NORFOLK, Nebraska -- A sign-up period to receive applications for standard variance applications was approved at the latest Lower Elkhorn NRD Board of Directors meeting. Applicants who own or operate land in geographically eligible locations in the District will have the opportunity to apply for a variance from October 1, 2026, through October 30, 2026. There will be a fee of $100 per application. The geographic eligibility map and conditions for approval remain unchanged from the 2025 application period – including a minimum soil score of 80.

The 2026 application period will allow up to 267 acre-feet of new depletions in the Hydrologically Connected (1050) Area; up to 2,500 new irrigated acres in the Non-hydrologically Connected (Non-1050) Area; and no more than 474 new irrigated acres in the Quantity Management Subareas.

Directors also approved a series of motions regarding the funding of Agroforestry and other conservation practices utilizing Nebraska Soil and Water Conservation Program (NSWCP) funding. In early July, the LENRD received notice that all NSWCP funds are on hold and Fiscal Year 2027 NSWCP funds would not be allocated until further notice.

The NSWCP had historically been funded with a cash transfer from the General Fund, but the 2026 Nebraska Unicameral approved using a transfer of funds from the Nebraska Environmental Trust (NET), as a means of balancing the State’s budget.  NSWCP is allocated to NRD’s and is administered through Nebraska Department of Energy and Environment (DWEE). In recent years, DWEE has allocated approximately $170,000.00 to the LENRD annually. The funding freeze comes from a current lawsuit and court injunction contesting the legality of the cash transfers involving NET.

An overwhelming majority of LENRD tree planting projects, and a small number of other structural conservation practices, are submitted to DWEE for NSWCP funding. Additionally, in June 2024, LENRD approved drip irrigation as a cost-sharable practice when under the stipulation that NSWCP funds are available.

This spring, four applications for tree planting projects were completed and submitted to DWEE for a total of $18,909.53, including $7,354.64 of drip irrigation payments. There were also three applications for tree planting projects, which were also completed this spring, but have not yet been submitted to DWEE, which totaled $64,161.33 including $12,648.48 of drip irrigation. So far, 29 additional applications for tree planting projects, and several other projects, are in the works for the current Fiscal Year, which began on July 1, 2026.

To fulfill current financial obligations, and to continue one of the most successful conservation programs offered by the District, Directors approved the following three motions:

Staff may utilize local funds to reimburse landowners for expenses associated with the purchase and installation of drip irrigation for conservation tree plantings if NSWCP funds are unavailable
Staff may utilize local funds, not to exceed $18,909.53, to reimburse the three landowners whose NSWCP reimbursements are currently affected by the NSWCP funding freeze
Staff may budget local funds, and apply for grant funds as necessary, to facilitate reimbursements to landowners during the 2027 Fiscal Year for conservation practices that would ordinarily be submitted for NSWCP reimbursement, regardless of the NSWCP funding status

Directors gave LENRD staff the green light to begin soliciting artists for the creation of a mural at Maskenthine Lake. In August 2025, the William Hansen Estate generously gifted the LENRD with funds to be used for the general welfare and preservation of Maskenthine Lake. At the August 2026 Committee Meeting, General Manager Brian Bruckner suggested some of those funds be used to have a mural painted onto, or affixed to, the storage container utilized by the Maskenthine Trail Network near the mountain bike trail. To be considered, the bid must be $2,000.00 or less and come from a qualified applicant.

A bid from Vacha Excavating, LLC, in the amount of $1,968.00, was approved to complete necessary maintenance and repairs to the auxiliary spillway at the Scribner Airport West Dam. The Dam, constructed in 1976 by the LENRD to control runoff from the Scribner Airbase, continues to be maintained by the District. During recent inspections performed by Nebraska Department of Energy & Environment, it was determined that the auxiliary spillway doesn’t have the capacity to pass the designed storm event. A height increase in the training dike is needed to adequately mitigate the deficiencies listed with the auxiliary spillway.

After September 15, 2026, producers in the District’s Quantity Management Subareas will be able to utilize an additional 2 acre-inches of groundwater for the establishment of a cover crop – if needed. District staff will also have the authorization to approve use of the additional allocation prior to September 15th on a case-by-case basis.

A public hearing to receive input from the public and a decision by the LENRD Board of Directors on the District’s Fiscal Year 2027 Budget was set for Thursday, September 10, 2026, at 7:00PM in the Lower Elkhorn NRD Boardroom. This hearing will take place prior to the regularly scheduled Committee Meeting.

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 your natural resources, visit www.lenrd.org and sign up for our monthly emails. The next board of directors meeting will be Thursday, September 24, 2026, at the LENRD office in Norfolk at 7:30 p.m. and on Facebook Live.