GRAND ISLAND, Nebraska – The Central Platte Natural Resources District’s (CPNRD) Board of Directors elected Keith Ostermeier, of Grand Island, as Board Secretary and Marvion Reichert, of Elm Creek, as Board Treasurer at their monthly meeting on Thursday. Board officers may serve two, two-year terms.

OTHER AGENDA/ACTION ITEMS

Proposed Education/Office  The Building Committee reported that they are moving forward to initiate the bidding process for the proposed education/office building at the Prairie Silver Moores Flood Reduction Project northwest of Grand Island.

Variance Requests  The Board approved the Variance/Appeals Committee’s recommendation on the following variance requests:

Platte River Industrial Park in Hall County  Approved a water well permit for a new manufacturing facility. The amount of groundwater consumed by this new facility can be offset with certified irrigated acres on the same property, through an approved transfer. The sub-committee makes the recommendation to approve the request with conditions.  

Landowners in Merrick County  Approval allowing the transfer of certified irrigated acres into a declining Groundwater Management Area because the property was purchased within 90 days of the March 1st deadline for applications. The landowners are required to submit a completed application to transfer certified irrigated acres to the district within the next 30 days.

Manager’s Report  Lyndon Vogt, General Manager, reported on the following:

·   Integrated Programs Coordinator  Interviews will take place in February for this grant-funded shared position between the Central Platte and Tri-Basin NRDs to assist NRCS and the NRDs in promoting USDA conservation programs.

·   WaterSMART Grants  The NRD is working on three WaterSMART grants through the U.S. Bureau of Reclamation. The projects will address irrigation efficiency on the three canals that CPNRD partners with and meter approximately 100 wells to support COHYST data on average annual irrigation in the CPNRD.

The grants include: A Small-Scale Water Efficiency Grant was submitted for the Thirty-Mile Irrigation District Canal Efficiency Project; and two Water & Energy Efficiency grants will be submitted in February for the Southside Irrigation District/Cozad Ditch Company Flow Measurement & Canal Efficiency Project and the Flowmeter, Telemetry & Data Management System Project

Violation Report  Luke Zakrzewski, GIS Image Analyst, reported that 53 producers irrigated land totaling 218.3 acres that weren’t certified or approved for irrigation through a transfer in 2023. Violation letters will be mailed this month requiring violators to contact the CPNRD within 30 days. In February, the Board will consider issuing Cease & Desist orders to producers who do not comply.

Nebraska Association of Resources District (NARD)  Deb VanMatre, CPNRD Representative, reported on:

·   2024 NARD Legislative Bills Summary  VanMatre reported that over 350 NRD directors and staff attended the NARD Legislative Conference in January. The CPNRD and Lower Loup NRDs hosted a dinner for senators Teresa Ibach, John Lowe and Lippincott; as well as agency directors Tom Riley-NeDNR, Sherry Vinton-Dept. of Ag, Rob Lawson-NRCS, Jim Macy-NDEE.

·   NARD Employee Retirement 414(h) Program  NARD is considering a proposed District/Employee contribution rate change.

·   Conservation Tree Program  460,000 seedlings have been ordered from Bessey Nursery for NRDs to sell. CPNRD has over 30 varieties of deciduous, conifers and shrubs available. To learn more about the NRD’s tree and fabric weed barrier programs, visit cpnrd.org or contact the NRD at (308) 385-6282.

Natural Resources Conservation Service  Joe Krolikowski, District Conservationist, provided the FY 2024 Environmental Quality Incentives Program (EQIP) initial allocations to each NRD, with Central Platte NRD’s allocation at $361,091. He reported that NRCS is preparing the applications received to be ranked. Contract offers will be extended to the highest-ranked applications.

Committee Signups  Board members selected two committees to serve on for 2024. Committee chairmen include Mike Wilkens, Water Quality; Ryan Kegley, Programs; Lon Bohn, Western Projects; Deb VanMatre, Water Utilization; Jerry Milner, Eastern Projects; and Ed Kyes, Variance/Appeals.

General Election Update  Central Platte NRD has 21 members on the board of directors who serve four-year terms, with two directors in each of the NRD’s 10 sub-districts and one at-large director.  Directors in the same sub-district are elected in alternate election years. Incumbents must file by February 15th. The non-incumbent deadline is March 1st.

Subdistrict 8 Vacancy  Lyndon Vogt, General Manager, reported that the NRD has received interest in the vacancy on the Board of Directors in Subdistrict 8. The candidate selected will be considered at the February 22nd Board meeting for a term that ends December 2024. Interested individuals will be interviewed prior to the February Board meeting.

Letters of intent will be accepted until February 9, 2024, and can be sent to CPNRD, 215 Kaufman Ave. Grand Island NE 68803 or emailed to vogt [at] cpnrd.org. Interested candidates should also file with the State Election Office for a two-year term which has a filing deadline of March 1, 2024.

Cost-Share applications for center pivot incentive, tree planting, burn preparation and well decommissioning were approved totaling $25,850 through the Nebraska Soil and Water Conservation and the Central Platte NRD cost-share programs.

Upcoming Board Meetings  February 22, March 28, April 25    Central Platte NRD’s Board of Directors meetings are held at 2:00 p.m. at the CPNRD office located at 215 Kaufman Ave in Grand Island. The Board scheduled their annual retreat for February 29, 2024.

Registration is Open for CPNRD’s Annual Water Programs Update  
  9:30 – 2:30 on Tuesday, February 6, 2024      
No registration fee, lunch is provided with RSVP.
  Merrick County Youth & Ag Education Center, 1784 Fairgrounds Rd, Central City

*Attendance replaces the requirement to take the Nitrogen Management Certification Test for producers in Phases I/II the NRD’s Groundwater Quality Management Program.

*Continuing Education Credits Available for the Professional Water Well Contractors License through the Nebraska Health & Human Services.

SCHEDULE
9:30  Welcome   Lyndon Vogt, General Manager

9:35  Nitrogen Management  Timeline, Data-Driven Fertigation
            Dean Krull, UNL Demonstration Project Coordinator & Khris Staton, Sentinel Implementation Specialist

10:15  Water Quantity Update Groundwater Levels, Quantity Management Plan/Violation Changes
            Luke Zakrzewski- GIS Image Analyst & Angela Warner, GIS Coordinator

11:15  Drainage Law Landowner vs Renter Responsibilitie:
            Don Blankenau, Attorney  Blankenau Wilmoth Jarecke

12:00  Lunch

12:45  Groundwater Quality Management Plan Changes
            Tricia Dudley, Water Quality Specialist & Courtney Widup, Water Resources Technician

1:15    Perkins Canal  Update on Design Process
            Jesse Bradley, Assistant Director  Nebraska Department of Natural Resources

2:00    2024 Weather Outlook
            Mike Moritz, Warning Coordination Meteorologist  National Weather Service

*RSVP with Marcia Lee, Information/Education Specialist  (308) 385-6282 | lee [at] cpnrd.org