SPNRD Board Holds Monthly Meeting

The South Platte Natural Resources District (SPNRD) Board of Directors (Board) held its monthly meeting March 12 at the South Platte NRD Conference Room in Sidney.

Ritch Nelson, State Forester with Nebraska NRCS and State Wildlife Biologist, gave a presentation to the Board on current events with the Eastern Redcedar tree in Nebraska. Currently, there are concerns in different parts of the state where the Eastern Redcedar has started to become problematic. Nelson highlighted tree facts, benefits of the Eastern Redcedar and some of the less desirable issues they can cause. The Eastern Redcedar is a tree commonly found in Conservation Tree Rows in the SPNRD and has been for many years. Currently the Eastern Redcedar has not caused problems in the SPNRD area, and is still a useful tree for the area.

The Board reviewed two Variance Requests regarding water wells/irrigation, one Agriculture water variance and one Industrial water variance. The agriculture variance requested was to modify/update Certified Irrigated Acres (CIA). The operator of an irrigated circle has farmed the same acres for several decades. Recently those acres were measured and it was determined there were more acres on the circle than previously reported. The operator has not had any water allocation violations. Since the Moratorium on Well Construction Permits on New or Expanded Uses, a few cases have been reviewed for acre updates. The Board approved the variance to modify the CIA.

The Industrial water variance is a transfer of water from an irrigated tract in the South Platte Valley Subarea to an industrial well in the Deuel County Fully Appropriated Subarea (tablelands). The industrial use will be for washing aggregate. While processing the request SPNRD staff found that the legal description for the irrigated tract in the South Platte Valley Subarea was incorrect. This variance has been requested/approved in prior years. The Board approved the variance but requested that the transfer be updated with the correct irrigated tract well location.

Also on the agenda for review and action were a CIA Form and Industrial Baseline Certification, two transfers of ground water (within the same subarea), Pooling Renewal Agreements, Ground Water Pooling Arrangement Applications and Ground Water Pooling Arrangement Applications with Tracts added. The Board reviewed and approved all submissions.

Galen Wittrock, SPNRD assistant manager, discussed the applications for the Community Forestry Program. Wittrock received five applications from groups within the District. After reviewing the applications Wittrock provided the Board with information on the requested funds and what the groups were eligible to receive based on current program guidelines. The Board approved the SPNRD Re-Tree Nebraska request $1,500 (annual program that is part of the Community Forestry Program) as well as the eligible funding for the five applications that were submitted (based on current program guidelines). The total amount approved for the program was $28,724.85.

Shelly Sutherland, SPNRD information and education coordinator, presented the Board with information on the District Envirothon teams. Each year, the Nebraska Association of Resources Districts holds a series of regional competitions as qualifiers for the Nebraska Envirothon. Sidney High School placed first at the Western Region Envirothon and second place went to Creek Valley High School. The Sidney team qualified to compete at the state level, and Creek Valley could also be invited to compete as a wildcard team. Sutherland requested that $400 be approved to help support the District teams that will attend the state competition. The Board approved the request for funding.

Sutherland also requested funding for scholarships for Adventure Camp about the Environment (ACE) and the Nebraska Range Youth Camp. Historically the Board has provided funding for full scholarships for students to attend these camps held during the summer. The Board approved the request of $1,680 to go towards camp scholarships for District students. Applications for ACE and Range Camps can be requested from the SPNRD.

For questions or more information contact the South Platte NRD at 308-254-2377 or visit them online at http://www.spnrd.org. SPNRD Board of Director Meetings are held the second Tuesday of every month.