GRAND ISLAND, Nebraska – The Central Platte Natural Resources District (CPNRD) will host two public information meetings this month to explain proposed changes to the CPNRD’s Groundwater Management Plan. The proposed updates include new climate, hydrogeologic and socio-economic data of the groundwater resources. Plan triggers, data sets, maps and the 2022 Cooperative Hydrology Study (COHYST) prediction 50-year simulations were also added.

Specific Proposed Updates:

• Allow Subdistricts 7 and 9 of the Groundwater Management Areas to be subdivided based on level of development and hydrology.

• New phase triggers to reflect percentages of maximum acceptable declines.

• Add management regulations to require meters and allocation to address groundwater decline instead of reducing irrigated acres and well spacing.

The information meetings will also include information on water quality; although there are no changes proposed for the water quality section of the plan at this time. The board will likely consider adoption of the Plan this winter.

Public Information Meeting Schedule:

DATE                                                     TIME                                   LOCATION

Thursday, November 10                9:30 - 11:30 a.m.              Merrick County Youth & Ag Center, Central City

Tuesday, November 15                  9:30 - 11:30 a.m.              Buffalo County Extension, Kearney

Central Platte NRD’s Groundwater Management Plan was the first plan to be approved by the Nebraska Department of Natural Resources and was implemented by CPNRD’s Board of Directors in 1987. Groundwater depths and thicknesses were charted and used to help establish 24 groundwater supply management areas. Besides aquifer conditions, soils and topographic characteristics are similar in each management area.

The Plan has a phased approach with a set maximum acceptable decline and margin of safety for each management area. It was determined that as an area’s average groundwater level declined through that margin of safety, controls should be mandated to slow the decline.

The proposed Plan is available for download at: cpnrd.org/groundwater-quantity.  To learn more contact Courtney Widup at (308) 385-6282 or widup [at] cpnrd.org.