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NRD News and Events

NRCS and NRDs Continue Successful Partnership on Dam Assessments

Thursday, January 25, 2024

LINCOLN, Nebraska – To ensure water infrastructure safety, Nebraska’s Natural Resources Districts (NRDs) and other sponsors continue a strong partnership with the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) on several dam assessments...

Scholarships offered for college students in natural resources field

Thursday, January 18, 2024

GRAND ISLAND — Central Platte Natural Resources District (CPNRD) is accepting applications for the CPNRD-Ron Bishop Memorial College Scholarship Program.Applicants must be a college junior, senior or graduate student enrolled in a natural resources course of study at an ac...

Public Can Participate in Jan. 9 Board Meeting Online

Wednesday, January 3, 2024

The URNRD Board of Directors meeting at 9 a.m. on Jan. 9 will be held via virtual conferencing and can also be attended in-person at the URNRD office in Imperial, 511 East 5th Street. A web link that provides virtual access to the meeting will be provided on this website's m...

URNRD Launches 2024 Probe Cost Share Program

Tuesday, November 14, 2023

Applications to receive cost share for soil-moisture probes used in 2024 are now being accepted by the Upper Republican NRD. Under the program, irrigators in Perkins, Dundy and Chase Counties are reimbursed for half the cost of up to three soil-moisture probes.Use of soil-mo...

NOTICE OF ANNUAL MEETING REGARDING THE REPUBLICAN RIVER BASIN-WIDE PLAN

Monday, November 6, 2023

JOINTLY DEVELOPED BY THE REPUBLICAN RIVER NATURAL RESOURCES DISTRICTS AND THE DEPARTMENT OF NATURAL RESOURCES.The Upper Republican Natural Resources District (NRD), Middle Republican NRD, Lower Republican NRD, Tri-Basin NRD, and the Nebraska Department of Natural Resources (...

Water use allocations make sense for Nebraska’s future generations

Saturday, October 21, 2023

Isn’t Nebraska something? Whether you were born and bred here, or were lucky enough to move into the area, you learn pretty fast that there’s a lot to love about the Cornhusker State. Two of the things that make our state special are our abundance of natural resources an...

Deadline approaching for Natural Resource Conservation Funds

Saturday, October 7, 2023

LINCOLN — Farmers and ranchers interested in preventing erosion, improving soil health, conserving water and wildlife or making other natural resource conservation improvements to their property may apply for funding available from the U.S. Department of Agriculture N...

Clean Diesel Rebate Applications accepted through Dec. 7, 2023

Wednesday, October 4, 2023 to Friday, December 8, 2023

LINCOLN, Neb. — The Nebraska Department of Environment and Energy’s 2023 Clean Diesel Rebate Program is now accepting applications for agricultural irrigation pump diesel engine replacements. Applications must be submitted to NDEE by Dec. 7, 2023, to be considered.The Cl...

NRD PROVIDES TOOL FOR ACCURATE WATER USE ON CROPS

Monday, July 17, 2023

With irrigation season in full swing, it’s important having all the tools and information available to help determine how much water is needed to keep crops going and conserve water as area producers roll into the new 2023-2027 allocation period.The Upper Republican NRD ha...

Automated flowmeters assist irrigators

Thursday, June 22, 2023

The tools help NRDs and producers better track irrigation efficiency and water utilization.Water is on the top of every producer’s mind this year, especially among irrigators.One way that Nebraska works to better conserve water is through the work of Natural Resources Dist...

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Regional/National Water News

Disaster declared in 55 Nebraska counties because of drought

04/06/2023

More than half of Nebraska's counties have been designated as primary natural disaster areas because of the ongoing drought. The United States Department of Agriculture on Wednesday announced the designation for 55 of the state's 93 counties, which makes farmers and...Read more

Continued below-average precipitation reduces groundwater levels, report shows

04/05/2023

by Geitner Simmons | IANR Media Groundwater levels have declined in most of Nebraska following multiple years of below-average precipitation, University of Nebraska–Lincoln scientists found in a new statewide analysis. About three-quarters of the 4,787 observation wells...Read more

Feds slap restrictions on more than 1,000 miles of Keystone pipeline after Kansas oil spill

03/08/2023

By Celia Llopis-Jepsen, KCUR March 8, 2023, 4 p.m Oil spills on the Keystone pipeline that runs from Canada to Texas are becoming more frequent and serious, federal regulators said Tuesday. So the U.S. Department of Transportation ordered Canadian company TC Energy to lower...Read more

Dicamba use deadline to remain as June 30 in Nebraska

02/27/2023

LINCOLN, Neb. —Nebraska Department of Agriculture (NDA) Director Sherry Vinton recently sent a letter to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) objecting to a label revision for the herbicide dicamba and a proposed early cutoff date for its use. NDA was recently...Read more

USDA Invests More than $48.6 Million to Manage Risks, Combat Climate Change

02/21/2023

WASHINGTON, Feb. 21, 2023 – The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) will invest more than $48.6 million this year through the Joint Chiefs’ Landscape Restoration Partnership for projects that mitigate wildfire risk, improve water quality, restore forest ecosystems, and...Read more

Nebraska joins other states to fight new WOTUS rule

02/16/2023

BY: CINDY GONZALEZ LINCOLN — Nebraska on Thursday joined 24 other states in a lawsuit against the Biden administration’s new rule defining so-called Waters of the United States, or WOTUS. The multi-state coalition said the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and Army Corps...Read more

'Potential for a lawsuit': State leaders clash over $567M canal project

12/30/2022

Engineers finish evaluating Perkins County Canal Project PERKINS COUNTY, Neb. — The fight for water between Nebraska and Colorado is also dividing state leaders. The Perkins County Canal Project would divert water from the South Platte River into Nebraska as Colorado...Read more

Bison return program is now helping Native American ranchers build herds

11/08/2022

About 330 bison coming from Nebraska preserve operated by the Nature Conservancy BY: PAUL HAMMEL - NOVEMBER 3, 2022 LINCOLN — For years, Wayne Frederick and his father managed a herd of bison held by the Rosebud Sioux Tribe of south-central South Dakota. But now, a unique...Read more

Nebraska on pace for second-worst wildfire year ever; 2023 outlook is dim

11/07/2022

Drought and strong winds spawned large, fast-moving fires in spring, summer and fall BY: PAUL HAMMEL - NOVEMBER 7, 2022 LINCOLN — Worsening drought, coupled with strong, sustained winds, have combined to put 2022 on track as the second-worst year for wildfires in Nebraska...Read more

Dry wetlands impact birds that migrate to and from Nebraska

11/02/2022

by Risell Ventura KEARNEY, Neb. — Just a couple of days ago, the Platte River was lacking flowing water. Now as water is starting to flow again, NTV News spoke with the Crane Trust and the Rowe Sanctuary about how the drought can impact the birds that migrate to and from...Read more