HOLDREGE, Nebraska – Tri-Basin Natural Resources District (Tri-Basin NRD) is now offering a Soil Moisture Sensor Cost-Share Program targeted at landowners in the Republican Basin section of the district. This initiative aims to enhance irrigation efficiency and contribute to sustainable water management practices.

Under this program, eligible landowners within the Republican Basin can receive 60 percent cost-share for the purchase or lease of soil moisture sensors for the upcoming 2024 crop year. The cost-share is limited to $2,500 per field, focusing solely on equipment costs and excluding data subscription services.

• Application Deadline: Landowners are encouraged to apply promptly as the application period closes on April 1, 2024, or when allocated funds are exhausted, whichever comes first.
• Approval Process: Each application requires approval from the NRD board of directors.
• Reimbursement Process: Upon approval, landowners are required to pay the full upfront cost for the soil moisture sensor equipment. An itemized invoice should then be submitted to the local Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) office for reimbursement.
• Commitment Period: Participating landowners commit to installing soil moisture sensors and completing a water use survey for three years. Sensors must be installed before the first irrigation or by June 1, 2024.
• Maximum Cost-Share: The program extends a maximum cost-share of $5,000 per landowner annually.
• Equipment Ownership: Landowners must retain ownership of the purchased equipment for a period of five years.
• Compliance: To be eligible, landowners must adhere to all NRD rules. Enrolled fields are required to have functioning flowmeters in place.

Interested landowners can apply for the Soil Moisture Sensor Cost-Share Program through their local NRCS office. For additional information, please contact Tri-Basin NRD at 877.995.6688 or reach out to your local NRCS office.

About Tri-Basin Natural Resources District
The Tri-Basin Natural Resources District (NRD) protects lives, property, and the future of Gosper, Phelps, and Kearney counties through stewardship, management, and education programs — ranging from tree planting to groundwater quality and quantity monitoring, from irrigation management to outdoor recreation. Activities and projects of Tri-Basin NRD are reviewed and approved by a locally elected board of directors. Tri-Basin NRD is one of 23 Natural Resources Districts across Nebraska. For more information, visit tribasinnrd.org or call 308.995.6688.