April 2, 2019
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 draft Water Quality Management Plan, plus a set of goals and objectives to be incorporated into a voluntary integrated water management plan yet to be developed.
Between the water quality plan and the voluntary IMP, the district is seeking to chart a better way forward in terms of both groundwater quality and quantity. Nebraska’s NRDs are charged by state law with regulating groundwater management.
The Nebraska Department of Natural Resources regulates the management of surface water resources, which are commonly understood to be interconnected with groundwater. The Nebraska Department of Environmental Quality gets involved with all kinds of water contamination issues.
The open house is set for 7-8:30 p.m. Tuesday at the UBBNRD office, now located across the street from the York County Fairgrounds at 319 E. 25th St. That location is on the north side of town and just one block east of Lincoln Avenue, which is the main drag through the city of York running north and south.
