May 29, 2025 at 9:30 AM - Water Committee Meeting

Rationale:  Roma Hutton is requesting to decertify irrigated acres in the NW NW S13-15N-6E, Saunders County.  It was certified for irrigated acres in 2014 for 26.38 acres.  She said the well has been dry for a few years and is planning on decommissioning the existing irrigation well G-045421.  This tract of land is located in the Restricted Development Area.  

Rationale:  Tim Foltz contacted NRD staff on 5/12/2025.  He was irrigating to activate the chemicals and overnight a pipe burst in the irrigation system.  He reported a new reading the next day, which changed his water use from 4.73 to 5.29 inches in 2024.  

Rationale: 

For 2025, we have 427 renewals and 10 new permit applications for a current total of 437. No inspections for renewal permits have been completed.

Rationale: 

One new well has been reviewed and approved for decommissioning since the last Committee meeting.

 

Rationale: 

One well has been plugged, reviewed, and ready for cost share payment approval this month.

Well Owner	Type of Well	Cost Share Estimate	Shell Creek Cost Share	County
Beverly Benson	Irrigation	$744.09	$1,072.92	Boone

 

Rationale:  Cost share Invoices are coming in for our Schuyler-Richland Cost Share 

 

Name	Number or Meters	Total Amount
Allen Svatora	1	$           1,000.00
Kevin Koliha	5	$           5,000.00
Josh Faltys	4	$          4,000.00

We do have an invoice for Skytown Properties. We are waiting for acre verification. 

Rationale:  On May 20, 2025 we sent out the first "Healthy Water, Healthy Future" email blast to all producer emails we had on file, plus directors. The email included a welcome as to what information will be in the quarterly newsletter; an explanation of chemigation and reminder for the June 1 deadline for chemigation permits; an update of the Groundwater Management Plan; and an update for the spring groundwater levels.
The email was sent to 1,485 users, with an 82% delivery rate. Here are some of the reasons for emails not going through: connection issue with the internet service provider, email user’s mailbox is full or inactive, the domain or IP has been blocked, and other unknown reasons. 42% of users opened the email, with 19 users clicking on links that were provided in the newsletter to different portions of the LPNNRD website. Unfortunately, we did have 6 users unsubscribe from the newsletter. Attached is a copy of the newsletter.
 

Rationale:  Two years ago, the Lower Platte North along with LPS, Papio and NeDNR started the process of developing a Lower Platte Basin Groundwater Model by contracting with JEO, HDR and Longspring on a 3-year contract.   

Attached is updated information and the 2nd year invoice of $23,697.22 for this project.  This project is on schedule to be completed in late 2025 with reviews done in early 2026. 

Rationale:  Installation of a transducer into Abie municipal well has been delayed due to repairs needed on the well.

The Source Water Protection Grant finally released their deadline for September 1st, 2025. The LPNNRD is helping Mead with the grant to update their Wellhead Protection Area.

Rationale:  Jon Mohr and Dave Hume will explain the recommendations and costs that were shown at last month's committee meeting.  Attached are the recommended projects and an invoice for $1,121.50 for updating the Groundwater Management Plan. 

Jon and Dave discussed the recommendations to the committee and staff.  The Committee felt that re-examining the SQS areas with the new data after 10 years would be appropriate.  They decided to look at the variance scoring sheet along with water quantity triggers.  Staff will be budgeting $75,000 for these studies for next fiscal year.  Another option would be to use the groundwater sinking fund.  

Rationale:  This week's beach Bacteria and Harmful Algal Bloom results are now posted on the NDEE web page (Current Health Alerts and Sampling Results For This Week). 
  
There are no lakes on Health Alert this week!

However, with the thunderstorms in central and eastern Nebraska this past week we are seeing higher E. coli counts. Carter, Fremont No. 20, Holmes, Johnson, and Swan Creek (5A) Lakes all tested above 235 colonies/100 mL. Bacteria is everywhere in our environment and fallen rain water will pick it up as it runs off the landscape and finds its way into our streams, rivers, and lakes. The good news is that sunlight is a great disinfectant on E.coli. So, when the sun shines those bacteria numbers will drop very quickly.

There are 0 beaches on Health Alert this week.

Current Lakes on Health Alert
Lake	County	Microcystin (ppb)	Sample Date
None! ??

When a lake exceeds 8 ppb of microcystin it will be placed on Health Alert. If a lake is under a Health Alert, signs will be posted recommending people avoid full body contact activities such as swimming, wading, skiing, jet skiing, etc. 
There are 5 beaches with E.coli testing above 235 colonies/100 mL.

Lakes with High E.coli Bacteria
Lake	County	E.coli (MPN)	Sample Date
Carter Lake	Douglas	>2419	5/20/2025
Fremont Lake No. 20 (SRA)	Dodge	240	5/20/2025
Holmes Lake	Lancaster	866	5/19/2025
Johnson Lake	Gosper	1,203	5/19/2025
Swan Creek Lake (5A)	Saline	1,986	5/19/2025

When E. coli bacteria levels test above 235 colonies/100 mL a Health Alert is not issued. However, conditions are at a higher risk to human health when swimming. Considering the more rapid changes in bacteria conditions, signs are not posted with these higher levels. Although, we want people to be aware of beach conditions and use their own judgment as to whether they use a listed water body.
Have a great Memorial Day weekend!
Justin Haas
State Lakes Coordinator
Nebraska Department of Environment and Energy
245 Fallbrook Blvd., Suite 100
Lincoln, NE 68509-8922
Direct: 402-471-4224 | Main Office: 402-471-2186

 

Rationale:  Attached is information about the GMDA conference to be held in Idaho Falls, Idaho, July 21-23, 2025.