NORFOLK, Nebraska -- Do you know your NRD? Created in 1972, Nebraska’s 23 Natural Resources Districts (NRDs) are unique in the nation with Nebraska being the only state with this form of local government in place. NRDs are tasked with 12 areas of responsibility aimed at helping to conserve, develop, and manage our natural resources.

NRDs are granted the authority to generate revenue by levying property taxes, providing them with a consistent source of revenue that can sustain critical programs and projects, but also heightens the need to be fiscally responsible with local tax dollars. The Lower Elkhorn Natural Resources District (LENRD) board and staff work diligently to prioritize spending to ensure that local tax dollars are used efficiently.

The operating budget for Fiscal Year (FY) 2025 was approved by the LENRD Board of Directors at their September 12th meeting with a tax request of $4,501,887 – a decrease of 8.07% or $395,019 from last year’s budget. The estimated levy, based on the property tax request, is 1.8459 cents per $100 of valuation, which is a decrease of 18.27% from the fiscal year 2024 levy of 2.2586 cents per $100 of valuation. For example, if a person owns a $300,000 house, the taxes owed to the LENRD would have been $67.76 in 2024 and will be approximately $55.38 in 2025.

The LENRD’s total operating budget for fiscal year 2025 is estimated at $12,823,153 which is an increase of $773,221, or 6.41% from last fiscal year.

Some major expenditures for FY 2025 are: Levee/Flood Protection Projects – which includes the West Point Levee, McKenzie Dam, Winslow Demolition, and Logan East Well Project, and the City of Wayne Prairie Park Project - $1,579,000;  Water Resources Programs - $384,250;  Project Construction – Willow Creek Artesian Pressure Mitigation, Maple Creek Shoreline Stabilization, Maple Creek Storm Damage, Maskenthine Bike Trail, Willow Creek Park Renovations, and Pilger Recreation Area Renovations - $397,000;  Conservation Cost-Share Programs – Bazile Groundwater Management Area Project (BGMA) and Willow Creek Best Management Practices (BMPs) - $708,000;  and Sinking Funds – Battle Creek Project Sinking Fund ($1,000,000) and Flood Mitigation Sinking Fund ($750,000).

The LENRD has received major grant funding for the Willow Creek Dam Artesian Pressure, and Hazard Mitigation Plan (Federal Emergency Management Agency & Nebraska Emergency Management Agency); Bazile Groundwater Management Area and Willow Creek Watershed Project (Environmental Protection Agency) as well as State Grants and Funds from Department of Natural Resources, Nebraska Environmental Trust, and Nebraska Forest Service.

The LENRD has also received grant funding from the Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) for Watershed Flood Prevention Operations (WFPO). Funding through this program has assisted with the environmental assessments for the North Fork Elkhorn River Watershed Plan, the Maple Creek Watershed Plan, and the Battle Creek Watershed Plan.

Because the LENRD strives to be fiscally responsible with local tax dollars, there is a strong focus on the continuation of allocating resources towards Sinking Funds in the budget. The funds are put into savings now to be used for future projects.

“By setting money aside today into a sinking fund, tagged for use for a specific project, it helps to minimize impact to the property tax levy for tomorrow,” said LENRD General Manager Brian Bruckner. “Our board continues to be conservative as we invest and save for the future needs for the citizens of our district.”

To learn more about the 12 responsibilities of Nebraska’s NRDs and how your local district can work with you and your community to protect your natural resources, visit www.lenrd.org and sign up for our monthly emails. The next board of directors meeting will be September 26, 2024, at the LENRD office in Norfolk at 7:30 p.m. and on Facebook Live.