(GRAND ISLAND, NE) The Central Platte Natural Resources District will hold a public hearing at 1:00 p.m. on Thursday, April 24, 2014. The hearing will be held at the NRD office located at 215 Kaufman Avenue in Grand Island, Nebraska, with the April board meeting following at 2:00 p.m.

COMMITTEES/BOARD AGENDA:

-NRCS Report: James Huntwork, USDA-NRCS district liaison, and Mike Pavel, Resource Conservationist of Kearney, will report to the board.

-Rules & Regulations: The public hearing on the Rules & Regulations for Groundwater Use in Fully & Over Appropriated Areas will be reopened. The board will take action to approve or amend and approve the following proposed changes: a December 31, 2014 deadline to certify irrigated acres; allowances for limited transfers on Class VIIe soils; and transfers of groundwater for irrigation of cropland on Class Vw, VIw, VIs, VIIw, VIIs, VIIIw, or VIIIs soils if approved by the Corps of Engineers and NRCS. To address ground water declines, transfers and supplemental wells will not be allowed into any sub-area if the ground water declines are 25% or more of the acceptable decline as defined in the Rules & Regulations.

-Variance/Appeals Sub-Committee: Landowner appeals from Buffalo and Merrick counties on determination of irrigated acres.

-Western Projects Committee: The committee will discuss and possibly have a recommendation on the request from David Burkholder, Dawson County Drainage District #4, to financially assist in the construction of a double box culvert on the lower end of the Drainage District's system in the amount of $50,000.

-Eastern Projects Committee: The committee will review the proposed budget for Fiscal 2015.

-Water Resources Committee: On the committee's agenda:

-Review the proposed budget for Fiscal 2015.

-Jesse Mintken, projects manager, will give an update on the Dawson County canal projects.

-Discuss the financial summary of the canal rehabilitation projects as requested by director Ladd Reeves.

-COHYST: Duane Woodward, hydrologist, will have an update on the Cooperative Hydrology Study.

-Legislation: Mark Czaplewski, biologist, will have an end of the session report on natural resources bills.

-Other: As may develop prior to the board meeting.