July 3, 2025 at 9:30 AM - Water Committee Meeting
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1. UNFINISHED BUSINESS
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2. REGULATORY
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2.A. GROUND WATER MANAGEMENT AREA
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2.A.1. Well Permit Program
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2.A.2. Special Quantity Subareas
Rationale:
At last month's Committee meeting, it was decided to budget money to re-evaluate the SQS areas. LRE provided a scope of service of $29,000 with a contract extension attached for review. If the Committee wants this to be completed by December 15, this firm would need to start in July. They would look at how the area was determined in 2015-16 along with utilizing the data collected in the last 10 years.
Recommended Motion(s):
Recommend approving an extension to the Groundwater Management Plan Update contract to LRE for $29,000 to re-evaluate the SQS areas with Board Chairman Signature. Passed with a motion by Board Member #1 and a second by Board Member #2.
Attachments:
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2.A.3. Cost Share Programs
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2.A.3.a. Irrigation Well Sample Kits
Rationale:
Sample kits are being requested and sent out.
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2.A.3.b. Demonstrations Sites
Rationale:
This year the NRD is working with two producers, Joe Birkel and Bruce Williams, for in-season nitrogen applications. Joe's field was done 2 years ago and research is being done on how a field will react by doing it a second time. Bruce will be doing 133 acres, which in the past the field was a fall application of nitrogen fertilizer. An invoice is attached for $2,376 for the services from SentinelAg to allow the NRD to conduct these demonstrations.
Recommended Motion(s):
Recommend paying SentinelAg $2,376 for conducting nitrogen management on demonstrations fields for Joe Birkel and Bruce Williams. Passed with a motion by Board Member #1 and a second by Board Member #2.
Attachments:
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2.B. CHEMIGATION
Rationale:
For 2025, we have 658 renewals and 33 new permit applications for a current total of 691. Inspections for 59 renewal permits have been completed along with 16 new permit inspections.
Attachments:
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2.C. GROUND WATER QUALITY SAMPLING
Rationale:
The YSI meters should be serviced every 3–5 years. In May 2021, the NRD purchased 3 YSI probes for $8,634.55. The NRD sent in one of the meters in for evaluation as some of the probes were not working correctly. The quote attached for replacing probes is $1,198.80. It has not been serviced since it was bought in 2021. The NRD has another YSI probe that needs to be sent in to be evaluated but doing 1 at a time.
Recommended Motion(s):
Recommend paying Fondriest $1,198.80 for servicing YSI water meter and replacing probes. Passed with a motion by Board Member #1 and a second by Board Member #2.
Attachments:
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2.D. Groundwater Management Plan
Rationale:
The Groundwater Management Plan Public Review is attached for Committee review. Goals and Objectives are shown on pages 50-52, which have been updated.
If the plan moves forward, a hearing date will need to be established. Staff and Committee review the plan with the following list of suggestions for LRE
Attachments:
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3. GROUND WATER PROGRAMS
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3.A. DECOMMISSIONED WELL PROGRAM
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3.A.1. Well Estimates
Rationale:
No new wells have been reviewed and approved for decommissioning since the last Committee meeting.
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3.A.2. Plugged Wells
Rationale:
One well has been plugged, reviewed, and ready for cost share payment approval this month.
Recommended Motion(s):
To pay Timothy and Suzanne Mueller for the cost share of $1,178.54; and $392.85 from the shell creek grant. Passed with a motion by Board Member #1 and a second by Board Member #2.
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3.B. LOWER PLATTE NORTH NRD GROUND WATER STUDIES
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3.B.1. Phase Area Update
Rationale:
We have received invoices from the following:
Recommended Motion(s):
To approve payment to Merlyn Bell and Marty Eaton flow meter for $1,000; Gene Novak flow meter for $1,000; Russ Novak flow meter for $1,000; Annette Pycha flow meter for $1,000; Dean Novak two flow meters for $2,000; Keith Kallweit flow meter for $1,000; Brian Kluck flow meter for $1,000; and Marcy Kallweit three flow meters for $3,000(Note that One meter was added since committee meeting making the total 3,000);
Larry Svoboda flow meter for $1,000; Pathfinder flow meter for $1,000. Passed with a motion by Board Member #1 and a second by Board Member #2.
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3.C. MONITORING WELLS and EQUIPMENT
Rationale:
We have some Hydrovu and data logger monitoring equipment that was having problems connecting to the logger from normal maintenance and mice chewing. Attached below is an invoice for $3,748.68 for the maintenance costs, mice repairs and cable repairs and replacements.
Recommended Motion(s):
To proceed with getting repairs on our Hydrovu and data logger monitoring equipment from In-Situ at a cost of $3,748.68. Passed with a motion by Board Member #1 and a second by Board Member #2.
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3.D. Database Transfer
Rationale:
A couple of months ago, the Board voted to move data from the Phoenix Database to Longitude 103. An invoice is attached for $7,500 to start the migration. NeDNR is paying the other $10,000 for the migration.
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3.E. SOURCE WATER PROTECTION
Rationale:
The transducer was installed into the Abie municipal well. However, there was an issue with the transducer. In-Situ is replacing the transducer with one that can withstand more pressure. The transducer will be arriving in early August.
The public hearing for the Platte Center Wellhead Protection Plan is scheduled for August 12th from 7:00 PM-7:30 PM. The public hearing for the Newman Grove Wellhead Protection Plan is scheduled for August 14th from 7:00 PM-7:30 PM. |
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4. SURFACE WATER PROGRAMS
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4.A. STATE LAKES, FOR THE WEEK OF
Rationale:
This week's beach Bacteria and Harmful Algal Bloom results are now posted on the DWEE web page (Current Health Alerts and Sampling Results For This Week).
I wanted everyone to know that the Nebraska Department of Environment and Energy (NDEE) and the Nebraska Department of Natural Resources (NeDNR) merged on July 1st and are now the Department of Water, Energy, and Environment (DWEE). Our new agency web page can be found here: https://dwee.nebraska.gov/. Glenn Cunningham Lake is on Health Alert this week. Also, with multiple thunderstorms contributing to runoff across Nebraska, we are seeing lakes test high for E. coli. Bluestem, Cottonmill, Harlan County - Northeast Beach, Hugh Butler, Lake North, Louisville No. 2, Maple Creek, Summit, and Windmill No. 5 Lakes all tested above 235 colonies/100 mL. Remember that bacteria is everywhere in our environment and rain water will pick it up as it runs off the landscape and finds its way into our lakes. The good news is that sunlight is a great disinfectant on E.coli. So, when the sun shines those bacteria numbers will drop quickly. There is 1 beach on Health Alert this week.
There are 9 beaches with E.coli testing above 235 colonies/100 mL.
Have a great Fourth of July weekend! Justin Haas State Lakes Coordinator Department of Water, Energy and Environment 245 Fallbrook Blvd., Suite 100 Lincoln, NE 68509-8922 Direct: 402-471-4224 | Main Office: 402-471-2186 |
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5. OTHER
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5.A. COMMENTS FROM THE PUBLIC
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