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NRD News and Events

Nebraska Cooperative Council Partners with NRDs on Producer Connect

Friday, March 22, 2024

LINCOLN, Nebraska – Nebraska’s Natural Resources Districts (NRDs) are pleased to announce a new collaboration with Nebraska Cooperative Council on the development of a groundbreaking web and mobile application suite, Producer Connect. Producer Connect is designed to empo...

Nebraska unveils state's first Climate Action Plan, aims to reduce emissions by over 30%

Monday, March 11, 2024

Andrew Wegley Nebraska submitted the state's first Climate Action Plan to federal regulators earlier this month, outlining voluntary and incentive-based programs aimed at reducing greenhouse gas emissions and other harmful air pollutants in the state.The...

USDA Announces Conservation Reserve Program General Signup for 2024

Monday, March 4, 2024

LINCOLN, Nebraska, March 4, 2024 – The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) announced that agricultural producers and private landowners can begin signing up for the general Conservation Reserve Program (CRP) starting March 4 and running through March 29, 2024. This conse...

NRDs Taking Orders for Spring Conservation Tree Plantings

Tuesday, February 6, 2024

Conservation Tree Windbreaks Provide Critical Livestock ProtectionLINCOLN, Nebraska – Nebraska's Natural Resources Districts (NRDs) are actively taking orders for conservation tree seedlings, and the deadline to order is fast approaching. Secure your favorite species and m...

NDEE extends deadline to request free nitrate sample kits

Wednesday, January 31, 2024

LINCOLN, Neb. — The Nebraska Department of Environment and Energy (NDEE) is extending the deadline for Nebraskans to request a free nitrate sample kit and lab analysis.Sample kits can now be requested through March 1, 2024, or until funds are expended. The free nitrat...

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 (...

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Regional/National Water News

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

Ricketts says Colorado is not delivering enough water on the South Platte

09/21/2022

By Fred Knapp, Reporter/Producer Nebraska Public Media Sept. 21, 2022 Nebraska Gov. Pete Ricketts said Colorado is not delivering all the water it is supposed to from the South Platte River. Ricketts made his remarks in a presentation at the public library in Ogallala on...Read more

Topsoil protection should be stressed in the next farm bill, U.S. House Ag panel told

09/17/2022

BY: ARIANA FIGUEROA - SEPTEMBER 17, 2022 WASHINGTON — Farmers and academics at a hearing this week stressed the need for members of the U.S. House Agriculture Committee to support regenerative agriculture farming practices in the upcoming farm bill in order to protect...Read more

U.S. agricultural groups spell out their priorities in the next farm bill

08/02/2022

BY: ALLISON WINTER - AUGUST 2, 2022 7:31 PM Major U.S. agricultural production groups are pulling together their requests for the next farm bill — the massive legislation that Congress rewrites every five years to set farm and food policy — with crop insurance and disaster...Read more

Drought drops Platte River to one of its lowest levels in decade in Nebraska

07/30/2022

By: Nancy Gaarder Stunning images of a virtually dry Platte River near Columbus are yet another reminder of the grip that drought has had on the region. That stretch of river dropped this week to one of its lowest levels in about a decade, said Jeremy Gehle, water...Read more

The Perfect Storm: Now’s the Time to Safeguard Your Soil

05/16/2022

By JENNA HOFFMAN May 16, 2022 A dust storm rippled through the Midwest late last week, followed by rain in some parts and continued heat in others. The Great Plains is no stranger to this weather phenomenon, but producers up north are less familiar with it. Images of the...Read more

KGS report indicates 2021 drained Kansas groundwater levels

03/23/2022

By Sarah Motter LAWRENCE, Kan. (WIBW) - A new report from the Kansas Geological Survey , based at KU, found that groundwater levels have dropped by over a foot in western and central Kansas. The University of Kansas says preliminary data gathered by the Kansas Geological...Read more

Grasslands need protection now

03/13/2022

North America's grasslands are one of the most threatened ecosystems in the world. By Jacob Hanson The grade school textbooks in my rural, northern Minnesota classroom raised an issue that led to lunchroom table talk over a peanut butter and jelly sandwich. Rainforests were...Read more

Farmers restore native grasslands as groundwater disappears

09/09/2021

To avoid Dust Bowl conditions, more farmers are restoring native grasslands in areas where the nation’s largest aquifer is drying up and rainfall is often scarce. By TAMMY WEBBER Associated Press MULESHOE, Texas (AP) — For decades, the Texas Panhandle was green with cotton...Read more

DROUGHT UPDATE: WEST COAST, MIDWEST WATER SUPPLIES DWINDLE

05/28/2021

Central Valley Farmers to Get No Allocation Farmers in California’s Central Valley Project will get none of their water allocations in 2021, according to the U.S. Bureau of Reclamation. Urban areas served by the Central Valley Project will receive 25% of their contracted...Read more