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Funds Available to Help Restore and Protect Rangeland

Tuesday, February 7, 2023

Nebraska producers have funding available to help address the spread of invasive woody vegetation on rangeland. Landowners should apply at their local NRCS field office by Feb. 17, 2023, for funding to adopt management practices that help treat the spread of Eastern redcedar...

The U.S. EPA is proposing to make the most significant changes to Rodenticides in 15 years

Monday, January 30, 2023

ALL rodenticides to be Restricted Use Pesticides (RUP)There will be no more General Use Rozol Pocket Gopher Bait, for example. Cancellation of spot/scatter and broadcast applications Cannot be made directly to food or feed crops;May only be made using tamper-resist...

Chemigation program works with partners to protect water

Friday, January 6, 2023

The Nebraska Department of Environment and Energy’s (NDEE) Chemigation Program works to ensure that those using irrigation systems to apply fertilizers and pesticides do not contaminate sources of irrigation water.The Chemigation Program works with local Natural Resou...

NDEE now accepting applications for Private Well Reverse Osmosis Rebate Program

Wednesday, January 4, 2023

The Nebraska Department of Environment and Energy (NDEE) is now accepting applications for the Private Well Reverse Osmosis Rebate Program.NDEE will administer $1.2 million in American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) funds through rebates for private well reverse osmosis systems, whi...

Livestock Waste Control Program

Sunday, January 1, 2023

The Nebraska Department of Environment and Energy (NDEE), through the Livestock Waste Control (LWC) Program, is charged with protecting Nebraska’s surface water and groundwater from discharges of livestock waste from the thousands of Animal Feeding Operations (AFOs) in Neb...

Reverse Osmosis Funding Available for Private Well Owners

Thursday, December 1, 2022

The Nebraska Department of Environment and Energy has announced that funding will be available for private well owners to install RO systems to address high nitrate levels in drinking water. Information about the program requirements for eligibility can be found at the NDEE...

UNL study confirms irrigation's impact on humidity, yields possible link to rain

Monday, October 31, 2022

By: Nancy GaarderIncreased rain in Illinois and Indiana. Less rain in some Nebraska communities.Muggier weather. Changes in winds.Intense irrigation in Nebraska is having a complex effect on the weather, researchers at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln say“Some of th...

Another dry winter in Nebraska could mean irrigation restrictions next year

Monday, October 31, 2022

LINCOLN, Neb. (KLKN) — Severe weather, high winds and a lack of rainfall all worked against Nebraska’s farmers this summer.But the trouble started with much lower than average precipitation last winter.Nebraska’s water managers are keeping a close eye on the water leve...

83% of Nebraska kids have detectable lead levels, but unprecedented help is coming

Friday, October 28, 2022

By: Matt Chibe, Matthew MittliederLINCOLN, Neb. (KLKN) — A recent study shows that more than half of all children in the United States have detectable lead levels in their blood, and Nebraska is even worse.According to research shared by the American J...

Precipitation Data Available on URNRD Website

Monday, August 22, 2022

The Upper Republican Natural Resources District (URNRD) has new Perkins County precipitation data available on its website.The Nebraska Water Balance Alliance (NEWBA) has installed 10 new precipitation recording sites within the HUC-12 watershed northwest and southeast of Gr...

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Regional/National Water News

Regulators: Loss of Nebraska tax could create new water woes

03/23/2018

Originally published March 18, 2018 at 7:31 am By GRANT SCHULTE The Associated Press LINCOLN, Neb. (AP) — Groundwater regulators in Nebraska could have a tougher time financing water conservation projects after a bill they endorsed died in the Legislature, but some...Read more

NRDs conserve, protect our resources

07/11/2017

Hub Opinion Jul 5, 2017 Nebraska author Willa Cather’s “The Song of the Lark” is about a young woman yearning to escape to the city from her rural Colorado town, and, as with many of Cather’s novels, the book is a tribute to determination and its undeniable connection to...Read more

Water service agreement being finalized, but more big steps ahead for proposed Platte-Republican diversion project

07/11/2017

By LORI POTTER Hub Staff Writer Jul 5, 2017 Updated Jul 5, 2017 SMITHFIELD — An important step soon may be complete for a proposal to divert excess Platte River flows into the Republican Basin. The project would take the Platte water, when available, from the Central...Read more

Using Satellites to Make Irrigation Decisions?

06/08/2017

New technology being tested in Nebraska detects the moisture content of soils and crops using reflected satellite signals. If the technology pans out, it could help reduce water consumption and allow farmers to make more informed irrigation decisions. https://phys.org/news/...Read more

Water managers lay out Idaho’s water issues

03/06/2017

Carol Ryan Dumas Capital Press Published on February 18, 2017 5:35PM BURLEY, Idaho — While managing flood waters is the most immediate concern for water managers in Southern Idaho, the biggest issue by far is the health of the Eastern Snake River Plain Aquifer. At the core...Read more

USDA Provides Funding for Aquifer Conservation

01/11/2017

Aurora News Register AURORA, Nebraska - Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack announced USDA’s Natural Conservation Service (NRCS) will invest about $8 million in the Ogallala Aquifer Initiative this fiscal year to help farmers and ranchers conserve billions of gallons of water...Read more

Editorial: Can global water wars be contained?

01/05/2017

World-Herald editorial Look at just about any region of the world, and you’ll find heated disputes between countries or regions when it comes to sharing water. Sometimes disagreements get violent. Consider what happened in India in September. More than 15,000 law...Read more

USDA Invests $225 Million in Innovative Conservation Partnerships

12/27/2016

Addition of 88 projects brings federal, partner investment to over $2 billion since 2014 WASHINGTON, Dec. 21, 2016 - Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack today announced that 88 high-impact projects across the country will receive $225 million in federal funding as part of the...Read more

Platte-Republican diversion project study expected by Christmas

12/27/2016

By LORI POTTER Hub Staff Writer HOLDREGE — Officials of the Tri-Basin and Lower Republican natural resources districts hope to have results of a Platte-Republican diversion project feasibility study in hand by Christmas. “I’m hoping to get that in the next week to 10 days...Read more

In Nebraska, a unique way of managing water

12/06/2016

IrrigationNZ is a magazine in New Zealand that states their goal as: " To proactively represent member interests whilst leading the irrigation sector forward in the development of sustainable irrigation and water resource management". Our Communications Coordinator wrote a...Read more