News & Events

Horizontal Tabs

NRD News and Events

Nebraska's Largest Classroom Days

Tuesday, July 1, 2025

Visit the Natural Resources Districts in the Raising Nebraska Exhibit during the Nebraska State Fair's Largest Classroom Days. This free event takes place on Friday, August 22, Tuesday, August 26, and Wednesday, August 27 and is a special educational event for kind...

Water technology, efficiency at heart of Master Irrigator program

Thursday, June 26, 2025

Nebraska joins a half-dozen other states in developing a program that helps farmers improve water management and irrigation efficiency.By Don McCabeFor 40-plus years, Roric Paulman has adopted the latest in new crop and irrigation technology on his farm south of Sutherl...

ACE Camp Registration

Tuesday, May 27, 2025

Registrations for ACE Camp are being accepted until June 6!Registration can be found here: https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLScpB3kRXb2rzsUIjKrEy90jQVx0xf7opKFZDj0cMs5yhWRDIg/viewform

Governor Pillen Declares Emergency, Mobilizes Nebraska National Guard and Issues Statewide Burn Ban Following Fire in Brown County

Thursday, April 24, 2025

LINCOLN, NE – Governor Jim Pillen has authorized the Nebraska National Guard to mobilize 29 soldiers and airmen to assist local volunteer fire departments, which are currently battling the Plum Creek Fire near Johnstown, Nebraska, in Brown County. Nebraska Army Nation...

Large Solar-Energy Proposal On NCORPE To Be Presented To NRD Board

Monday, February 10, 2025

The Upper Republican NRD Board of Directors will be presented with plans for a solar-energy project on NCORPE land in Lincoln County in advance of a final NCORPE vote on the project expected Feb. 19. The public is invited to attend and provide input.If approved by the NCORPE...

URNRD Launches 2025 Probe Cost Share Program

Tuesday, December 17, 2024

Applications to receive cost share for soil-moisture probes used in 2025 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...

Luncheon, Meeting Will Inform Farmers of Nitrogen Management and Payments

Tuesday, December 17, 2024

Imperial, Neb. – A free luncheon and meeting will be held at 10 a.m. on Jan. 10 at the Nutrien building at the Chase County Fairgrounds to inform farmers of state payments available for reducing nitrogen applications, and technologies and products to help them achiev...

NDEE accepting applications for ONE RED Irrigation Engine Program

Thursday, November 14, 2024

LINCOLN, Neb. — The Nebraska Department of Environment and Energy (NDEE) announces the opening of the 2024-2025 ONE RED Irrigation Engine Program. Applications are now being accepted for rebates to assist farmers with the replacement of agricultural irrigation pump d...

NRDs Now Taking Orders for Spring Tree Seedlings

Friday, November 1, 2024

LINCOLN, Nebraska – Nebraska’s Natural Resources Districts (NRDs) are now accepting orders for conservation tree seedlings for spring planting. By ordering early, you can secure your preferred species and make a lasting contribution to the environment.Since 1972, Nebrask...

NRD Hall of Fame Inductees Announced at Husker Harvest Days

Monday, September 16, 2024

Three individuals honored for conservation workLINCOLN, Nebraska – During Husker Harvest Days Wednesday, Sept. 11, Nebraska’s Natural Resources Districts (NRDs) recognized three individuals, who will be inducted into the NRD Hall of Fame later this month.“Nebraska...

Pages

Regional/National Water News

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

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