About

Our Mission

Nebraska’s Natural Resources Districts have been protecting lives, protecting property, and protecting the future since 1972.  Central Platte is one of 23 NRDs created by the Nebraska Legislature in 1972.  The mission of the Central Platte Natural Resources District is to wisely conserve, manage, and enhance the water, soil, range, wildlife, and forest resources within the District for the benefit of all.

The Central Platte NRD boundaries reach from the Lincoln-Dawson county line near Gothenburg to Hwy 81 near Columbus (see map below).  There are 21 members on the Board of Directors, each serving a four-year term. The board consists of two directors in each of the 10 sub-districts and one at-large director.  Directors in the same sub-district are elected in alternate election years.

Board of Directors

We have 27 staff members in the Grand Island headquarters, the Lexington field office, the Dawson County irrigation canal offices, and the Natural Resources Conservation Service offices in Grand Island, Central City, Kearney and Lexington.

Staff Page

We are responsible for:

• Soil conservation and erosion control.
• Flood prevention, control & channel rectification.
• Drainage.
• Groundwater, surface water, and water supply.
• Water quality, pollution control, solid waste disposal and sanitary drainage.
• Fish and wildlife habitat.
• Forestry management.
• Recreation and parks.
• Range management.

The Central Platte NRD boundaries reach from the Lincoln-Dawson county line near Gothenburg to Hwy 81 near Columbus. The District includes all or parts of 11 counties: Dawson, Custer, Buffalo, Hall, Howard, Nance, Merrick, Hamilton, Platte, Polk and Frontier.

QUICK FACTS ABOUT CPNRD

• Land Acres: 2,136,304 acres
• Irrigated Acres: 1,018,829 certified irrigated acres in CPNRD. Of those: 937,674 groundwater; 14,562 acres surface water & 77,180 acres co-mingled use (groundwater & surface water)
• Population: According to the 2020 Census, the municipal population is 144,855.
• River System: River system includes 205 miles of the Platte River, 49.9 miles of the North Channel, and 173 miles of the Wood River.
• Congressional District: The entire district is within the Third Congressional District.
• Legislative Districts: 22, 34, 35, 37, 41, 43, 44 are within CPNRD.
• Education: ESUs 7, 9, 10 are within CPNRD.

2027 Fiscal Year Budget

The Board of Directors held a public hearing on the proposed Fiscal Year 2026/2027 budget before approving the $23.2 million budget as advertised during its regular meeting on July 23, 2026. The FY2027 budget is approximately $8.5 million lower than last year’s $31.8 million budget and $11.4 million lower than the FY2025 budget.

A public hearing to set the FY2027 property tax request and levy will be held at 1:45 p.m. on Thursday, September 3, 2026, immediately before the rescheduled August Board meeting. Based on current balances and projected revenues, the property tax request is expected to remain unchanged at approximately $5.3 million. The District anticipates an approximately 6% increase in total property valuation; however, the final valuation will not be known until information is received from assessors in the District’s 11 counties. Note: The August Board meeting has been scheduled for September 3 to allow time for the required public notices.

For a home valued at $200,000, the property tax is estimated at $48.00 in support of the Central Platte NRD’s conservation efforts that include flood reduction, water quality management, soil health, conservation cost-shares, forestry, land management, recreation, and natural resources education.

2026/2027 Budget Comparison

Membership/lobbying dues paid in the 2026 fiscal year: