Category: News

NOTICE OF MEETING UPPER ELKHORN NATURAL RESOURCES DISTRICT

Notice is hereby given that the Upper Elkhorn Natural Resources District will hold a regular monthly Board of Directors meeting April 22nd, 2024 at 7:00 P.M.  In case of inclement weather, the meeting will be held the following Wednesday.  A current agenda of the subjects to be considered at such time, date and place is available for inspection during business hours at the districts office, which is located at 301 N. Harrison, O’Neill, NE.  The agenda may be amended up to 24 hours prior to the meeting.

Natural Resources Technician – Upper Elkhorn NRD

The Upper Elkhorn Natural Resources District is accepting applications to fill the Natural Resources Technician position. Responsibilities will include assisting the Water Resources Department and supervising the conservation tree and wildlife programs.  This position will also be involved with working with the general public; chemigation program; basic equipment & ground maintenance; collecting water quality and quantity data; assisting in preparation of reports; and, updates and presentations to the NRD board/committees and partnering agencies. A college degree or training in a natural resource or forestry/wildlife related field is beneficial.  Knowledge of Microsoft office programs and ArcGIS experience is highly beneficial. This is a fulltime position with a starting salary range of $36,000-$44,000, plus paid holidays, vacation & sick leave, medical, vision and dental insurance and retirement.  Resumes and (three) references must be submitted to: Upper Elkhorn NRD 301 North Harrison St, O’Neill NE 68763.  Resumes will be reviewed starting at 4:30PM March 29, 2024 and the position will remain open until a satisfactory candidate is selected. Please call 402-336-3867 with any questions or visit our website at:  www.uenrd.org  The Upper Elkhorn NRD is an Equal Opportunity Employer. Click Here for the full Job Description.

LINCOLN, Neb. — The Nebraska Department of Environment and Energy (NDEE) is offering free nitrate sample kits and lab analyses to private drinking water well owners across the state. These kits are only available for a limited time until Jan. 31, 2024. Read more……..

The Upper Elkhorn NRD will be taking requests for the transfer of groundwater irrigated acres from November 1, 2023 through March 1, 2024.  There is a $50 application fee for landowners who would like to make an appointment and review a possible transfer.  The Transfer Agreement, transfer procedures and support information can be found on the UENRD website at www.uenrd.org.  We are encouraging anyone interested in signing up for a Transfer to go through the information on the website first before making an appointment.    If you have questions, please feel free to contact the office at 402-336-3867. 

A public hearing was held on November 27, 2023 at 12:30 PM at the NRD office, 301 North Harrison Street, in O’Neill to receive testimony regarding the proposed changes to the District’s Chemigation Rules & Regulations. There were no public comments at the hearing. The UENRD Board of Directors voted to adopt the proposed changes during their November board meeting. These changes are due in part to the Nebraska Department of Environment and Energy updates to the state’s Chemigation Rules & Regulations which were completed in 2020; and, these updates will also include restructuring the Chemigation Fees to help cover the ongoing administrative costs for the Upper Elkhorn NRD program. Here are the links to the: Adopted Order and the proposed UENRD Chemigation Rules & Regulations.

The Nebraska Department of Environment and Energy (NDEE) has extended the Private Well Reverse Osmosis Rebate Program. Click here for more information.

The deadline for the 2023 Phase II Annual Reports is December 31, 2023.     If you farm in a Phase II or Phase III area you are required to submit a Phase II report for every field larger than 40 acres. Where more than 50 pounds per acre of actual nitrogen fertilizer, commercial or organic, is applied (for example: corn) a full report is required.  A mandatory two foot deep soil sampling analysis is required for the Phase II report. The soil sample used on the 2023 annual report should have been taken in Fall 2022 or Spring 2023.  If less than 50 pounds per acre is applied, a report must be submitted stating the crop planted. If a report is not completed for a field it is considered noncompliant. 

For more information on Phase II Annual Reports or Nitrogen Certification visit the UENRD website at https://www.uenrd.org/ or contact the UENRD office at 402-336-3867.  Phase II reports can be filled out on-line; or, filled out, printed and returned to the UENRD office.  Both versions of the Phase II form are available on the UENRD website.  In addition to the continuation of the Phase I and II requirements, Phase III includes a random soil sampling conducted by the UENRD. Those selected for soil sampling for Fall 2022 have already been selected and notified. Soil sampling is underway.

The deadline for renewal chemigation applications is June 1!  Anyone wishing to run fertilizer/chemicals through their center pivot irrigation system will need to submit an application for chemigation to the Natural Resources District.  Renewal Chemigation Applications were mailed out in January to Cooperators who permitted chemigation sites within the Upper Elkhorn NRD in 2022.  These forms must be completed and returned with the appropriate fee by June 1 to the Upper Elkhorn NRD to maintain their renewal status.  Renewal applications will cost $20; New applications will cost $40 per site and must be approved by NRD personnel before any chemigation activity; and, Emergency applications will cost $100.  Chemigation forms are available at the Upper Elkhorn NRD office and NRCS Office in Neligh or on line at www.uenrd.org.  These forms may be filled out online, printed and returned to the NRD office with the appropriate fee.  Remember, it is the responsibility of each chemigator to maintain and permit each chemigation site on an annual basis.  For further information or questions, please contact the Upper Elkhorn NRD, (402) 336-3867.

Deadline Looming to Certify Groundwater

Irrigated Acres Within the Upper Elkhorn NRD

The Upper Elkhorn NRD has begun sending out Final Notices for the Certification of Groundwater Irrigated Acres.  We encourage anyone receiving their Final Notice to get their Groundwater Irrigated Acres certified by the end of the year.  Anyone who does not certify their groundwater irrigated acres once with the Upper Elkhorn NRD risks the chance of losing their ability to irrigate using groundwater.  The UENRD began certifying groundwater irrigated acres in 2011 and estimates that there are approximately 50,000 acres that still need to be certified; and, it is imperative that you certify your groundwater irrigated acres to preserve your right to irrigate those acres in the future.  You can review all the Groundwater Irrigated Acre Certification information on the UENRD website at https://uenrd.org/_storage/pagefiles/cert_irr_acre_process.pdf.  This process is separate from certifying your acres annually with the USDA Farm Service Agency and is required only once with the Upper Elkhorn NRD.   

Landowners who fail to certify their groundwater irrigated acres not only risk the chance of not being able to irrigate those aces; but, they will also not be eligible to participate in Upper Elkhorn NRD programs.  This would include the Expansion of Groundwater Irrigated Acres, Groundwater Irrigated Acre Transfers or be eligible for UENRD cost share.