GRAND ISLAND, Nebraska - Producers interested in improving water quality and quantity in their farming operations may apply for irrigation management funding now through November 17, 2023, at their local USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service office.

Producers in the Central Platte and Twin Platte Natural Resource Districts (NRDs)are eligible to apply for the Ogallala Aquifer and Platte River Recovery Project funds through the NRCS’s Regional Conservation Partnership Program (RCPP).

Funding is available for more efficient irrigation techniques, installing conservation practices, and assisting farmers with converting irrigated acres to non-irrigated farmland.

Lyndon Vogt, Central Platte NRD General Manager, said, “Our Board recently approved dividing two of the District’s Groundwater Management Areas. With this change, even more producers would benefit from the RCPP funding to address conservation needs.”

The purpose of the grant is to reduce water consumption by converting irrigated land to non-irrigated on a permanent or temporary basis. The focus areas are the over-appropriated areas of the District from Gothenburg to Elm Creek and Groundwater Management Areas that are in declining status.

The practices to address surface and groundwater quality and quantity concerns are improved irrigation systems and technologies to increase irrigation efficiency to reduce impacts to the Platte River and the local groundwater supply. Phases II/III areas of the CPNRD’s Groundwater Quality Management Program will also be a focus since nitrate levels in these areas are above the recommended 10 ppm drinking water standard.

Central Platte NRD is the primary sponsor. Other contributing partners include the Twin Platte NRD, Thirty Mile Irrigation District, Southside Canal Company, and the Cozad Ditch Company. The Ogallala Aquifer and Platte River Recovery Project began in 2015. Additional funding was approved in the 2018 Farm Bill and is in year 2 of 5 of RCPP funding.

Producers interested in signing up for funding may contact their local NRCS office: Central City (308) 946-2251; Grand Island (308) 395-8586; Kearney (308) 237-3118; Lexington (308) 324-6314; or visit www.ne.nrcs.usda.gov.