NORFOLK, Nebraska -- At their July 24, 2025, board meeting, Lower Elkhorn NRD directors denied a request from the Northeast Nebraska Management Area (Northeast WMA) to provide a cash match of $18,000 over three years for their Nebraska Environmental Trust (NET) grant application to combat noxious and invasive weed species.

Though the conversation began at the end of 2024, Doug Deck attended the committee meeting on behalf of the Northeast WMA earlier this month to explain the goal to combat phragmites in wetlands, waterways and river systems. Phragmites is an invasive species of weed that can quickly overtake native plants altering wildlife habitat, depleting the water supply, and impacting conveyance of water in rivers and streams. Phragmites can be very difficult for farmers and landowners to control without the use of a drone due to overhead cost of using other aerial application methods and, often times, the location of the weed infestation within hard to access locations along waterways.

The Northeast WMA has plans to apply for a 2026 NET Grant that will help cover costs for the spray and treatment of fields where invasive species have taken over. Deck requested $6,000 annually, over a three-year period, as the cash match required by the grant. The Northeast WMA covers Antelope, Cedar, Dixon, Knox, Pierce, and Wayne Counties.

Assistant General Manager Curt Becker briefed Directors on the upcoming open house for the Battle Creek Watershed Flood Risk Reduction Plan that will be held on Thursday, July 31, from 5:30-7:30 p.m. at Battle Creek Jr/Sr High School. The meeting will outline the sources of flooding in the Battle Creek Watershed; share a comprehensive list of alternatives (potential projects) identified to reduce flood risk; and provide an overview of the alternatives evaluation process. Attendees are encouraged to provide feedback on the proposed draft alternatives. Written comments about the proposed alternatives will be accepted through Wednesday, August 27.

In June 2020, the Lower Elkhorn NRD Board of Directors selected JEO Consulting Group for the development of a flood risk reduction plan for the Battle Creek Watershed, which spans more than 57,000 acres in Madison and Boone Counties. Developed in accordance with NRCS requirements, this plan will document existing flooding issues, evaluate strategies that reduce the risk of flooding, and outline an implementation plan.

Directors approved the recommended changes to the Conservation Cost-Share Program. Updates for this program are conducted annually using information regarding average costs from invoices that were turned in for reimbursement during the previous fiscal year. USDA-Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) rates for the programs are used if there is not enough information to determine Lower Elkhorn NRD average costs. Some practices may also be removed if they have not been utilized in recent years. If this occurs, it does not mean the program is gone forever and could be brought back when the demand is there.

For Fiscal Year 2026, no changes were made to the Cover Crop program, but some changes were made to the Agroforestry Program due to LENRD averages. The Chemigation and Domestic Well Treatment System Programs are separate from the programs listed in the Conservation Cost-Share Docket.

At their meeting, Directors also received administrative updates from General Manager, Brian Bruckner, regarding Governor Pillen’s newly created Water Task Force and the Logan East Rural Water System.

Earlier this year, Bruckner was appointed by Gov. Jim Pillen to serve as a member of his Water Quality and Quantity Task Force and serves on the Water Conservation and Quantity and Nitrate Legacy and Drinking Water Access Subcommittees. Bruckner provided an update from the Subcommittee meetings that were held this month.

Scheduled to meet monthly over the next 12 months, the Subcommittees will discuss historical events which have attributed to some of the existing challenges as they relate to water quantity and/or quality and will identify successful strategies, programs, partnerships, and funding opportunities to implement action items to ensure the long-term viability of water resources in the State. The Water Task Force is comprised of 20 individuals who come from varied backgrounds and locations within Nebraska. 

Bruckner also provided a status update regarding the proposed expansion of the Logan East RWS to create connections with the City of Oakland and the Village of Craig. Discussions with representatives from the Nebraska Department of Water, Energy, & Environment were recently conducted to discuss possible funding opportunities for the proposed expansion and Bruckner will continue to consult with stakeholders and agency representatives to keep the project moving forward. 

Other items discussed were monthly reports, approval of income and expenses for the Lower Elkhorn NRD, Logan East Rural Water System & Wau-Col Regional Water Systems, and a conservation cost share update. Directors also approved a complete upgrade of the Logan East RWS Scada system at a cost of $78,569.00 over five years. The SCADA system is essential for monitoring water level data within the system, including water levels in the towers. The equipment is 30-40 years old and is no longer operating as effectively or efficiently as it once was.

To learn more about the 12 responsibilities of Nebraska’s NRDs and how your local District can work with you and your community to protect natural resources, visit www.lenrd.org and sign up for our monthly emails. The next Board of Directors meeting will be Thursday, August 28, 2025, at the Lower Elkhorn NRD office in Norfolk at 7:30 p.m. and on Facebook Live.