Groundwater Management Programs
Quality & Quantity Programs

Quality Program
The Central Platte NRD Groundwater Quality Management Program is having a beneficial impact on the nitrate levels  in groundwater. The program, which has been in effect for more than 12 years, is undertaking a long-term solution for the District's widespread high groundwater nitrate-nitrogen problems. The NRD conducted numerous meetings with farmers, crop consultants, fertilizer industry representatives and others in an effort to determine how best to implement solutions that were suggested by the research.  
Hearings to obtain public input, were also conducted. As a result of the meetings, hearings, and research, the Central Platte NRD Board of Directors adopted the necessary rules, regulations, boundaries and controls for the quality program; which was included in the comprehensive Groundwater Management Plan adopted by the NRD board in July 1987, and became effective in August 1987.  

The Groundwater Quality Management Plan has been updated from time to time and was reissued and authorized in 1995. Revisions to the Program were adopted by the board of directors in July 2003. The plan uses a phased approach, with lesser restrictions in areas that are not high in nitrates and additional regulations applying to areas with higher nitrate concentrations in the groundwater. 

Rules & Regulations (click here for specific information for each Phase area)

Phase I is generally the portion of the District in which the average nitrates are from 0 to 7.5 ppm                  
Phase II is generally those areas that have an average nitrate concentration of 7.6 to 15 ppm 
Phase III is generally those areas with an average nitrate concentration of 15.1 ppm and higher. 
Phase IV: Area where nitrate levels are not declining at an acceptable rate.

Because the phases are by area, individual wells in a Phase Area may be higher or lower than the designated range of nitrate concentrations. Other factors, including proximity to a municipal water supply and vadose zone nitrates, are also used in determining the Phase Areas. 

Click here for Questions & Answers about the Groundwater Quality Management Plan

History
Until the CPNRD Groundwater Quality Management Program was adopted, the nitrate level in the High Nitrate Area of the District had increased at a rate of about 0.5 ppm (parts per million) per year to 19.24 ppm. At the end of the first crop year under the program, the level dropped by 0.3 ppm and continued to drop through the 1993 crop year. Adverse weather conditions resulted in increases during the 1994 and 1995 crop years, but, a lowering of the nitrate rate occurred again after the 1996 and 1997 crop years.

In 1999, nitrate levels in the NRD's high-nitrate area dropped from 17.41 ppm from spring 1998 to 16.62 ppm spring 1999. The drop is credited to landowners in the District using better management practices recommended by the NRD and the University of Nebraska- Lincoln. Farmers from throughout the District, with varying soils and conditions, were recruited to work with the NRD in using the best management practices to demonstrate that nitrates can be managed efficiently and effectively while maintaining crop yields. In addition, many of the tools needed by the farmers to establish best management practices, including fertilizer calibration meters, irrigation well hour meters, surge valves, vertical dam manifolds, irrigation flow meters and reuse pits, were encouraged through the availability of cost sharing by the District Research indicated that most farmers did not know how much water they were using during irrigation, so the Board decided to make mandatory the practice of monitoring well outputs in Phases II and III. A well measuring program was adopted, and later revised, that could determine how much water is being used. Wells in Phase III must be measured by the NRD by 1998 and in Phase II by 2000. After the Phase deadline is past, flow meters are required on wells that have not been measured by CPNRD.

To facilitate increased water management, the District developed its Splash program to provide one-on-one education for the producer who voluntarily participates. The producer will get weekly irrigation assistance on one field and a complete evaluation of his or her irrigation system. In return, the producer is expected to share the experience with other producers and consider improved irrigation techniques. To supplement these education and cost-share funding portions of the program, the NRD adopted rules and regulations to assure that certain minimum changes would occur.

Our Groundwater Management and Quantity goal is to assure an adequate supply of water for feasible and beneficial uses through proper management, conservation, development and utilization of the District's water resources. CPNRD is involved in groundwater level observations, administering irrigation runoff regulations, groundwater quantity and quality management, groundwater modeling and development of a surface water flow model which will all lead to a complete groundwater and surface water management program.

Groundwater Management programs offered as a service to landowners/operators include: Water Well Registration Verification Program, Water Well Permits, Decommissioned Well Program and Instream Flow Water Rights. Currently, the NRD is participating in the Cooperative Agreement with the states of Nebraska, Colorado, Wyoming and the Department of Interior to find a solution for endangered species in the Central Platte Basin; as well as water rights for the landowners/operators in the District.

Changes to the Rules and Regulations were approved in December 2007.  Click here for the complete set of Rules and Regs.

Quantity Program

The Rules and Regulations were last amended in 2003.  Click here for the complete set of Rules and Regs.

Your Central Platte NRD staff contacts on this subject are Sandy Noecker and Milt Moravek.