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Helping You Conserve Natural Resources For 35 Years... |
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Upper Republican Natural Resources District |
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Responsibilities & Programs |
Groundwater Management AreaCommencing in 1978, the URNRD has adopted and enforced rules and regulations for the purpose of managing the ground water resources within the URNRD. On July 6, 2004 the URNRD voted to extend Order No. 26 until September 1, 2005. Rule 9A of the Rules provides for a basic allocation of ground water to certified irrigated acres within the URNRD of 72.5 inches for the five (5) year period between January 1, 2003 and December 31, 2007, an annualized allocation of 14.5 acre-inches. In accordance with the Integrated |
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Management Plan, the allocation was reduced to 13.5 acre-inches per year in 2005. Since 1978, with adoption of its Order #1, the URNRD has required the metering, data collection and reporting of ground water use, resulting in actual pumpage and use data, and has imposed allocations and regulation on ground water users within the URNRD. In May 2005 the URNRD adopted an Integrated Management Plan, effective for the 2005 through 2007 irrigation seasons, pursuant to LB 962. Read more... Groundwater Quality SamplingThe URNRD has continued a water quality sampling program in the district. This sampling program began in 1974, but more sampling sites were added in 1980. These sites are still sampled once a year in the winter. Sixty-four domestic wells are sampled for nitrate results. |
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In fiscal year 2006, the NRD collected 65 domestic water samples. The median nitrate concentration was 3.4 ppm. The average nitrate concentration was 4.79 ppm. There were forty-one samples with nitrate concentration of 1.0 – 4.0 ppm, thirteen samples with nitrate concentration of 4.1 – 6.0 ppm, five samples with nitrate concentration of 6.1-10.0 ppm, four samples with nitrate concentration of 10.1 – 20 ppm and two samples with nitrate concentration of over 20 ppm. At each water sample site with a nitrate concentration above 6.0 ppm, twelve more samples are collected in |
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a three-mile diameter of the sample site. If there are municipal or village water wells in that area, those nitrate levels are also used. Read more... ChemigationChemigation is the practice of applying fertilizers or other agricultural chemicals to land or crops through an irrigation system. To protect Nebraska’s ground water from possible back-flow of chemicals into irrigation wells, the Legislature enacted LB 284, the Chemigation Act. The act requires the operator of a chemigation system to obtain a permit prior to use. To obtain this permit, the irrigation must be properly equipped, inspected and approved by the NRD before applying any chemicals. By mid-August 2006 the NRD had issued 2,525 chemigation permits with 2,459 being renewal permits and 66 being new permits. |
Decommissioned WellsNebraska is one of several states in which more than 90% of the people rely on ground water for domestic use. Abandoned wells can be a threat to this water supply because they provide a direct link for contamination from the surface to the groundwater. An abandoned well is a well that has not been properly decommissioned. Decommissioned means the act of filling, sealing and plugging a water well in accordance with Rules and Regulations of the Nebraska Health and Human Services. The URNRD has a decommissioning cost share program. Reimbursement will be 75% of actual cost not to exceed a maximum in cost-share of $500 for all wells except $1400 for a hand dug domestic well. During FY 2006 twenty-two wells were decommissioned using the NRD decommissioning well program. |
Groundwater Well Measurement SitesThe URNRD has maintained a ground water well measurement database since 1972. There are over 400 wells measured twice every year for the static water level. The wells are measured in the spring and in the fall once irrigation season has been completed. USGS/URNRD Continuous Recorder WellsThe USGS has partnered with the URNRD for many years to measure and maintain continuous recorder wells in the District. The URNRD measures all fourteen recorder wells nine times during the year. There are some wells that do not actually have recorders in them now but the URNRD still measures them three months out of the year. |
Registered Irrigation WellsThe URNRD has copies of all irrigation well registrations in the District on file at the Imperial office. As of February 24, 2006 there are 3,225 registered irrigation wells in the District. In Chase County there are 1,369 irrigation wells, in Dundy County there are 938 irrigation wells and in Perkins County there are 918 irrigation wells. Groundwater Allocation – FlowmetersEach well requiring a permit is equipped with a flowmeter. The flowmeter is installed, operated and maintained in accordance with the specific Rules and Regulations of the URNRD. The flowmeters are required to be sealed in. URNRD technicians have a servicing program for each of the three counties. Flowmeters are serviced and read annually. Flowmeters that need to be repaired or replaced will be picked up by the technicians after the irrigation season is finished. The URNRD does have an in-house flowmeter repair shop. |
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Flowmeters that need to be repaired and have failed to work during the irrigation season will need to have the landowner provide information such as energy usage to help determine the water pumpage from the irrigation season. Ultrasonic FlowmeterThe URNRD does have an ultrasonic flowmeter available for use in the district. The ultrasonic flowmeter is available as an accuracy check for the regular flowmeters. Irrigation Runoff ComplaintsThe NRDs have statutory authority to handle irrigation runoff complaints. When landowners receive irrigation runoff water on their property from another landowner, a complaint to resolve the problem may be issued to the NRD. Usually the NRD is able to resolve these situations without going through the formal complaint process. In 2006, no calls were received concerning irrigation runoff complaints. Wellhead Protection ProgramThe URNRD has continued to work with the cities and villages of the District with their wellhead protection programs. Read More... |