovery Implementation Program for another 13 years. The program involves the U.S. Department of Interior and the states of Nebraska, Colorado and Wyoming in a basinwide effort…Read More
Lincoln Journal-Star: Low oxygen levels have caused a major die-off of fish at Olive Creek Lake, according to the Nebraska Game and Parks Commission. The remaining fish population is suspected to be small. The die-off was reported by the public and investigated by Game and Parks on Thursday. Game and Parks staff found extensive numbers…Read More
KRVN 880 Rural Radio: The 2015 waters of the United States, or WOTUS, now is in effect in 26 states after a federal judge in South Carolina issued a nationwide injunction on a recent EPA rule that delayed the implementation of the Obama-era regulation. The legal wrangling that has occurred since Obama’s EPA finalized the…Read More
Kearney Hub: Tri-Basin is the first of the four Republican Basin natural resources districts to approve the recently completed Republican River Basinwide Plan. The vote at Tuesday’s board meeting in Elwood followed Tri-Basin’s annual projects tour that mostly focused on Gosper County. Prior to the vote, the directors heard a basin plan presentation by Carol…Read More
The North Platte Telegraph: A new study aims to test the possibility of a utility corporation selling some of Omaha’s excess water to Lincoln. The plan could save money for residents and businesses in both cities, according to Metropolitan Utilities District officials. The utility’s board approved this month to pay for half of the more…Read More
The North Platte Telegraph: Nebraska health officials say Rockford Lake southeast of Beatrice remains on a health alert because of toxic blue-green algae blooms. Testing by the Nebraska Department of Environmental Quality this week showed the lake continues to show high levels of toxins. Skin exposed to the toxin can develop rashes and blisters, and…Read More
The North Platte Telegraph: An Omaha park’s $7.7 million renovation project is designed to improve water quality in local rivers and streams and provide recreational activities for residents. “The thing people notice right away is the size of the lagoon,” Omaha Parks Director Brook Bench told the Omaha World-Herald . “It’s about three times larger…Read More
Kearney Hub: The Nebraska Supreme Court has ruled in favor of the Lower Republican Natural Resources District in a case related to penalties imposed for 2016 violations of the district’s groundwater rules and regulations that led to a permanent water use ban. LRNRD General Manager Todd Siel told the Hub that on July 20, the…Read More
Sioux City Journal: Releases from Gavins Point Dam will remain at higher-than-average levels through the remainder of the summer and into the fall, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers said Tuesday. Above-average runoff this spring and summer has filled the corps’ six Missouri River reservoirs, and higher releases are needed to move the water out…Read More
Lincoln Journal Star: The city has settled two lawsuits related to the Oct. 1, 2014, and May 7, 2015, heavy rains that left several hundred people with sewer water in their basements. The city has agreed to pay Susan J. Dermer $7,500 related to her lawsuits in a settlement where the city did not admit…Read More
KRVN 880 Rural Radio: Today the Governors and Attorneys General of Kansas and Colorado announced that they have reached a settlement of claims regarding Colorado’s past use of water under the Republican River Compact. The Compact allocates the waters of the basins between the states of Colorado, Nebraska and Kansas. “This settlement is an investment…Read More
The Columbus Telegram: Platte County farmers currently have the chance to expand their land. Tylr Naprstek, assistant manager for Lower Loup Natural Resources District, said the company does not simply give out acres every year, but this year was an exception due to recent developments. The LLNRD Board of Directors in late July came to…Read More
Sioux Falls Argus Leader: It’s not as sexy as a shiny new event center. Or an indoor swimming pool. But when Sioux Falls residents flush their toilets, take showers or wash dishes, they expect the intricate systems of pipes, lifts and pump stations found throughout every neighborhood in town — and a massive treatment facility on…Read More
Hastings Tribune: Nebraska health officials are warning people to stay out of Big Indian Lake in Gage County and Willow Creek Reservoir in Pierce County because of toxic blue-green algae blooms. Officials said in a news release that the alerts were issued following water tests. Alerts continue at Rockford Lake in Gage County and Maple…Read More
Sioux Falls Argus Leader: The state of South Dakota has failed to update the water quality permits for one-third of facilities that pump waste into the state’s waterways, in some cases being more than a decade behind schedule. It means that more than 120 cities and companies have been discharging waste water, some since 2005, into rivers…Read More
Lincoln Journal Star: The Cornhusker State Games triathlon events will be held as planned after Holmes Lake was cleared of a health alert on Thursday, said Dave Mlnarik, executive director of the Nebraska Sports Council. The alert had been in place since July 13 after toxic blue-green algae was found in the water. But after…Read More
KRVN 880 Rural Radio: The Trump administration is asking a North Dakota federal judge to hold off on deciding the legality of the Obama-era “waters of the U.S.” rule. Government lawyers filed a brief in the North Dakota district court asking the judge to wait until the Environmental Protection Agency and the Army Corps of…Read More
Scottsbluff Star-Herald: Nebraska health officials are warning people to stay out of Rockford Lake southeast of Beatrice because of toxic blue-green algae blooms. Officials said in a news release Friday that the alert was issued following tests of the lake’s water. Skin exposed to the toxin can develop rashes and blisters, and drinking tainted water…Read More
Des Moines Register: Greenfield is the first city in Iowa to warn residents against drinking its water, fearing contamination from toxic blue-green algae. But it won’t be the last, environmentalists say. Dozens of Iowa cities and towns rely on lakes, rivers and reservoirs at risk for cyanobacteria — or blue-green algae — to source their drinking water. Tests on Greenfield’s water came…Read More
The North Platte Telegraph: Tuesday night’s North Platte City Council meeting ended after 10 minutes as members quickly disposed of an agenda dominated by utility projects on the south side of the city. A single 7-0 “consent agenda” vote awarded a $476,434 bid to extend water and sewer lines to serve a proposed hotel near…Read More
Norfolk Daily News: The Lower Elkhorn Natural Resources District has three primary reasons for contemplating an expansion of its groundwater management areas in Pierce and Madison counties. They are: Concern for groundwater quality Growing health concerns for the public A desire to further implement best management practices to prevent groundwater contamination. The district’s current Phase…Read More
Des Moines Register: Potential detection of toxic algae caused a tap water drinking ban in Greenfield, Iowa, pending water testing. Greenfield Municipal Utilities announced the ban via their Facebook page after microcystin — a toxin produced by blue-green algae — was potentially detected in their drinking water. A sample collected Tuesday has been sent to a lab. Lake…Read More
KRVN 880 Rural Radio: Assistant to the Secretary for Rural Development Anne Hazlett today announced that the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) is investing $267 million in 103 infrastructure projects (PDF, 298 KB) to upgrade water and wastewater systems in rural communities. “Robust, modern infrastructure is foundational for quality of life and economic opportunity – no matter…Read More
The North Platte Telegraph: Lincoln officials are proposing to replace lead water service lines that lead into residents’ homes for free to avoid any future problems with lead in the city’s drinking water. The $21 million plan is included in the mayor’s proposed budget, the Lincoln Journal Star reported . City Council will vote on…Read More
The North Platte Telegraph: Gov. Pete Rickets has declared July as “Celebrate Nebraska Water Month.” The proclamation recognizes a joint effort by various Nebraska organizations to encourage residents to study, appreciate and enjoy Nebraska’s water resources. “Celebrate Nebraska Water” was launched by Humanities Nebraska with the opening of “Water/Ways,” a new traveling exhibition from the…Read More
Lincoln Journal Star: The discovery of toxic blue-green algae has prompted state officials to issue a health alert for Holmes Lake in southeast Lincoln. City officials are also urging dog owners to keep their pets out of Antelope Creek in the adjacent Rickman’s Run dog park as a result. The Nebraska Department of Health and…Read More
Lincoln Journal Star: Public Works and Utilities staff defended rising fees in water and wastewater services as a necessary part of a growing city, as the City Council looked at proposals to limit growth in all city fees to 3 percent. Donna Garden, assistant director of Public Works and Utilities, said the proposed 5 percent…Read More
Omaha World-Herald: BNSF Railway says less oil spilled from derailed tanker cars in northwest Iowa last month than originally believed. BNSF spokesman Andy Williams says officials now believe 160,000 gallons of tar sand oil spilled from 10 of 32 tanker cars that derailed on June 22 into floodwaters of the Little Rock River near Doon….Read More
Omaha World-Herald: A proposed rare earth minerals mine in southeast Nebraska won’t need to pump salty water into the Missouri River after all, the mine’s developer said Wednesday. Original plans for the niobium mine planned near Elk Creek, Nebraska, called for building a pipeline, carrying up to 12,000 gallons of salty water per minute, to…Read More
AgriNews: Nitrogen pollution flowing out of Iowa to the Gulf of Mexico has grown by close to 50 percent over nearly two decades, a new report shows, despite hundreds of millions of dollars spent to stem nutrients entering the state’s waterways. A University of Iowa study shows the state’s contribution to the Gulf dead zone…Read More
Sioux City Journal: BNSF Railway on Tuesday revised downward the amount of crude oil that spilled into floodwaters and toward a nearby river when a freight train derailed near here last month. Of the 32 tanker cars that left the tracks on June 22, followup inspections found 10 leaked about 160,000 gallons of heavy crude,…Read More
Sioux City Journal: Conditions at South Sioux City’s Scenic Park have returned to normal after a brief bout with flooding in late June. But city officials will keep an eye on Missouri River levels, especially now that more water will be released from the river’s reservoirs. The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers on Friday said…Read More
KRVN 880 Rural Radio: U.S. Senator Deb Fischer, a member of the Senate Agriculture Committee, issued the following statement today after the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) announced that the village of Endicott in Jefferson County will receive a $30,000 grant from the Water and Waste Disposal Loan and Grant program: “I’m pleased the USDA…Read More
Scottsbluff Star-Herald: With the hottest months of the summer still to come, Terrytown residents are urged to conserve water whenever possible. City Engineer Jeff Wolfe reported to council members the city’s water bill increased “drastically” over the past month. Although citizens are on a flat rate for usage, the city pays neighboring Gering by the…Read More
Marshalltown Times-Republican: Nitrogen pollution flowing out of Iowa to the Gulf of Mexico has grown by close to 50 percent over nearly two decades, a new report shows, despite hundreds of millions of dollars spent to stem nutrients entering the state’s waterways. A University of Iowa study shows the state’s contribution to the Gulf dead…Read More
Omaha World-Herald: Nebraska isn’t proposing to regulate PFAS, said Brian McManus, spokesman for the state’s Department of Environmental Quality. “We haven’t taken a regulatory lead in this area to date, as preliminary results indicate that Nebraska does not appear to have PFAS issues to the extent that some other areas in the nation are experiencing,”…Read More
The North Platte Telegraph: The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers says it will more than double the amount of water released into the Missouri River from the river’s lower-most dam over the coming weeks. Releases from Gavins Point Dam, between Nebraska and South Dakota, were reduced to 24,000 cubic feet per second in mid-June due…Read More
Norfolk Daily News: Any decisions regarding the Lower Elkhorn Natural Resources District helping to fund Norfolk’s Riverfront Trail project won’t be made until at least July. There was considerable discussion on the subject at the regular monthly meeting on Thursday, however, regarding the possibility of the NRD putting up $1 million toward the project. Mike…Read More
Scottsbluff Star-Herald: Static groundwater levels in the Central Platte Natural Resources District (CPNRD) are down 0.31 feet compared to groundwater levels in 1982, according to the Central Platte NRD’s spring 2018 groundwater report. The report was given Thursday by Luke Zakrewski, CPNRD’s GIS image analyst. He gave the results to the Central Platte Natural Resources…Read More
Norfolk Daily News: Concerns about high nitrates in the region have risen as recent monitoring has shown increasing levels of nitrate concentration in much of the groundwater in Pierce County, when compared with long-term monitoring data from the same area. Comprehensive sampling of Pierce and Madison County irrigation wells was conducted in both 2015 and…Read More
Omaha World-Herald: A proposal to raise sewer rates nearly 30 percent over the next five years drew no opposition during a public hearing Tuesday. Mayor Jean Stothert announced earlier this month that she would seek to increase sewer rates 5.25 percent each year for the next several years. Under the plan, a typical homeowner would…Read More
KRVN 880 Rural Radio: Monday, the U.S. Senate passed the Energy and Water, Military-Construction and Veterans Affairs, and Legislative Branch Appropriations Act. This bill would allow the Army Corps of Engineers and Bureau of Reclamation to continue maintaining and operating water projects in the state of Nebraska. Other funding for programs in the bill would address…Read More
The North Platte Telegraph: Residents in major cities downstream from a northwest Iowa tanker car derailment said Monday they’re confident that municipal drinking water is safe even as crews try to contain an estimated 230,000 gallons of oil. Officials in Omaha, Nebraska, and Council Bluffs, Iowa, said they’re monitoring the situation and are prepared to…Read More
Des Moines Register: Nitrogen pollution flowing out of Iowa to the Gulf of Mexico has grown by close to 50 percent over nearly two decades, a new report shows, despite hundreds of millions of dollars spent to stem nutrients entering the state’s waterways. A University of Iowa study shows the state’s contribution to the Gulf dead zone spiked 47…Read More
Omaha World-Herald: The Environmental Protection Agency has issued a $69.7 million low-interest loan to the City of Omaha to help finance a major part of its massive sewer overhaul. The Saddle Creek Retention Treatment Basin will eliminate about 90 percent of the water pollution occurring in the area of Omaha that it will serve. The…Read More
Hastings Tribune: A family of industrial chemicals turning up in public water supplies around the country is even more toxic than previously thought, threatening human health at concentrations seven to 10 times lower than once realized, according to a government report released Wednesday. The chemicals are called perfluoroalkyl and polyfluoroalkyl. They were used in such…Read More
KRVN 880 Rural Radio: The Upper Big Blue Natural Resources District (NRD) is embarking on the first-ever combined water quality management and voluntary integrated management planning processes in partnership with both the Nebraska Department of Environmental Quality (NDEQ) and the Nebraska Department of Natural Resources (NeDNR). Water quality management plans address restoration and protection of…Read More
Argus Leader: Up to nine miles of pipe that will be used to transport drinking water to residents in Worthington and Adrian, Minn. could be defective, prompting a lawsuit in federal court. The Lewis & Clark Regional Water System, which supplements the city of Sioux Falls’ water supply, argues the pipe doesn’t have the proper…Read More
Hastings Tribune: Directors of the Little Blue Natural Resources District plan to take more time to review input from a May 29 public hearing and discuss possible changes to a set of proposed revisions to the district’s groundwater rules and regulations before taking action on them. Meeting in Davenport Thursday, the board’s Water Resources Committee…Read More
Des Moines Register: More than two weeks after several Iowa counties were placed under a water-boil advisory, all affected cities have access to clean water. The Southern Iowa Rural Water Association posted on its website Saturday that the advisory had been lifted for all of their customers. The drinking water warning was placed June 1 after…Read More
Norfolk Daily News: A major Nebraska watershed made history Friday for the cleanup and reduction of Atrazine, which has greatly reduced negative impacts on aquatic life and overall health of the area. Shell Creek’s water, fish, frogs and other aquatic life are the healthiest they’ve been in decades. Officials said it appears to be the…Read More
Des Moines Register: The five-year anniversary of the state nutrient pollution reduction “strategy” was marked with little fanfare aside from a farm tour by Gov. Kim Reynolds. Meanwhile, sponsors and promoters of the plan struggle to show how the disconnected “demonstration projects” it has spawned are the salvation of clean water in Iowa. University of…Read More
KRVN 880 Rural Radio: Residents in a northeast Nebraska community hope a creek channeling project will bring new development. Middle Logan Creek cuts through Randolph, placing much of the city in a federally designated flood plain. The designation requires many residents to have costly flood insurance. Other regulations affect the city’s construction of new buildings…Read More
KRVN 880 Rural Radio: While EPA continues to draft a new waters of the United States rule, the wheels of justice keep turning, as a coalition of agriculture groups took federal court action in North Dakota on Friday to try to stop the 2015 WOTUS rule from ever becoming law. Though EPA took action in…Read More
KRVN 880 Rural Radio: The Senate Agriculture Committee released its draft of the Agriculture and Nutrition Act of 2018, commonly known as the farm bill. Center for Rural Affairs Policy Associate Anna Johnson said the released draft provides needed support for farmers, ranchers, and rural communities; however, the decision to remove funding for conservation and…Read More
Des Moines Register: Four cities have been removed from a drinking water advisory that has affected nine southwest Iowa counties for the last 11 days. The Southern Iowa Rural Water Association posted on its website that the advisory was lifted as of 6:30 p.m. Sunday for those customers in the city of Creston who pay their…Read More
The Scottsbluff Star-Herald: The Pathfinder Irrigation District is encouraging its water users to manage their water use wisely and to work with the District to conserve as much water as possible during this irrigation season. In the latest water supply information from the Bureau of Reclamation, the projected April through July runoff from the snowpack…Read More
The North Platte Telegraph: State health and environment officials have issued a health alert for toxic blue-green algae at Kirkman’s Cove near Humboldt in the southeastern corner of Nebraska. Officials say in a news release Friday that the alerts were issued following tests of the lake water. Skin exposed to the toxin from certain strains…Read More
KRVN 880 Rural Radio: The American Farm Bureau Federation, together with a broad coalition of other farm and business groups, filed a brief in support of 13 states challenging the EPA’s 2015 “Waters of the United States” rule before a federal district court in North Dakota. The brief explains how EPA repeatedly broke the law…Read More
KRVN 880 Rural Radio: A public informational meeting will be held on Thursday, June 21, to discuss the applications submitted by the cities of Hays and Russell to change the use made of water, points of diversions, and places of use for the R9 Ranch water rights. The meeting will be conducted at 1:00 p.m. at the Twilight…Read More
Des Moines Register: More than 150 people lined up Monday afternoon in Creston’s Hy-Vee parking lot to grab a couple of free cases of bottled water. The Union County seat has been without drinkable water since Friday morning after a membrane filtration system failed at the Twelve Mile Water Plant. The processing plant at Creston Water…Read More
Omaha World-Herald: Omaha-area homeowners and businesses face a nearly 30 percent hike in sewer rates over the next five years as they continue to pay more for upgrades in the city’s sewer system. By 2023, the monthly sewer bill for a typical homeowner is expected to be about $60, or $720 a year. That’s about…Read More
Sioux City Journal: Above-average amounts of runoff continue to enter the Missouri River reservoir system, and releases from Gavins Point Dam and other reservoirs will remain at above-average levels for the coming months, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers said Tuesday. Releases from Gavins Point Dam near Yankton, South Dakota, will be increased from 42,000…Read More
Kearney Hub: An important step toward construction of a large water retention project on Cottonwood Ranch between Elm Creek and Overton was taken Monday by the Central Nebraska Public Power and Irrigation District. The board approved a water service agreement with the Platte River Recovery Implementation Program. The plan is to transport excess Platte River…Read More
Argus Leader: A Hamlin County cheese manufacturer expanding its operations needs a permit from the South Dakota environmental office to dump millions of gallons of waste water per day into the Big Sioux River. But environmental buffs and officials with several water systems in the region say the move could put drinking water supplies downstream…Read More
Des Moines Register: Cities large and small throughout Iowa are dealing with critical wastewater infrastructure challenges. Aging wastewater treatment systems, increased wastewater loadings and more stringent state water quality standards are resulting in communities that must upgrade an existing system or replace it altogether. […] Alternative treatment technologies and project delivery options can assist Iowa…Read More
Omaha World-Herald: Residents of O’Neill, Nebraska, are under a boil-water notice after E. coli bacteria were found in the city’s public water system. Residents have been urged to boil all water for a minute before using it, city officials said in a Facebook post. Use of bottled water also was encouraged. Officials said that until…Read More
Kearney Hub: Projects are moving forward to collect more detailed groundwater aquifer data in northern Buffalo County and study drought management options in the Lower Loup Natural Resources District. Both issues were on the agenda for Thursday’s LLNRD Board meeting in Ord. General Manager Russ Callan told the Hub this morning that the district will…Read More
KRVN 880 Rural Radio: The Central Platte Natural Resources District has implemented a 180-day temporary stay on new wells and new irrigated acres to update the acre transfer tool used for the Groundwater Quantity Management Program. The board of directors approved the temporary stay Thursday at their regularly scheduled meeting to allow staff to implement new depletion…Read More
Norfolk Daily News: A contested groundwater model passed 8-5 during the Lower Elkhorn Natural Resources District’s regular board of directors meeting Thursday night. […] At Thursday’s meeting, there was extensive discussion on the model before the vote with concerns as to the accuracy of the transmissivity maps — which show the rate at which groundwater…Read More
KRVN 800 Rural Radio: During April-May 2018, the NRD measured 542 observation wells throughout the District and then averaged the data of all these wells. Overall, the spring 2018 average measurement for the groundwater level change shows a rise of 0.87 feet from last spring. The findings show that the spring 2018 average groundwater level is 3.89…Read More
KRVN 880 Rural Radio: Assistant to the Secretary for Rural Development Anne Hazlett today announced that the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) is investing $256 million in 81 projects (PDF, 233 KB) to improve water and wastewater infrastructure in rural areas in 35 states. “No matter what zip code you live in, infrastructure is a foundation for quality…Read More
The Sioux City Journal: The Sergeant Bluff City Council is considering raising water rates this summer to help pay for a handful of water infrastructure projects. The council on Tuesday passed the second reading of a proposed rate increase that would raise its monthly water service charge by 10 percent, from $15 to $16.50, and…Read More
The Des Moines Register: Backers of a $117 million plan to bring recreation to downtown Des Moines’ rivers and create a network of 80 water trails across central Iowa released new details about the project this week. The centerpiece is a series of whitewater features that would replace three dangerous low-head dams along the Des Moines…Read More
The Hastings Tribune: Hastings Mayor Corey Stutte, Councilman Paul Hamelink and other city officials in attendance at the Hastings Area Chamber of Commerce’s Coffee and Conversations Saturday morning spent much of the hour-long event dispelling rumors. […] Patterson said he also is concerned about potential costs associated with the city’s $46 million Aquifer Storage and…Read More
The Grand Island Independent: As part of an Eagle Scout project, members of Troop 132 will be applying decals on storm drain inlets Wednesday, according to Dan Lillis, stormwater program manager for the city of Kearney. The Scouts’ project is intended to alert residents that dumping anything in storm drains pollutes lakes, rivers, bays and…Read More
The Columbus Telegram: The Lower Platte North Natural Resources District (NRD) would like to remind producers of the LPNNRD chemigation policies that will be enforced this year, released information says. Chemigation is the practice of applying agrichemicals to cropland using an irrigation system to distribute both water and chemical. Research has shown that spoon feeding…Read More
The Scottsbluff Star-Herald: The Scottsbluff/Gering United Chamber of Commerce Agribusiness Committee will be hosting its annual Water Tour July 17-18. Reservations are now being accepted. The two-day tour provides an understanding on how western Nebraska receives its irrigation water and includes visits to dams and reservoirs in Wyoming and the Bureau of Reclamation in Mills,…Read More
The Sioux City Journal: Dakota City voters approved a proposition to raise the citywide sales tax by a half cent to repair infrastructure, including 23 fire hydrants. According to the Dakota County Clerk’s Office, the proposition received 113 yes votes and 51 no votes. The results are unofficial and don’t include provisional ballots. The measure raises the…Read More
Agri-Pulse: The “Waters of the U.S.” rule promulgated by the Obama Administration would be repealed in one of two spending bills approved by the House Appropriations Committee Wednesday. Despite opposition by Democrats, who attempted to remove all of what they called “poison pill” riders, the WOTUS repeal provision remained in the energy and water spending bill that cleared…Read More
The Scottsbluff Star-Herald: Platte River Basin Environments, Inc. recently announced that it will receive $120,000 from the Nebraska Environmental Trust for the “North Platte River Valley Habitat Restoration and Enhancement Partnership II” project. The Trust Board announced funding for the project at its meeting on April 5 in Lincoln. The project is one of the…Read More
The Grand Island Independent: The city of Kearney’s annual water quality report will be published online this year, according to a press release from the Water Production Division. The Consumer Confidence Report for 2017 water quality can be found on the city web page. […] According to the press release, the quality of the water delivered…Read More
The York News-Times: The NRD’s expertise, seed and equipment combined with a tract of land and irrigation water provided by the City of York is resulting in an innovative project straight east of the York Ballpark Complex. Project GROW was ceremonially opened with a proper ribbon cutting, complete with the obligatory clutch of dignitaries, Thursday…Read More
The Kearney Hub: With Harlan County Dam’s 18 upgraded, freshly painted gates as a backdrop, a ceremony Friday morning on the spillway side of the dam marked the official completion of a multi-year, $31 million repair project. […] Several speakers talked about Harlan County Reservoir’s importance to the region’s economy. It stores water to irrigate…Read More
The Grand Island Independent: Irrigators in the Tri-Basin Natural Resources District counties of Gosper, Phelps and Kearney used an average of 7.88 inches of water per acre on their 2017 crops, according to a report at Tuesday’s Tri-Basin board meeting. General Manager John Thorburn told the Hub, “2017 was really a pretty average year in…Read More
The Des Moines Register: Republicans say the 2018 session of the Iowa Legislature was a successful complement to their corporate-friendly, pro-growth agenda. Democrats say the agenda has been short-sighted and regressive. This year’s session, which adjourned Saturday, included significant changes in the tax system, as well as tax cuts, along with a initiative to fund water quality improvement programs by…Read More
The Sioux City Journal: Releases from Gavins Point Dam and other Missouri River reservoirs will remain at above-average levels for the coming months to evacuate runoff that remains above normal, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers said Tuesday. Releases from Gavins Point near Yankton, South Dakota, were increased to 37,000 cubic feet per second in…Read More
The Hastings Tribune: Gov. Mark Dayton has warned lawmakers he’ll veto a bill to nullify the state’s wild rice water quality standard if it reaches his desk without changes. The governor said in a letter Thursday he recognizes it’s not technically or economically feasible for the mining industry or municipalities to comply with the existing…Read More
The Scottsbluff Star-Herald: Fans of the Niobrara River have long thought that just about everything in and around the prairie stream was “outstandingly remarkable.” Now three judges on a federal appeals court seem to have agreed. The 8th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals last week upheld the National Park Service’s designation of protected land along…Read More
The Scottsbluff Star-Herald: Environmental study of the Dakota Access oil pipeline is likely to continue into the summer as federal officials meet with American Indian tribes who have raised concerns about being left out of the process. The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers plans to meet with all four tribes by the end of the…Read More
The Grand Island Independent: The Minnesota Senate voted 38-28 Monday to nullify a water quality standard that’s meant to protect wild rice, a food central to the culture and diet of the region’s Ojibwe Indians. But senators also voted to add $500,000 for restoration work to the bill, which passed the House 78-45 last week,…Read More
Norfolk Daily News: After debate that stretched over months, the Lower Elkhorn Natural Resources District voted Thursday night — by the narrowest of margins — not to move forward on a proposed groundwater model by JEO Consulting Group. The board’s vote on the groundwater model resulted in a 7-7 tie, which defeated the plan….Read More
Kearney Hub: The Lower Loup Natural Resources District Board of Directors voted Thursday to oppose a Platte-Republican Diversion Project sought by the Tri-Basin and Lower Republican NRDs. LLNRD General Manager Russ Callan of Ord told the Hub his directors are concerned the project will create more Lower Platte Basin deficits that would have to be…Read More
The Hastings Tribune: The Little Blue Natural Resources District board of directors will conduct a public hearing here May 8 to address if the temporary stay on irrigation development now in effect in northwestern Adams County should be extended. The public hearing is set for 8 p.m. in conjunction with the board’s regular May meeting…Read More
The McCook Gazette: Nowadays, water quality issues in the city water are no big deal but 12 years ago, it was a different story. Without discussion, the McCook City Council received and filed the annual Water Quality Report for the McCook Public Water System at the regular council meeting Monday night as a consent agenda…Read More
The Columbus Telegram: Dennis Grinnen left Tuesday’s Platte County Board of Supervisors meeting with a smile on his face after moving one step closer to fully funding a $2.44 million project to recharge groundwater in the southeast area of town. “I really appreciate the support from the county for our project,” said Grinnen after stepping…Read More
The Grand Island Independent: Representatives of the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) will be providing an update about the remediation of the downtown contamination plume during the York City Council’s regular meeting. The EPA has had a presence in York for several years already, after two contamination plumes were designated as high priority by the…Read More
The Kearney Hub: A bill in the Nebraska Legislature this session sought to take money from the Water Sustainability Fund for a purpose unrelated to its original intent and objectives. The bill did not pass, thanks to efforts by several senators who opposed it. However, it was a reminder for those who are responsible for…Read More
The McCook Gazette: At their weekly meeting Monday morning, Red Willow County commissioners approved a conditional use permit for an irrigator to use waste water from a dairy northeast of McCook. Brad Randel of rural Indianola, representing Randel Family Ltd. and Randel Family Trust, sought the county’s permission to pump waste water from Kingdom Dairy…Read More
The Norfolk Daily News: It’s not uncommon, or unwise, for an elected official to maintain that he will make decisions and cast votes based on the best interests of his constituents. But not all elected positions are alike. That’s a particularly relevant point when it comes to those men and women who are elected to…Read More
The Norfolk Daily News: Years of collaboration between the Lower Elkhorn Natural Resources District and the Nebraska Department of Natural Resources is about to pay off. The two entities have been working together for several years on a voluntary integrated management plan, or IMP, for the Lower Elkhorn NRD that is slated to be ready…Read More
The North Platte Telegraph: North Platte is one of a few cities that do not need to chlorinate their water to kill bacteria, according to Chris Holley, city water protection specialist. He said that is an important reason the water tastes as good as it does. At a state American Water Works Association Conference in…Read More
The Des Moines Register: The drinking water in Mitchellville may turn red and it sometimes smells like sulfur, but the Iowa Department of Natural Resources said residents can still drink it. “Just because the water might have an unusual odor to it or it’s cloudy, it isn’t always an indicator that it’s got something bad,” DNR supervisor Ted Petersen…Read More
The Hastings Tribune: The board of directors of the Little Blue Natural Resources District appears on track to conduct a public hearing later this spring on a long-discussed package of proposed changes to the district’s groundwater rules and regulations. “The Water Resources Committee is nearly finished with their deliberations on rule changes in pursuit of…Read More
The Grand Island Independent: Nebraska Extension recently released its “Center Pivot Irrigation Handbook” publication. This resource is a comprehensive guide designed to help producers, consultants and the industry get the most from their center pivot irrigation systems. The handbook was written by University of Nebraska Extension specialists and educators and includes color photos, graphs, charts…Read More
The Grand Island Independent: The developer of the Dakota Access oil pipeline that goes under a reservoir in the Dakotas has submitted a court-ordered spill response plan, but an American Indian tribe that draws water from Lake Oahe is unsatisfied with the company’s efforts and is taking steps of its own to protect its water…Read More
KRVN 880 Rural Radio: At an event that drew more than 20,000 participants from 170 countries around the world, a small team of experts from Nebraska led the way in sessions related to water use in food production or processing. The 8th World Water Forum, held in Brasilia, Brazil, March 18-23, focused on the challenges and…Read More
KRVN 880 Rural Radio: The Ogallala Aquifer Summit will bring together water-use decision makers in Garden City, Kansas, April 9-10 from all eight states in the Ogallala region: Colorado, Kansas, Nebraska, New Mexico, Oklahoma, South Dakota, Texas, and Wyoming. Summit participants will be discussing current management and policy best practices as well as exploring interstate…Read More
The York News-Times: The York City Council will likely be approving the issuance of water revenue bonds, not to exceed $4.3 million, for the new water main project in downtown York. This authorization will come before the members on Thursday during their regular meeting. The indebtedness would be to the Nebraska Department of Environmental Quality….Read More
The Kearney Hub: The Central Platte Natural Resources District Board approved a $915,000 agreement Thursday to purchase a property six miles southeast of Cozad along Highway 21 that will earn the district Platte River credits. CPNRD General Manager Lyndon Vogt said the 157.4 acres of irrigated farmland purchased from the Martha Schroeder Trust is a…Read More
Omaha World-Herald: Nebraska’s history is entwined closely with water. An adequate water supply has allowed agriculture to flourish in the state. But even with the size of the Ogallala Aquifer and other water sources, Nebraskans have an abiding need to manage our water wisely for long-term sustainability. The latest statewide water-table findings show that some…Read More
KRVN 880 Rural Radio: The Central Nebraska Public Power and Irrigation District’s board of directors unanimously approved a resolution at Monday’s board meeting in support of extending the first increment of the Platte River Recovery Implementation Program (PRRIP) for an additional 13 years. The PRRIP was formed in 2006, after many years of negotiations, to…Read More
The Grand Island Independent: Lower Republican Natural Resources District and Nebraska Bostwick Irrigation District officials have signed an agreement through which the NRD will contribute $1 million toward the cost of installing automated gates on Bostwick’s Franklin Canal. The project to be built by Rubicon Water Systems of Fort Collins, Colo., significantly will improve efficient…Read More
Scottsbluff Star-Herald: Groundwater regulators in Nebraska could have a tougher time financing water conservation projects after a bill they endorsed died in the Legislature, but some lawmakers say the measure wasn’t necessary and would have led to higher property taxes. The issue has divided rural senators, pitting those who saw the tax as a way…Read More
Kearney Hub: Transferring water from one river to another is a notion that’s often been contemplated in Nebraska, but never achieved. That notion might be very close to reality, however. Two natural resources districts — Holdrege- based Tri-Basin and the Alma-based Lower Republican — have partnered on a project that would take unallocated water from…Read More
Kearney Hub: Irrigators in the Central Platte Natural Resources District are reminded to contact NRD staff if they have plans for any irrigation seasons changes, including any development work that concerns newly irrigated acres. Land not certified as irrigated cannot be irrigated unless new areas are offset and a transfer request has been completed with…Read More
The Hastings Tribune: The first transfer of water from one river in Nebraska to another could be just over the horizon under a proposal that finally floated its way to Lincoln. Or this historic trans-basin diversion from the Platte River to the Republican River could join the list of similar schemes dating to the 1930s…Read More
The Columbus Telegram: Irrigators in the Central Platte Natural Resources District (CPNRD) are reminded to contact NRD staff if you are planning any changes this irrigation season. Irrigators are required to inform the CPNRD of any development work that concerns newly irrigated acres. Any land that is not certified as irrigated with the NRD cannot…Read More
The Grand Island Independent: Groundwater regulators in Nebraska could have a tougher time financing water conservation projects after a bill they endorsed died in the Legislature, but some lawmakers say the measure wasn’t necessary and would have led to higher property taxes. The issue has divided rural senators, pitting those who saw the tax as…Read More
Scottsbluff Star-Herald: North Platte Natural Resources District General Manager John Berge left the United States Friday to take part in the 8th World Water Forum, for Brasilia, Brazil. The World Water Forum is sponsored by the World Water Congress, and is the largest water conference in the world. Berge said they will be expecting 45,000…Read More
Kearney Hub: Construction could begin by mid summer on the first of two water retention projects on the south side of the Platte River between Elm Creek and Overton. That timeline was part of a project update at Tuesday’s Platte River Recovery Implementation Program Governance Committee meeting in Kearney. The goal is to hold excess…Read More
The Sioux City Journal Quotes: “Local landowners along the Missouri River who had joined in a lawsuit against the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers will not collect damages sustained in the historic 2011 flood. A federal judge on Tuesday ruled that 2011 flooding occurred because runoff exceeded the amount of storage in the river’s six…Read More
KRVN 880 Rural Radio Quotes: “A federal judge on Tuesday sided with farmers in ruling that management decisions made by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers were responsible for recurring floods that destroyed farm ground along the Missouri River. In her ruling, Judge Nancy B. Firestone said that in five of the six years in…Read More
KRVN 880 Rural Radio Quotes: “The U.S. Department of Agriculture has declared an agriculture disaster because of recent drought in 25 Louisiana parishes , three Mississippi counties , 61 counties in Arkansas and 60 in Texas . Farmers and ranchers in adjacent counties in those and other states can qualify for low-interest loans if they…Read More
The Grand Island Independent Quotes: “The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers should act immediately to make flood control the top priority on the Missouri River, an attorney for hundreds of farmers, landowners and business operators said Wednesday after a federal judge ruled the agency was responsible for recurring flooding. Judge Nancy B. Firestone’s ruling Tuesday…Read More
The Grand Island Independent Quotes: “An agreement that calls for the Lower Republican Natural Resources District to contribute $1 million to a project improving water use efficiency in the Nebraska Bostwick Irrigation District was approved Thursday by the LRNRD board. LRNRD Assistant General Manager Scott Dicke told the Hub the agreement still must be reviewed…Read More
The Omaha World Herald Quotes: “The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency called for stepped-up efforts Wednesday to reduce nutrient pollution that contributes to algae blooms in Lake Erie but recommended no new federal regulations to accomplish the task. A plan released by EPA’s Chicago-based Region 5 office sets targets for reducing phosphorus that feeds giant algae…Read More
The Scottsbluff Star Herald Quotes: “The North Platte Natural Resources District broke ground Friday on a solar-powered, geothermal-heated greenhouse, which will grow crops to assist local food banks and promote NRD’s research and education missions. The greenhouse will be part of a multi-phase project to promote education, donation and explore the business potential for indoor-grown…Read More
The Omaha World Herald Quotes: “The first transfer of water from one river in Nebraska to another could be just over the horizon under a proposal that finally floated its way to Lincoln. Or this historic trans-basin diversion from the Platte River to the Republican River could join the list of similar schemes dating to…Read More
The Star Herald Quotes: “Specialty crops add diversity and value to Nebraska’s agricultural industry, which is why the Nebraska Department of Agriculture (NDA) encourages growers and outdoor pesticide applicators to work together to protect sensitive commercial specialty crops and pollinators from pesticide use. Pesticides include all categories of pest control products such as herbicides, insecticides and…Read More
the Grand Island Independent Quotes: “Water is the lifeblood of the Nebraska economy and the state’s agriculture. The Institute of Agriculture and Natural Resources (IANR) at the University of Nebraska plays a vital role in water research, which helps to better manage and conserve that resource for future generations. Ron Yoder, IANR senior associate vice…Read More
The Grand Island Independent Quotes: “A federal judge who halted construction of a crude oil pipeline through a Louisiana swamp concluded that the project’s irreversible environmental damage outweighs the economic harm that a delay brings to the company building it. U.S. District Judge Shelly Dick issued a 61-page ruling Tuesday to explain her decision last…Read More
KRVN 880 Rural Radio Quotes: “Directors and staff at Tri-Basin Natural Resources District (NRD) are responsible for protecting the district’s groundwater supply, ensuring its sustainability for future generations. In order to effectively do that, Tri-Basin NRD and the Nebraska Department of Natural Resources (NDNR) have worked together to develop Integrated Management Plans (IMPs) for the…Read More
The Norfolk Daily News Quotes: “Geology was front and center Thursday night at the monthly meeting of the Lower Elkhorn Natural Resources District’s board of directors. “Nebraska is known for groundwater — and it’s all underground, which is all rocks, soils, sands and gravel,” said Mike Sousek, the Lower Elkhorn NRD’s general manager. “Geology is a…Read More
The Kearney Hub Quotes: “Central Platte Natural Resources District is developing a plan to better understand drought vulnerabilities and responses. A contract with JEO Consulting Group of Wahoo to assist CPNRD officials with the plan was approved at Thursday’s board meeting in Grand Island. According to a CPNRD press release, JEO will develop a framework…Read More
The Grand Island Independent Quotes: “Three Republican U.S. House members are criticizing Democratic Sen. Patty Murray and other lawmakers for opposing their legislation that would prevent the breaching of four dams on the Snake River to restore endangered salmon runs. The three Republicans from the state of Washington support a bipartisan bill that seeks to…Read More
The Grand Island Independent Quotes: “Colorado officials have agreed to pay Nebraska $4 million to settle old claims that their state violated a water-sharing compact involving the Republican River, according to a settlement released Thursday. The settlement requires Colorado to make the payment by Dec. 31, 2018, even though state officials did not admit to…Read More
The Grand Island Independent Quotes: “An eastern Nebraska watershed has adopted new groundwater protections. The Papio-Missouri River Natural Resources District board has adopted a new groundwater plan that limits when farmers can use nonorganic fertilizers and how close certain wells can be to each other, the Omaha World-Herald reported. Officials hope the time restrictions will…Read More
The Star Tribune Quotes: “Nine residents of Hennepin County will be selected as jurors starting Tuesday, the opening day of a long-awaited legal battle between Minnesota Attorney General Lori Swanson and 3M Company over the decades-long contamination of groundwater in Washington County. The state’s lawsuit claims that 3M knowingly contaminated the drinking water of several…Read More
The Des Moines Registrar Quotes: “Okoboji area homeowners could find themselves paying a hefty fine if they use chemicals to kill weeds that ensnare their boats, tangle swimmers and spoil weekends on the lakes. Rep. John Wills, a Republican from Spirit Lake, has proposed a bill that makes it a serious misdemeanor for Iowans to…Read More
The Omaha World Herald Quotes: “New protections for groundwater in the watershed that includes Omaha and a sliver of northeast Nebraska has some farmers concerned but livestock producers relieved. The Papio-Missouri River Natural Resources District board voted 6-3 last week to adopt a new groundwater plan that limits when farmers can use nonorganic fertilizers and how close…Read More
The Star Herald Quotes: “Ground water irrigators in over-appropriated areas of the North Platte Natural Resource District will have an incentive which could help them hedge against low commodity prices, thanks to a $120,000 grant from the Platte Basin Coalition. NPNRD General Manager John Berge said growers in over-appropriated areas of the North Platte River…Read More
The Norfolk Daily News Quotes: “There has been a significant number of requests in recent years for Madison County to rezone agricultural land to rural residential. Rural residential land is generally agricultural in nature and can support things such as horses or quiet living in the country, although it can still mean the presence of…Read More
The Grand Island Independent Quotes: “A conservation easement has been approved for a property located southeast of the Alda Interstate 80 interchange. The Regional Planning Commission voted 4-3, with commission members Judd Allan, Leonard Rainforth and Tony Randone voting no, to approve the conservation easement. The matter now goes before the Hall County Board of Supervisors…Read More
The Scottsbluff Star Herald Quotes: “The Environmental Protection Agency and the Army Corps of Engineers are pushing back the implementation of a widely debated Obama-era regulation that’s opposed by many small businesses and that seeks to expand government jurisdiction over bodies of water. The agencies plan to reconsider which bodies of water should be covered…Read More
The Scottsbluff Star Herald Quotes: “Almost a year ago, President Donald Trump issued an executive order directing the Environmental Protection Agency to review a contentious Obama-era clean water rule and — if possible — eliminate it. “The EPA’s so-called ‘Waters of the United States’ rule is one of the worst examples of federal regulation, and…Read More
The North Platte Telegraph Quotes: “A pair of legislative bills offer different but time-tested principles to relieve Lincoln County’s unwanted burdens in solving Nebraska’s water disputes with Kansas. Both deserve support from state senators. Sen. Mike Groene of North Platte, whose district encompasses Lincoln County, has his name on both bills. He himself introduced LB…Read More
KRVN 880 Rural Radio Quotes: “The Environmental Protection Agency has sent a final rule to the White House that would prevent the Waters of the U.S. Rule from taking effect. The EPA rushed the rule to the White House because of the recent U.S. Supreme Court ruling placing the legal jurisdiction of the rule in…Read More
The Sioux City Journal Quotes: “A day after a bill committing $282 million over 12 years to water quality improvement was approved by the Iowa Legislature, the Senate had what one member called “the great water debate in the Iowa Senate of 2018.” “I think that ends the discussion legislatively,” Sen. Rob Hogg, D-Cedar Rapids,…Read More
The Sioux City Journal Quotes: “The Iowa House “receded” Tuesday from its position on paying for water quality improvements and instead accepted a bill adopted last year by the Senate — and preferred by Gov. Kim Reynolds, who said she would be proud to make it the first legislation she signs into law as governor….Read More
The Des Moines Register Quotes: “A commission that oversees the Iowa Department of Natural Resources warned state lawmakers that continued cuts to the agency’s budget could hurt its ability to protect Iowa’s air, water, parks and trails. “Future reductions in general fund allocations may compromise the DNR’s ability to effectively carry out its mission,” the…Read More
The Omaha World Herald Quotes: “The Papio-Missouri River Natural Resources District is laying the groundwork for another 10 years of dam construction and flood control projects funded through added debt. At a recent meeting the board voted 7-3 to ask the Nebraska Legislature in 2019 to extend the NRD’s bonding authority — something the Legislature…Read More
The Star Herald Quotes: “A bill which would tax water used to irrigate ag and horticulture land by the gallon was introduced Tuesday by Sen. Paul Schumacher of Columbus. Under Schumacher’s LB1022, dubbed the Irrigation Tax Act, farmers would pay a one cent tax for every 10 gallons of water pumped from wells with a…Read More
The Des Moines Register Quotes: “Iowa lawmakers should halt construction on animal confinements until Iowa’s water quality is significantly improved, a coalition of about two dozen state, local and national groups said Tuesday. The Iowa Alliance for Responsible Agriculture asked lawmakers to support 15 bills tightening oversight of confinements introduced by Sen. David Johnson, an…Read More
The Des Moines Register Quotes: “A group of Des Moines metro leaders is ready to take the first step toward regionalizing the area’s drinking water production. The Central Iowa Regional Drinking Water Commission will vote in early February on a memorandum of understanding that calls for a regional board to oversee central Iowa water treatment…Read More
The Grand Island Independent Quotes: “The Environmental Protection Agency and Nebraska Department of Environmental Quality have accepted the Lower Loup Natural Resources District’s Watershed Management Plan for the South Loup River Basin. LLNRD Assistant Manager Tylr Naprstek said in a press release that the NRD now can secure funding for conservation practices within the watershed. There…Read More
The Grand Island Independent Quotes: “Two steps were approved Tuesday by the Tri-Basin Natural Resources District directors toward construction of Nebraska’s first transbasin diversion project. At the Tri-Basin board meeting in Holdrege, the directors authorized General Manager John Thorburn to negotiate the purchase of a property owned by Malcolm and Nicole Dornhoff of Heartwell for the…Read More
The Lincoln Journal Star Quotes: “Dominion Energy’s planned merger with a South Carolina energy company could open the door for an expansion of the proposed Atlantic Coast Pipeline, both supporters and opponents of the natural gas project say. In a conference call about the proposed merger, Dominion CEO Tom Farrell said SCANA Corp. is a…Read More
KRVN 880 Rural Radio Quotes: “Weak La Nina conditions have developed over the past two months and is likely to influence atmospheric weather pattern this winter but Al Dutcher, Nebraska State Climate Office, says considerable uncertainty exists as we head into spring. Dutcher will discuss where dryness issues are most prevalent and whether those areas…Read More
The Sioux City Journal Quotes: ” When it comes to water quality, the Iowa Legislature will start the 2018 session right where it left off in April. After all-night negotiations in the final hours of the 2017 legislative session failed to produce an agreement between the GOP majorities in the Senate and House, leaders are…Read More
The Kearney Hub Quotes: “Salt Creek tiger beetle, pallid sturgeon, interior least terns — these names are familiar to Nebraskans who have heard of conservation efforts directed at these endangered species. But they’re far from alone; Nebraska Game and Parks has officially denoted 30 species of birds, fish, mammals, reptiles and plants as endangered or…Read More
The Grand Island Independent Quotes: “Updates on projects that enhance water credits to the Platte River were the focus of reports Monday to the Central Nebraska Public Power and Irrigation District directors. For the first time in its three-year history, a water leasing program that pays $220 per acre to Central irrigators who agree to…Read More
The Gran Island Independent Quotes: “He never wanted a pipeline pulsing beneath his fields and farmyard southwest of Seward. But Mike Briggs didn’t have a choice in 2009, when TransCanada was building its original Keystone pipeline through Nebraska. “I’m not happy I got my property taken away,” he said this week. “I will never understand…Read More
The Omaha World Herald Quotes: “Harvesting lemons and oranges, maybe even bananas. It’s been done already in Nebraska. The North Platte Natural Resources District is planning to do it in the future. The NRD is raising funds for a solar-powered, geothermal-heated greenhouse, sunk 4 feet into the ground over a network of ducts circulating 54-degree air…Read More
The Kearney Hub Quotes: “The Central Platte Natural Resources District board will oppose a proposed change in the rules to apply for project money from the Nebraska Water Sustainability Fund. According to a CPNRD press release, Nebraska Association of Resources Districts Executive Director Dean Edson described a rule change proposed by a Natural Resources Commission…Read More
The Grand Island Independent Quotes: “The Central Platte NRD is advising the public that colder temperatures will be causing ice formation in the Platte River in the next few weeks. “When enough ice forms it can jam together, causing the river water to escape the banks and cause flooding,” the Central Platte NRD said in a…Read More
The Norfolk Daily News Quotes: “No one associated with the Lower Elkhorn Natural Resources District wants to see a repeat of the summer of 2012. Not the lack of rainfall. Not the declining levels of water in agricultural and municipal wells. And certainly not the realization that the NRD staff and board members were being asked…Read More
The Norfolk Daily News Quotes: “With the Nebraska Public Service Commission’s recent decision to approve the Keystone XL pipeline through Nebraska — albeit on a different route than what TransCanada preferred — opponents of the pipeline are adjusting their strategies as well. Those strategic changes were on display Thursday afternoon when Bold Nebraska and the Nebraska…Read More
The Des Moines Register Quotes: “Republican leaders are pushing Iowa House members to get behind a $27 million water quality bill the state Senate passed last session, calling it the Legislature’s most viable option for long-term, sustainable funding. “I feel pretty strongly that it’s a good bill. Nothing is perfect, but it’s a good bill,” said Sen. Ken…Read More
The Kearney Hub Quotes: “Half of the 12 projects approved this week by the Natural Resources Commission for grants from the Nebraska Water Sustainability Fund are in the Republican, Lower Loup and Central Platte basins. According to a state Department of Water Resources press release, commission members approved $10 million for those projects, which brings…Read More
The Grand Island Independent Quotes: “A proposed two-state project would treat North Platte River water in Wyoming and send water in a pipeline from the treatment plant to western Nebraska. The Scottsbluff Star-Herald reports that the Platte Alliance Water Supply includes 11 communities and rural water districts in the two states. Member communities along the line would…Read More
The Kearney Hub Quotes: “A 2018 budget that estimates $23.4 million of expenditures and just less than $21 million in revenues was approved Monday by the Central Nebraska Public Power and Irrigation District Board of Directors. CNPPID General Manager Don Kraus told the Hub the deficit will be covered by revenues from electricity sales that…Read More
The Argus Leader Quotes: “Two members of the Sioux Falls Water Division provided the conservation template they used to lower water consumption despite an increasing population. Tim Stefanich, an environmental engineer who has been with the division for 26 years, and Darin Freese the division’s water program coordinator, shared ideas Tuesday, Nov. 28, during the…Read More
The Norfolk Daily News Quotes: “It’s been a strong year for economic development and growth in Norfolk. That’s what Andy Colvin, Norfolk’s city administrator and economic development director, city council members Monday evening when he delivered an economic development update. Colvin highlighted several positives relating to Norfolk’s growth this year, including the addition of new housing…Read More
The Grand Island Independent Quotes: “Regulations protecting water quality and quantity in eastern Nebraska are being updated for the first time in 20 years. The proposals aim to further control pumping and reduce the potential for agriculture pollution in the Papio Missouri River Natural Resources District. The plan would limit when farmers can use fertilizers in an…Read More
The Scottsblulff Star Herald Quotes: “As regulations tighten over water contaminants, many small communities feel the economic pinch of treatment costs. But a solution might be in the near future. PAWS, the Platte Alliance Water Supply, incorporates 11 communities and several rural water districts along the North Platte River basin in both western Nebraska and southeastern…Read More
The Des Moines Register Quotes: “Republican leaders at the Iowa Capitol are expressing confidence they will see quick, early action to approve long-term, sustainable funding for statewide water quality projects during the Iowa Legislature’s 2018 session, which convenes in January. Iowa Agriculture Secretary Bill Northey told Gov. Kim Reynolds on Monday that two bills are…Read More
The Lincoln Journal Star Quotes: “Ever since the article appeared on the front page of the Journal Star, we have received numerous phone calls, emails and in-person visits from worried people asking us: “Is our aquifer really drying up? What can we do about it?” There are valid issues in the article (“Water levels drop…Read More
The Omaha World Herald Quotes: “The company behind the Keystone pipeline that leaked more than 200,000 gallons of oil into the South Dakota countryside says it is making progress with cleanup efforts. TransCanada Corp. said Friday that it had recovered more than 44,000 gallons of oil so far from the spill site, which is near…Read More
The Rapid City Journal Quotes: “Most strains of Escherichia coli, or E. coli, are harmless. Shiga-toxigenic E. coli, or STEC, is not one of those strains. In 2016, South Dakota had the highest per capita rate of illness due to STEC in America. But a recent study out of the South Dakota School of Mines &…Read More
The Omaha World Herald Quotes: “Ohio’s outline for sharply reducing what’s making algae flourish in Lake Erie clearly shows that changes in farming methods are what’s needed. The blueprint also has a long list of ways to do that, but some environmental groups say the state’s updated plan still lacks clear direction about what should come next. The…Read More
The Sioux City Journal Quotes: “Three Northwest Iowa communities received low-interest water quality loans through the state’s Revolving Fund Construction Loan program. A press release said Granville received $448,000 and Moville was given $856,000 for transmission improvements to their sewer systems. Sioux Rapids got $1,502,000 for water treatment improvements. The loans were from the Iowa Finance Authority and the Iowa…Read More
The Kearney Hub Quotes: “State Department of Natural Resources Director Jeff Fassett said he liked the “Good Stuff Does Happen” topic for the panel presentations at Monday’s joint convention of the Nebraska State Irrigation and Nebraska Water Resources associations. Fassett said it’s a busy and exciting time to be involved in water issues. “I’m hopeful…Read More
KRVN 880 Rural Radio Quotes: “A Nebraska panel has approved an alternative Keystone XL route, removing the last regulatory hurdle to the proposed pipeline project. The Nebraska Public Service Commission’s ruling is on the Nebraska route TransCanada has proposed to complete the $8 billion, 1,179-mile pipeline to deliver oil from Alberta, Canada, to Texas Gulf…Read More
The Norfolk Daily News Quotes: “TransCanada Corp. says the company has sent additional crews and equipment to the site of a 210,000-gallon oil spill in South Dakota from its Keystone pipeline. TransCanada said Saturday it is making progress in its investigation into the spill cause on farmland in Marshall County, near the North Dakota border, about…Read More
KRVN 880 Rural Radio Quotes: “The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency wants to prevent the controversial 2015 waters of the United States, or WOTUS, rule from taking effect while the agency undertakes a complete rewrite, proposing to extend the effective date of the rule by two years. The rule, developed by former President Barack Obama’s administration,…Read More
The Columbus Telegram Quotes: “Discovery of a 210,000-gallon oil leak from the Keystone pipeline would seem to be poor timing four days before regulators in Nebraska decide whether to allow a major expansion of the system, but officials say state law does not allow pipeline safety to be a factor in their decision. The Nebraska…Read More
The Argus Leader Quotes: “TransCanada Corp.’s Keystone pipeline leaked an estimated 210,000 gallons of oil onto agricultural land in northeastern South Dakota, the company and state regulators said Thursday, but state officials don’t believe the leak polluted any surface water bodies or drinking water systems. Crews shut down the pipeline Thursday morning and activated emergency…Read More
The Grand Island Independent Quotes: “Nebraska regulators plan to announce their decision next week on the proposed Keystone XL oil pipeline route across the state. The Nebraska Public Service Commission will announce its ruling on Monday after spending months evaluating arguments for and against the long-delayed project. TransCanada’s proposed 1,179-mile crude oil pipeline has faced persistent opposition…Read More
The Columbus Telegram Quotes: “The draining of a massive aquifer that underlies portions of eight states in the central U.S. is drying up streams, causing fish to disappear and threatening the livelihood of farmers who rely on it for their crops. Water levels in the Ogallala aquifer have been dropping for decades as irrigators pump water…Read More
The Star Herald Quotes: “Can irrigation water technologies and management practices used by Nebraska farmers be part of the solution to the world’s water sustainability and food security issues? Learning how to use those tools globally was one of several goals discussed Wednesday by leaders and partners of the University of Nebraska’s Robert B. Daugherty Water…Read More
The Hastings Tribune Quotes: “Concerned neighbors of a giant streamflow augmentation wellfield in southern Lincoln County appeared before the Lower Republican Natural Resources District board of directors Thursday, asking that the land be sold back into private hands. Several representatives of Landowners for a Common Purpose attended the NRD board’s regular monthly meeting, making their…Read More
The Columbus Telegram Quotes: “The city’s plan to use treated wastewater to irrigate Quail Run Golf Course has gone down the drain. According to Columbus Public Property Director Doug Moore, the proposal was nixed by the Nebraska Department of Environmental Quality (NDEQ) because the water table at the local golf course is too high. Moore said…Read More
KRVN 880 Rural Radio Quotes: “Approximately 600 attendees with diverse water interests were encouraged at the Governor’s Conference on the Future of Water in Kansas to keep pushing forward with implementation efforts for accomplishing regional priorities within the Long Term Vision for the Future of Water Supply in Kansas to ensure our state’s water future….Read More
The Omaha World Herald Quotes: “After more than a decade of scientific studies, community hearings, a new state law and regulatory scrutiny, water flows in a stretch of the lower Niobrara River are protected. The Nebraska Department of Natural Resources’ recent decision to grant an instream flow essentially sets aside water in the river for fish,…Read More
The Argus Leader Quotes: “A Harrisburg-area farm family has sued the Dakota Access pipeline for failure to keep its promise to restore their land after construction. The lawsuit is the first of its kind in South Dakota state court, and speaks to fears of lost productivity expressed by farmers in the planning stages of the…Read More
KRVN 880 Rural Radio Quotes: “USDA’s Natural Resources Conservation Service is now accepting applications for the Agricultural Conservation Easement Program (ACEP). This program, created under the 2014 Farm Bill, provides funding for the purchase of conservation easements to help productive farm and ranch lands remain in agriculture and to restore and protect critical wetlands and…Read More
The Scottsbluff Star Herald Quotes: “Colorado’s largest water utility is fighting a proposal to increase the levels of the metallic element molybdenum (mo-lyb-de-num) allowed in the state’s rivers and streams. The Denver Post reports that Denver Water opposes a request by operators of the Climax Mine above Leadville to raise the limits for streams used for…Read More
KRVN 880 Rural Radio Quotes: “The Central Platte Natural Resources District’s (CPNRD) board of directors approved Contract Amendment #6 with JEO Consulting in the amount of $320,635.25 at their regularly scheduled meeting on Thursday. The amendment will extend services for the Upper Prairie/Silver/Moores Flood Control Project (PSM) for land/easement negotiation, an operation and maintenance manual, desktop…Read More
The Lincoln Journal Star Quotes: “The fight over Costco’s chicken processing operation — already approved by the city of Fremont and the state of Nebraska — is now moving to the county level. In the next 18 months or so, between 100 and 125 farmers in a rural 14-county region of eastern Nebraska will go before…Read More
The Des Moines Register Quotes: “A small group of central Iowa water utilities (Des Moines Water Works, West Des Moines Water Works and Urbandale Water) began meeting last spring to try to identify a path forward for regionalizing water production. They deserve a lot of credit for hard work and perseverance, as this topic is…Read More
The Omaha World Herald Quotes: “As Gerald Mestl piloted his flat-bottom boat through the turbid, earthy waters of the Missouri River, the Nebraska Game and Parks biologist pointed to a nearby sandbar. There, nearly two dozen snow geese sat sunning themselves on a brilliant fall day. “This is where waterfowl should be, instead of out…Read More
The Hastings Tribune Quotes: “The Nebraska Supreme Court on Friday dismissed a lawsuit filed by the Frenchman-Cambridge Irrigation District challenging integrated water management plans for natural resources districts in the Republican River Basin. In dismissing the case, the high court declined to reverse a ruling made a year ago by Furnas County District Judge James…Read More
The Des Moines Register Quotes: “Drainage districts, once the target of a Des Moines Water Works lawsuit, could be part of the solution to cut high nitrate levels in Iowa’s lakes, rivers and streams, according to a new report. Iowa’s 3,700 drainage districts already have power under state law to “mitigate pollution discharge” since they’re “presumed…Read More
The Omaha World Herald Quotes: “The Nebraska Supreme Court ended another water feud in the Republican River basin Friday by ruling that an irrigation district lacked the legal standing to sue the state. The Frenchman-Cambridge Irrigation District, which relies on surface water in the Republican to supply its members, last year sued the State Department…Read More
The Kearney Hub Quotes: “The Nebraska Supreme Court has dismissed a Frenchman Cambridge Irrigation District lawsuit that claimed damages from integrated management plans written by the Upper, Middle and Lower Republican natural resources districts and Nebraska Department of Natural Resources. In a decision issued Friday, the judges concluded that Frenchman Cambridge failed to establish standing…Read More
The Grand Island Independent Quotes: “The Central Nebraska Public Power and Irrigation District’s board of directors approved a water service agreement, subject to legal review, with the Platte River Recovery Implementation Program for groundwater recharge. At Central’s monthly board meeting on Monday, the agency agreed to divert water from its Phelps Canal during the non-irrigation…Read More
North Platte Telegraph Quotes: “Founded in 2012, N-CORPE consists of four natural resource districts that aims to increase stream flows into the Platte and Republican rivers, according to the August news report. The agency has since purchased Lincoln County land, retired from irrigation, to transfer water via tributaries and pipelines to those rivers, according to…Read More
(KRVN 880 RURAL RADIO) KRVN 880 Rural Radio quotes “(GRAND ISLAND, NE)- The Central Platte Natural Resources District (CPNRD) announced that it will receive $305,100 from the Nebraska Environmental Trust (NET) for the “Central Platte Grassland Conservation Project”. CPNRD applied for the grant in an effort to reduce the Loess Canyons grassland ecosystem from being…Read More
(KRVN 880 RURAL RADIO) KRVN 880 Rural Radio quotes “A recent decision by the Nebraska Cooperative Republican Platte Enhancement Project (NCORPE) to issue bonds whose proceeds will refund bonds sold four years ago to finance the stream flow augmentation project in Lincoln County will save more than $13.2 million, according to the group in a…Read More
(KRVN 880 RURAL RADIO) KRVN 880 Rural Radio quotes “Mark Czaplewski, biologist with the Platte River Recovery Implementation Program reported at Central Platte NRD’s board meeting this past week that the Program’s Governance Committee is starting to prioritize water supply options that will take the place of what was earlier envisioned to be accomplished by…Read More
(KRVN 880 RURAL RADIO) KRVN 880 Rural Radio quotes “Representatives Roger Marshall (KS-01), Paul Gosar (AZ-04) and Ted Yoho (FL-03) announced the submission of an appropriations language request to the House Appropriations Committee to prohibit the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) from using appropriated funds for the “Waters…Read More
(KRVN 880 RURAL RADIO) KRVN 880 Rural Radio quotes “Lincoln, Nebraska, March 30, 2017 – A new program at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln will provide the state’s science teachers new approaches to teaching about water. The Water Education Leaders for Secondary Science program is designed to foster science literacy about water resource issues.” Read the…Read More
(KRVN 880 RURAL RADIO) KRVN 880 Rural Radio quotes “Acting Deputy Agriculture Secretary Michael Young today announced the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) is investing up to $15 million in technical and financial assistance to help eligible conservation partners voluntarily protect, restore and enhance critical wetlands on agricultural lands. Restored wetlands improve water quality downstream…Read More
(GRAND ISLAND INDEPENDENT) Grand Island Independent quotes “LINCOLN — The Nebraska Supreme Court has upheld a Furnas County District Court ruling that dismissed claims by surface water users in the Frenchman Cambridge Irrigation District of damages by state actions in 2013 and 2014 for Republican River Compact compliance that limited the irrigators’ water supplies.” Read…Read More
(KRVN 880 RURAL RADIO) KRVN 880 Rural Radio quotes “FAIRFAX, VIRGINIA (March 8, 2017) – Irrigation Association members are in Washington, D.C., today to meet with members of Congress. These meetings make up day two of the 2017 Water Resources Congressional Summit hosted by the IA in partnership with the National Ground Water Association and…Read More
(SCOTTSBLUFF STAR-HERALD) Scottsbluff Star Herald quotes “The North Platte Natural Resources District is opening enrollment in the Encouraging Producer Innovation through Conservation (EPIC) program, which will help the district meet obligations under its Integrated Management Plan. The EPIC program provides financial incentives for producers to help the district reduce consumptive use and reach its resource…Read More
(YORK NEWS-TIMES) York News-Times quotes “Attending the ceremony were President Donald Trump signed an executive order instructing the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and Army Corps of Engineers to go back to the drawing board on the Waters of the U.S. rule, or WOTUS, was Rep. Adrian Smith, R-Neb., who praised the Trump administration for listening…Read More
(KRVN 880 RURAL RADIO) KRVN 880 Rural Radio quotes “In signing a document to start a review that could lead to reforming or replacing the waters of the United States, or WOTUS, rule, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency Administrator Scott Pruitt hinted a rewrite may include the removal of the so-called “significant nexus” test.” Read the…Read More
(KRVN 880 RURAL RADIO) KRVN 880 Rural Radio quotes “The National Pork Producers Council (NPPC) applauds an executive order issued today by President Trump that begins the process of rescinding or rewriting a controversial Clean Water Act regulation that would have given the government broad jurisdiction over land and water.” Read the entire article by…Read More
(KRVN 880 RURAL RADIO) KRVN 880 Rural Radio quotes “Water releases from the Environmental Account at Lake McConaughy will be occuring through March 15th. The late-winter release is coordinated through the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and the Platte River Recovery Implementation Program to assist such threatened and endangered species as the whooping crane, piping…Read More
(KRVN 880 RURAL RADIO) KRVN 880 Rural Radio quotes “Staff and directors of Tri-Basin Natural Resources District (TBNRD) will explore options to enable producers in the district to submit annual water use reports and nitrogen management reports electronically. At their February board meeting, TBNRD directors discussed a system for submitting annual reporting by email. Some…Read More
(KRVN 880 RURAL RADIO) KRVN 880 Rural Radio quotes “Clean Water Act (CWA) permits to dredge and fill wetlands will not be required for a Minnesota-based peat mining company after the U.S. District Court for the District of Minnesota on January 24 tossed out claims of jurisdiction over the land by the US Army Corps…Read More
(KRVN 880 RURAL RADIO) KRVN 880 Rural Radio quotes “The U.S. Court of Appeals for the Sixth Circuit in Cincinnati has put the legal fight on the waters of the United States, or WOTUS, rule on hold pending a review by the U.S. Supreme Court, according to an order handed down Wednesday.” Read the article…Read More
(KRVN 880 RURAL RADIO) KRVN 880 Rural Radio quotes “YORK, NE –The Upper Big Blue Natural Resources District (UBBNRD) is offering financial incentives to landowners interested in installing Variable Rate Irrigation systems. The UBBNRD’s Variable Rate Irrigation (VRI) Pilot Program is intended to provide financial assistance for the design, installation, and technical support of Variable…Read More
(GRAND ISLAND INDEPENDENT) Grand Island Independent quotes “Last week’s U.S. Supreme Court decision to take up the dispute over which courts have jurisdiction to hear challenges to the Obama administration’s Waters of the U.S., or WOTUS, rule was welcomed by U.S. Sen. Deb Fischer, R-Neb., who is a member of the Senate Environmental and Public…Read More
(KRVN 880 RURAL RADIO) KRVN 880 Rural Radio quotes “Minnesota has secured $350 million in federal funds for a voluntary program to pay farmers to protect and improve water quality in southern and western Minnesota, Gov. Mark Dayton announced Tuesday, but the state will have to come up with about $95 million more to get…Read More
(KEARNEY HUB) Kearney Hub quotes “GRAND ISLAND — The 22nd-annual Rainwater Basin Joint Venture Informational Seminar will be Feb. 2 at the Hotel Grand Conference Center, 2503 S. Locust St., in Grand Island for landowners, ag producers, natural resource professionals and others interested in the south-central Nebraska region’s conservation issues, research and habitat programs.” Read…Read More
(KRVN 880 RURAL RADIO) KRVN 880 Rural Radio quotes “The top 2 inches of topsoil on all of Earth’s landmasses contains an infinitesimal fraction of the planet’s water — less than one-thousandth of a percent. Yet because of its position at the interface between the land and the atmosphere, that tiny amount plays a crucial…Read More
(KRVN 880 RURAL RADIO) KRVN 880 Rural Radio quotes “The Nebraska Supreme Court heard testimony Friday morning on a case involving Frenchman Cambridge Irrigation District farmers. Producers are suing the Nebraska Department of Natural Resources seeking payment for crop loss due to water taken for the Republican River Compact.” Read the entire article by clicking…Read More
(HASTINGS TRIBUNE) Hastings Tribune quotes “ALMA – There’s no doubt a farmer in the Lower Republican Natural Resources District did wrong last summer when he ordered an employee to stop flowmeters on several of his irrigation wells from registering water pumpage, an attorney for the farmer’s estate said here Thursday.” Read the entire article by…Read More
(KRVN 880 RURAL RADIO) KRVN 880 Rural Radio quotes “MANHATTAN, Kan. — State and local water officials will host an informational meeting and discussion forum for water users and others interested in the water supply of the South Fork Republican River. The meeting will take place at 1:00 p.m. CST on Wednesday, Jan. 4, 2017,…Read More
(KRVN 880 RURAL RADIO) KRVN 880 Rural Radio quotes “Curtis Scheele, Irrigation Water Management Specialist with the Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS), updated the Tri-Basin Natural Resources District’s (NRD) directors at the December Tri-Basin NRD board meeting. Scheele explained his work on the Nebraska Ag Water Management Network and the Tri-Basin Irrigator newsletter.” Read the…Read More
(SUPERIOR EXPRESS) Superior Express quotes “The Natural Resources Commission approved the funding of approximately $19.5 million for 11 projects whose sponsors submitted applications for cost-shared funding assistance from the water sustainability fund, which was created through LB1098 in 2014. This is the second application, review and funding cycle since the fund was established. “ Read…Read More
(KRVN 880 RURAL RADIO) KRVN 880 Rural Radio quotes “Yesterday, the House of Representatives passed the Water Infrastructure Improvements for the Nation (WIIN) Act by a vote of 360 to 61. The bill now proceeds to the Senate, which is expected to vote on the measure in the upcoming days. Included in the WIIN Act…Read More
(KRVN 880 RURAL RADIO) KRVN 880 Rural Radio quotes “Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack today announced that the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) will offer farmers and ranchers more opportunities to participate in the Conservation Reserve Program (CRP). The announcement includes new CRP practices to protect water quality and adds an additional 1.1 million acres targeted…Read More
(KRVN 880 RURAL RADIO) KRVN 880 Rural Radio quotes “WASHINGTON, Dec. 6, 2016 – Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack today announced an investment of more than $33 million in 197 high-priority watersheds across the country to help landowners improve water quality through the Natural Resource Conservation Service’s (NRCS) National Water Quality Initiative (NWQI).” Read the article…Read More
(KRVN 880 RURAL RADIO) KRVN 880 Rural Radio quotes ” Plaintiffs challenging the Environmental Protection Agency’s waters of the US (WOTUS) rule appear to be arguing “the same case in a different jurisdiction” by bringing an appeal in the US Court of Appeals for the Tenth Circuit, a judge on the panel said, suggesting the issue…Read More
(KRVN 880 RURAL RADIO) KRVN 880 Rural Radio quotes “Approximately 600 attendees with diverse water interests were encouraged at the Governor’s Conference on the Future of Water in Kansas to keep pushing forward with implementation efforts for accomplishing regional priorities within the Long Term Vision for the Future of Water Supply in Kansas to ensure…Read More
(SUPERIOR EXPRESS) Superior Express quotes “The Lower Republican NRD announces that agricultural producers have the opportunity to receive conservation funding. The USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) awarded the Upper, Middle and Lower Republican NRDs $2.1 million as part of the Regional Conservation Partnership Program. Eligible producers have until Nov. 18 to apply for funding.”…Read More
(KRVN 880 RURAL RADIO) KRVN 880 Rural Radio quotes “A new report released this week by the House Oversight and Government Reform Committee details findings of a two-year investigation into the waters of the U.S. rule (WOTUS). The report found the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and Army Corps of Engineers (Corps) pushed the rule through…Read More
(KRVN 880 RURAL RADIO) KRVN 880 Rural Radio quotes “Tri-Basin Natural Resources District (TBNRD) directors voted 4-3 to approve a one-year contract with Central Nebraska Public Power and Irrigation District (CNPPID) to make use of high flows in the Platte River outside of the irrigation season. Tri-Basin NRD and the Nebraska Department of Natural Resources…Read More
(KRVN 880 RURAL RADIO) KRVN 880 Rural Radio quotes “(GRAND ISLAND, NE)- The Central Platte Natural Resources District (CPNRD) has started the pre-approval process for the Groundwater Exchange Program, which provides a way for producers to buy or sell water use for the upcoming irrigation season. During the pre-approval process, staff verifies that all participants…Read More
(KRVN 880 RURAL RADIO) KRVN 880 Rural Radio quotes “The two houses of Congress passed two versions of a bill aimed at refurbishing the nation’s aging water transportation infrastructure before adjourning for pre-election campaigning. An industry expert told DTN chances are good the bills will be reconciled and passed as one in the lame duck…Read More
(KRVN 880 RURAL RADIO) KRVN 880 Rural Radio quotes “The USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service will provide cost-share assistance through its Environmental Quality Incentives Program (EQIP) to fill abandoned irrigation reuse pits in the watersheds of priority Rainwater Basin wetlands. Rainwater Basin Joint Venture partners have additional cost-share dollars available to fill pits identified as…Read More
(KRVN 880 RURAL RADIO) KRVN 880 Rural Radio quotes “The Central Platte Natural Resources District’s (CPNRD) Groundwater Exchange is scheduled to begin on Monday, October 3rd. The CPNRD board of directors approved expanding the Groundwater Exchange to include the Loup Basin within the District and to add definition of terms to their Rules & Regulations…Read More
(KRVN 880 RURAL RADIO) KRVN 880 Rural Radio quotes “Manhattan, Kansas – A project to develop and implement a holistic watershed management plan for a heritage stream in the Flint Hills recently received additional funding support from the Kingsbury Foundation in Kansas. The Kansas Alliance for Wetlands and Streams (KAWS) has been working through partnerships…Read More
(KRVN 880 RURAL RADIO) KRVN 880 Rural Radio quotes “U.S. Senator Jim Inhofe (R-Oklahoma), chair of the Senate Environment and Public Works Committee, released a report Tuesday detailing examples of the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and Army Corps of Engineers’ efforts to expand their jurisdiction over U.S. waters beyond Congressional intent. The report is the…Read More
(KRVN 880 RURAL RADIO) KRVN 880 Rural Radio quotes “WASHINGTON, D.C. – Thursday, the U.S. Senate passed the Water Resources Development Act (WRDA) of 2016 by a vote of 95 to 3. The bill will help ensure safe and reliable water infrastructure for communities in Nebraska and across the country. It also includes a bipartisan…Read More
(HASTINGS TRIBUNE) Hastings Tribune quotes “DAVENPORT — The chairman of the Little Blue Natural Resources District board of directors said Tuesday he believes most board members agree significant changes to the district’s groundwater management rules and regulations are in order. Randy Uhrmacher said he had surveyed all his fellow directors recently through one-on-one telephone conversations,…Read More
(SUPERIOR EXPRESS) Superior Express quotes “The Lower Republican, Middle Republican and Upper Republican NRDs partnered on a $2.1 million grant application to fund the Republican Basin Conservation Partnership Initiative. The project is one of only three projects approved that focus entirely on Nebraska. The three Nebraska projects will help to improve irrigation water management, create…Read More
(KRVN 880 RURAL RADIO) KRVN 880 Rural Radio quotes “Colorado, Kansas and Nebraska established an agreement last week in the longstanding conflict over water from the Republican River basin, as the Republican River Compact Administration signed two resolutions. Representatives from the three states have been meeting monthly for over two years, in an effort to…Read More
(KRVN 880 RURAL RADIO) KRVN 880 Rural Radio quotes “The Upper Big Blue NRD Board of Directors approved the FY2017 Budget with a 2.19% decrease. This is a reduction of $85,362.58 from last year’s budget. The FY2017 Budget is $3,820,334.64. The tax levy is 2.6 cents per $100 valuation. According to David Eigenberg, General Manager…Read More
(AGNET.NET) Agnet.net quotes “Lincoln, Neb. — Nebraska Extension and the Nebraska Water Balance Alliance will host a systems approach to cropping and irrigation management field day from 8 a.m. to 3 p.m. Aug. 23 at the West Central Research and Extension Center, 402 W. State Farm Road in North Platte.” Read the article by clicking…Read More
(KRVN 880 RURAL RADIO) KRVN 880 Rural Radio quotes “The waters of the United States, or WOTUS, rule legal battle will be allowed to play out in the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Sixth Circuit in Cincinnati. This is after the U.S. Court of Appeals for the 11th Circuit in Atlanta ordered a stay…Read More
Today, one of Rembolt Ludtke’s Legal Administrative Assistants was announced as an inductee to the KMA Sports Hall of Fame. Alex Curry achieved much during her high school years playing golf with the Shenandoah Fillies. She holds the only state golf title in Shenandoah history as well as 3 top-five finishes at state. KMA Radio Interview …Read More
(OMAHA WORLD HERALD) Omaha World Herald quotes “Members also advance 2017 budget proposal, which will leave the property tax rate unchanged The Papio-Missouri River Natural Resources District board appointed new member Bill Rhea and advanced a $70 million budget proposal at its Thursday meeting. Rhea will represent Subdistrict 1 at least until January, when the…Read More
(HASTINGS TRIBUNE) Hastings Tribune quotes “DAVENPORT — Directors of the Little Blue Natural Resources District will wade into a discussion of potential future groundwater pumpage restrictions at a special meeting Sept. 1. The Water Resources Committee of the district’s board of directors will meet at the district office in Davenport to discuss large topics including…Read More
(HASTINGS TRIBUNE) Hasting Tribune quotes “ALMA — The Lower Republican Natural Resources District will continue to collect a $10-per-acre occupation tax on irrigated farmland and will hold the line on the property tax requirement to support its 2016-17 budget. Gathered here Thursday for their regular August meeting, LRNRD board members voted 10-0 to take a…Read More
(KRVN 880 RURAL RADIO) KRVN 880 Rural Radio quotes “MOOREFIELD, Neb. Aug. 11, 2016–The Village of Moorefield will receive $20,100 from USDA Rural Development for water system improvements. “Our Village is small and has very limited resources and we are grateful that these funds are available to help in times of emergency,” said Board Chairperson…Read More
(KEARNEY HUB) The Kearney Hub quotes “ALMA — The property tax asking and the occupation tax rate on irrigated acres in the Lower Republican Natural Resources District will be the same for the 2016-2017 fiscal year. LRNRD Assistant Manager Scott Dicke said the property tax asking in the overall budget proposal approved by the board…Read More
Since it was first published in 1983, Best Lawyers® has become universally regarded as the definitive guide to legal excellence. Best Lawyers lists are compiled based on an exhaustive peer-review evaluation. Over 83,000 leading attorneys globally are eligible to vote, and more than 13 million votes have been received to date on the legal abilities…Read More
(KRVN 880 RURAL RADIO) KRVN 880 Rural Radio quotes “There is a bitter legal battle underway in Iowa, Huffington Post says and important ag groups are contributing heavily to press the fight including the Iowa Soybean Association, which represents some 11,000 growers of the state’s second-most-lucrative crop. Three highly agricultural counties are involved in a…Read More
(KRVN 880 RURAL RADIO) KRVN 880 Rural Radio quotes “There is a bitter legal battle underway in Iowa, Huffington Post says and important ag groups are contributing heavily to press the fight including the Iowa Soybean Association, which represents some 11,000 growers of the state’s second-most-lucrative crop. Three highly agricultural counties are involved in a…Read More
(KRVN 880 RURAL RADIO) KRVN 880 Rural Radio quotes “The Central Platte Natural Resources District’s board of directors adopted an amended budget in the amount of $23 million on Thursday; which is up about $3 million from the fiscal 2016 budget. The property tax request is down $9,034.82 and with an estimated 9% valuation increase,…Read More
(NEBRASKA TV) Nebraska TV quotes “Arnie Hinkson isn’t afraid to go against conventional wisdom. Thirty years ago he worked with the Central Platte Natural Resources District on some test strips, where he learned more isn’t always better when it comes to fertilizer. He said, “Early days of nitrogen, if some was good, more was better. And then…Read More
(KRVN 880 RURAL RADIO) KRVN 880 Rural Radio quotes “The proposed water storage project between Lexington and Overton on the south side of the Platte River known as the “J2 Regulating Reservoir Project” has been put on hold. In a recent news release, the Governance Committee of the Platte River Recovery Implementation Program (PRRIP) says due…Read More
(KEARNEY HUB) Kearney Hub quotes “GRAND ISLAND — A budget requiring about $9,000 less in property taxes for fiscal year 2016-2017 was approved Thursday by the Central Platte Natural Resources District Board of Directors. The total requirement of $6,106,675 includes $4.84 million for the general fund and $1.26 million for the sinking fund. The proposed…Read More
(KEARNEY HUB) Kearney Hub quotes “ORD — The public hearing on the fiscal year 2016-2017 Lower Loup Natural Resources District budget has been set for 5:15 p.m. Aug. 25 at the NRD office in Ord. The second of two FY2017 budget workshops was part of Thursday’s board meeting agenda. LLNRD Information and Education Coordinator Larry…Read More
(AGNET) agNET quotes “KEARNEY — The Governance Committee of the Platte River Recovery Implementation Program (PRRIP) met July 26-27 in Denver, Colo., in the first of a series of Special Sessions focused on an extension of the program’s First Increment beyond the current end date of Dec. 31, 2019. The PRRIP is a collaborative program…Read More
(KRVN 880 RURAL RADIO) KRVN 880 Rural Radio quotes “LINCOLN, Neb. — Recent hot, dry weather has many Nebraska soybean farmers using irrigation to keep their crops on track during a critical stage of development for soybean plants. But it’s not as simple as turning on a faucet. A new video produced by the Nebraska…Read More
(KRVN 880 RURAL RADIO) KRVN 880 Rural Radio quotes “LINCOLN, Neb. (AP) _ The state of Nebraska won’t appeal a judge’s decision to bar a Colorado company from using a Nebraska Panhandle well to dispose of salty groundwater and chemical-laden fracking wastewater that result from oil and gas operations. The judge ruled last…Read More
(HASTINGS TRIBUNE) Hastings Tribune quotes “DAVENPORT — Representatives of the Little Blue Natural Resources District will visit fields in southern Adams and northern Webster counties in the coming weeks to collect water quality samples from running irrigation wells. The LBNRD issued a news release last week reminding producers of what they will be doing. The…Read More
(SCOTTSBLUFF STAR HERALD) Scottsbluff Star Herald quotes “Another busy two-day water tour is in the books, providing experiences and opportunities to participants of all ages and backgrounds. Wyoming Bureau of Reclamation Area Manager Carlie Ronca, as well as Wyoming State Engineer Pat Tyrrell, and Tom Hayden, superintendent of the Nebraska Department of Natural Resources water…Read More
(KRVN 880 RURAL RADIO) KRVN 880 Rural Radio quotes, “OMAHA (DTN) — As the waters of the United States rule remains tied up in federal court, a Houston-based attorney who handles Clean Water Act cases said Wednesday farmers should remain vigilant about whether work they do on the land is exempt from the law.”…Read More
(KRVN 880 RURAL RADIO) KRVN 880 Rural Radio quotes “A hearing on challenges to the Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) Waters of the US (WOTUS) rule should be waived, and a decision on whether or not to dismiss the case should instead be decided based on briefs already filed, lawyers for both the plaintiffs and the…Read More
(HASTINGS TRIBUNE) The Hastings Tribune quotes “ALMA — The Lower Republican Natural Resources District has hired an engineering firm to develop tools the district can use to evaluate possible future water resources management initiatives in its portion of the Republican River Basin. Meeting here Thursday for their regular July meeting, members of the LRNRD board…Read More
(KRVN 880 RURAL RADIO) KRVN 880 Rural Radio quotes “Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack today announced that USDA is awarding $44.6 million through its Wetland Reserve Enhancement Partnership to support 10 wetland enhancement projects on private and tribal agricultural lands in 12 States. Recipients for each project are providing more than $4.3 million in matching funds,…Read More
(KRVN 880 RURAL RADIO) KRVN 880 Rural Radio quotes “In a letter sent by Sen. James Inhofe, R-Okla., to Senate leaders Wednesday, a group of 29 Republican senators made a push to bring the Water Resources Development Act, or WRDA, to the floor of the Senate before the July 1 recess.” Read the article by…Read More
(YORK NEWS TIMES) York News Times quotes “After struggling through major droughts and legal battles over water rights, Nebraska is moving forward with an effort to keep the state’s water drinkable and abundant. The Nebraska Natural Resources Commission tapped the state’s new water sustainability fund for the first time in April, awarding nearly $11.5 million…Read More
(HASTINGS TRIBUNE) Hastings Tribune quotes “Average spring static groundwater levels in the Upper Big Blue Natural Resources District rose by 1.2 feet from 2015 to 2016, the UBBNRD has announced. The average reading for this spring stands 3.55 feet above the district’s designated “allocation trigger.” As a result, farmers in the district do not face…Read More
(NORFOLK DAILY NEWS) Norfolk Daily News quotes “Public input is being sought by the Lower Elkhorn Natural Resources District on the water quality management plan it has been developing over the past year. The plan covers the lower portion of the Elkhorn River Basin, which covers over 2.5 million acres, including all of Cuming, Pierce,…Read More
(KRVN 880 RURAL RADIO) The KRVN 880 Rural Radio quotes “Researchers at the U.S. Geological Survey and the U.S. Department of Agriculture have published a new study that demonstrates that agricultural conservation practices in the upper Mississippi River watershed can reduce nitrogen inputs to area streams and rivers by as much as 34 percent.” Read…Read More
“KRVN 880 RURAL RADIO” “The national stay on the waters of the United States rule likely will remain in place and the legal challenge to the rule will continue well into 2017, under a court order Tuesday from the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Sixth Circuit in Cincinnati.by clicking the title above.” Read the…Read More
(KRVN 880 RURAL RADIO) The KRVN 880 Rural Radio quotes “During May 2016, the NRD measured over 500 observation wells throughout the District and then averaged the data of all these wells. Observation wells are measured in the spring of each year, allowing the water table to rebound from the previous irrigation season. The observation…Read More
(SCOTTSBLUFF STAR HERALD) “Due to the high water levels in the North Platte River, the North Platte Natural Resources District (NRD) has partnered with surface water interests in the area to divert 985 cubic feet per second, or 1,950 acre feet per day, of excess river flows. The Nebraska Department of Natural Resources (NDNR) has…Read More
(KRVN 880 RADIO) “Outflows from Lake McConaughy have increased this week based on higher projections of inflows from upstream reservoirs in Wyoming. With the Wyoming reservoirs nearing full, inflows into Lake McConaughy are expected to peak around 9,000 cubic feet per second in the next several days and are expected to remain well above normal…Read More
“The Seward office of Rembolt Ludtke LLP is observing its 20th anniversary in July. We opened our satellite office to better serve our clients with a convenient location outside of Lincoln. We would like to extend our sincerest gratitude to the residents and business organizations of Seward and the surrounding area for their loyalty and…Read More
(KRVN 880 RURAL RADIO) “States and industry groups petitioned the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Sixth Circuit in Cincinnati, Ohio, for a full panel rehearing, after a three-judge panel ruled original jurisdiction to hear challenges to the Waters of the U.S. (WOTUS) rule properly lies in the court of appeals.” Read the article by…Read More
(NORFOLK DAILY NEWS) “Lower Elkhorn Natural Resources District board of directors cast a look to the future at its monthly meeting Tuesday night. The board heard from Olsson Associates about the results of a reservoir evaluation project that Olsson recently conducted in the district. The project evaluated 10 creeks in the Lower Elkhorn NRD for…Read More
(MCCOOK GAZETTE) “The Bureau of Reclamation has released the Republican River Basin Study, which identifies adaption strategies that address water management challenges in the basin. This study, which includes a study area of 2.7 million acres of irrigated agriculture served primarily by groundwater supplies, represents an extensive collaborative effort among Colorado, Nebraska and Kansas.” Read…Read More
(IMPERIAL REPUBLICAN) “Chase County Assessor Dottie Bartels was on hand at the Feb. 23 Chase County Commissioners meeting to discuss land valuations. As water usage and land designations continue to challenge Chase County officials, Commissioners Dave Hogsett, Chuck Vette and Don Weiss, Jr. would like to see the valuation process simplified.” Read the article by…Read More
