HOLDREGE, Nebraska – Fires raged through Gosper County and into Furnas County on Thursday, April 7, devastating the area.  High winds and dry conditions caused the fire to move rapidly and made it extremely difficult to contain. Elwood Fire Chief Darren Krull lost his life and others were injured. Property and livestock have been lost. The western portion of the Tri-Basin Natural Resources District (NRD) has a long road to recovery.

On Monday, April 11, Tri-Basin NRD staff surveyed the damage with Elwood Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) to find ways to help with disaster recovery. The Tri-Basin NRD Board of Directors voted unanimously to approve relief measures. Landowners in Union Township, where producers are allocated water, will be allowed to pump water for fire suppression, dust control or to establish cover crops on fire-damaged fields until June 1. If they need to use water for these purposes beyond that date, producers must contact the Tri-Basin NRD.

In addition, flowmeters in Union Township that were damaged by fire will be replaced by Tri-Basin NRD. Gosper County producers outside of Union Township who lost flowmeters will be eligible for cost-share on replacements. The NRD is also working to secure funding to replace windbreaks that were lost in the fire.

“Tri-Basin NRD will continue to do what we can to support our disaster-affected constituents,” said John Thorburn, Tri-Basin NRD general manager. “Nebraska’s NRDs protect lives, property and the future by preserving our natural resources.”

About Tri-Basin Natural Resources District
Tri-Basin Natural Resources District (NRD) protects lives, property, and the future of Gosper, Phelps, and Kearney counties through a wide-range of stewardship, management, and education programs—from tree planting to groundwater quality and quantity monitoring, from irrigation management to outdoor recreation and more. 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 Resource Districts across the state.  For more information, visit tribasinnrd.org or call (308) 995-6688.