How much do you know about your local Natural Resources District (NRD)?

If you are reading this, you more than likely live in the Upper Loup Natural Resources District. The Upper Loup NRD covers all of Grant, Hooker, Thomas, Blaine, and Logan counties as well as parts of Cherry, Brown, and McPherson counties. Those counties are then divided into 5 sub districts.

The Upper Loup NRD is headquartered in Thedford, just west of Pearson Livestock and south of the new fire hall in town. The Upper Loup NRD has 5 full time employees and 2 part time. Our district covers 4,275,000 acres and has a population of less than 5,000 people. Of the total acres in the district 91% is comprised of grassland, 5% open water and wetlands, 2% other ag lands or barren ground, 1% forest, 1% irrigated cropland, less than 1% dryland crops, and less than 1% urban and roads. The Upper Loup NRD is governed by 11 elected directors, 2 from each sub district and one at large. The NRD is funded through property taxes and consumer sales. The Upper Loup NRD maintains a responsible budget to lessen the tax burden of its constituents, for example, on a property that is valued at $50,000 a year the ULNRD’s share is only $12.50 per year. NRD’s have the ability to levy up to 4.5 cents and for the last 10 plus years the Upper Loup NRD has kept its levy around 2.5 cents.  

Nebraska’s NRD’s are tasked with protecting the states groundwater from overuse and pollution. Each district also has other tasks they deem important to the area. For our district, some important topics include Soil and Land Conservation, Trees and Wildlife Habitat, Recycling, Groundwater Quality and Quantity Management, and Education. Stay tuned for articles on what the ULNRD is doing in each specific area.

Natural Resources Districts (NRD) Recreation Areas/Trails Expect Record-Breaking Crowds for Solar Eclipse Event

For Immediate Release                                                      

August 7, 2017

Contact: Erika Hill, Public Relations Director

Phone: (402) 471-7672 Cell: (402) 570-2283

Email: ehill@nrdnet.org

(Nebraska) Several popular Natural Resources District (NRD) recreation areas and hiking/biking trails across Nebraska are expecting record-breaking numbers of campers and other outdoor enthusiasts to come out and watch the solar eclipse on Monday, August 21, 2017. The NRD recreation areas in the path of the solar eclipse are receiving dozens of calls and reservation requests from people across the nation. Several recreation area camping spots are already sold out.

“We know Kirkman’s Cove near Humboldt and Iron Horse Trail and Lake near DuBois are already sold out of electrical outlets for campers and we’re expanding our first-come-first-serve tent camping areas to increase capacity for the crowds,” said Bob Hilske, general manager of the Nemaha Natural Resources District (NRD). “We’re excited to show off these beautiful recreation areas not only to Nebraskans, but people from around the country.”

NRD recreation areas offer a variety of conveniences for the public. Each one is different, but for the most part, camping, fishing and other outdoor activities make for a wonderful time with family and friends.

“Lower Platte South NRD is expecting hundreds of bicyclists and others to enjoy watching the eclipse on the Homestead Trail just south of Lincoln,” said Paul Zillig, general manager of the Lower Platte South NRD. “We’ve been informed that several bus-loads of people are being transported to the trail the day of the eclipse and we couldn’t be more thrilled to welcome them.”

Near Grand Island, Central Platte NRD is offering up its Richard Plautz crane viewing site near Gibbon and Alda crane viewing site just south of Interstate-80 Exit 305 (Alda) for the public to watch the solar eclipse.

The Upper Big Blue NRD’s Recharge Lake in York and Pioneer Trails in Aurora are also expecting large crowds to come out to enjoy the historic event. These two camp sites are only reserved on a first-come-first-serve basis.

Nebraska’s NRDs have more than 150 recreation areas and trails open to the public. For more information on recreation area opportunities, contact your local NRD or go to www.nrdnet.org/recreation. You can find your NRD at www.nrdnet.org.

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The Nebraska Association of Resources Districts (NARD), the trade association for Nebraska's 23 natural resources districts, works with individual NRDs to protect lives, protect property, and protect the future of Nebraska’s natural resources. These districts are unique to Nebraska. NRD’s are local government entities with broad responsibilities to protect our natural resources. Major Nebraska river basins form the boundaries of the 23 NRDs, enabling districts to respond best to local conservation and resource management needs. To learn more about Nebraska’s NRDs visit www.nrdnet.org. Or you can head to the Natural Resources Districts’ Facebook page at www.facebook.com or follow NARD’s Twitter page at www.twitter.com @nebnrd. NARD is located at 601 S. 12^th St. Suite 201, Lincoln, Nebraska  68508.  Email NARD at nard@nrdnet.org or call NARD at (402) 471-7670.

Nebraska's Natural Resources Districts (NRDs) Celebrate 45 Years of Protecting Lives, Property and Future

(Lincoln, NE) For 45 years, Nebraska’s Natural Resources Districts (NRDs) have been protecting lives, property and future of this beautiful state. July 1, 2017, marks the 45^th Anniversary of the creation of the NRD system in Nebraska.  With the local public participation, Nebraska has made monumental progress in all 23 NRDs with soil and water conservation and protection efforts.

“Nebraska’s natural resources are precious and need to be protected,” said Jim Bendfeldt, president of the Nebraska Association of Resources Districts. “We commend the public for working with their local NRD to protect the natural resources for future generations.  They need clean water to drink, nutrient-rich soil to grow food to sustain Nebraska’s economic viability.”

The Nebraska Legislature enacted Legislative Bill (LB) 1357 in 1969 to combine Nebraska’s 154 special purpose entities into the Natural Resources Districts by July 1972.  The 23 NRDs were organized based on the state’s major river basins. Each District has a publicly-elected board that makes local management decisions to help conserve our valuable natural resources and groundwater. Throughout the decades, the NRDs have worked with landowners to protect natural resources, provided and protected public water supplies, assisted urban and rural areas with flood control, provided recreation opportunities and have planted more than 95 million trees throughout Nebraska.

“The Natural Resources Districts are celebrating this amazing milestone,” said Bendfeldt. “Other states are struggling with water and soil management because they do not have a local NRD system to provide opportunities for local citizens to protect natural resources.  Without the NRDs, Nebraska would be in the extremely tough situation we see so many other states dealing with right now. With the NRD system, we have clean water, good soil and wonderful, hardworking people who believe in this state’s success and future.”

Here are several facts about the Nebraska’s natural resources as we look back on the last 45 years of success:

Groundwater 

• Nebraska is #1 in irrigated acres while maintaining groundwater levels at pre-developed levels.
• Nebraska’s center pivot manufacturers work closely with the NRDs and help lead the charge by creating and manufacturing more efficient irrigation systems.
• Nebraska farmers and ranchers work with the NRD on water quality and quantity management to protect this valuable resource for future generations.
• Wise management of the water resources also helps Nebraska agriculture lead the nation in several categories.  We are #1 in cattle on feed and commercial red meat production, #2 in ethanol production, #3 in corn production, #5 in soybean production and # 6 in swine production. 
• Nebraska’s Natural Resources Districts work with private landowners to monitor thousands of wells across the state each year for groundwater quality and quantity.

Flood Control

• There are hundreds of effective NRD flood control programs and activities across Nebraska directed at keeping our floodplains safer and reducing the potential for loss of life and property.
• Districts construct and maintain watershed structures or dams to help reduce the effects of flood damage during large rain events.
• Levee systems are also operated and maintained by the districts to protect property and lives.
• By installing this structures, thousands of homes and businesses have been removed from the federal floodplain maps saving those millions in federal flood insurance premiums and liability.

Forestry

• NRDs have planted more than 95 million trees since 1972.
• Trees shade and shelter homes, reduce energy costs, protect and increase crop yields, reduce soil erosion caused by water and wind, improve water quality, control snow and preserve winter moisture, protect livestock, provide food and cover for wildlife, control noise, capture atmospheric carbon, raise property values, and add beauty to our landscape.
• Check out http://www.nrdtrees.org for more information on tree planting and species available for purchase by each NRD.

Soil

• NRDs assist landowners to make implement conservation practices to reduce soil erosion, improve soil health and improve surface water quality. 
• NRDs work with state and federal agencies to modify programs to fit local resources needs. 
• Best management practices, terraces, waterways, filter strips, and buffer strips all help to improve the quality of surface water in a watershed.

Recreation

• There are over 80 recreation areas across the state run by the NRDs.  These areas include public access lakes, trails, and wildlife areas.  There’s something for every outdoor enthusiast to enjoy! 
• Please visit http://www.nrdrec.org for more information on the amenities and recreation opportunities in your area!

Education

• The NRDs work closely with the University of Nebraska Research and Extension to help improve farming and ranching practices that save soil, protect grass lands and protect water resources.
• The NRDs work with local schools, 4-H, FFA and local natural resources science clubs to provide additional natural resources education and information programs. 

Visit https://www.nrdnet.org/nrds for more information about local NRDs and programs to protect natural resources.

Visit http://www.nrdstories.org for more information on important individuals critical to the history and formation of the NRDs.

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The Nebraska Association of Resources Districts (NARD), the trade association for Nebraska's 23 natural resources districts, works with individual NRDs to protect lives, protect property, and protect the future of Nebraska’s natural resources. These districts are unique to Nebraska. NRD’s are local government entities with broad responsibilities to protect our natural resources. Major Nebraska river basins form the boundaries of the 23 NRDs, enabling districts to respond best to local conservation and resource management needs. To learn more about Nebraska’s NRDs visit www.nrdnet.org. Or you can head to the Natural Resources Districts’ Facebook page at www.facebook.com or follow NARD’s Twitter page at www.twitter.com @nebnrd. NARD is located at 601 S. 12^th St. Suite 201, Lincoln, Nebraska  68508.  Email NARD at nard@nrdnet.org or call NARD at (402) 471-7670.

Expansion of Irrigated Acres in the Upper Loup NRD will be Allowed for 2018

The Upper Loup Board of Directors voted at the June Board Meeting to allow up to two thousand five hundred (2,500) acres of new development for year 2018 across the District. Five hundred (500) acres have been allotted to each of the five sub-districts. Landowners must apply for any new irrigated acres on a    District application form. These forms can be downloaded from our website at www.upperloupnrd.org or by calling the office at 308-645-2250 and requesting an application. The application period is July 1, 2017 thru September 30, 2017. An application received outside of an application period will be returned to the applicants as incomplete. A maximum of two hundred and sixty (260) irrigated acres per individual, corporation, limited liability company, partnership, other entity or trust will be allowed per application period for expanded irrigated acres. A one-time non-refundable administrative fee of seventy-five dollars ($75.00) per application of twenty-five (25) acres or less or three dollars ($3.00) per acre for applications over twenty-five (25) acres must accompany an application. The application form requires: information on the landowner and/or their contact person; field description, an aerial photo depicting the field; and the number of acres of new irrigation requested. A minimum score of fifteen (15) points on the Upper Loup District Irrigated Acre Ranking Sheet is required for an application to be considered for approval. Each application for expansion of irrigated acres will be ranked according to the following criteria: groundwater quality in the vicinity, density of irrigated acres within the vicinity, NRCS soil classification (e.g. Highly Erodible Lands, or HEL), stream proximity, slope, removal of trees and any other criteria and/or considerations deemed relevant by the District. Acres approved for expansion must be certified with the Upper Loup NRD as well as have a flowmeter installed on any new or existing wells prior to any pumping with groundwater.

RENEWING CHEMIGATION PERMITS

Irrigators who are applying chemicals through irrigation systems and were permitted in 2016 must renew their chemigation permits by June 1^st. There is a small fee to renew permits, and permits not in by June 1^st will be charged a late fee.

All persons who have chemigation permits on file at the Upper Loup NRD will receive renewal permit applications in the mail shortly. Irrigators can begin chemigating once a renewal permit has been approved. Inspections are required every 3 years for renewal permits.

Anyone planning to apply chemicals through an irrigation system that was not permitted in 2016, must apply for a new permit prior to applying any chemicals this year. New permit applications can be made and returned to the ULNRD office and will require inspection.

Anyone wishing to apply for a permit or needing more information on the chemigation program contact the Upper Loup NRD office at 308-645-2250 or email ulnrd@upperloupnrd.org