Public Hearing Held of Lower Platte River Integrated Management Plan

The Board of Directors of the Papio-Missouri River Natural Resources District held a public hearing on rules and regulations under the formation of an Integrated Management Plan for the Lower Platte River.

The NRD has been involved with the development of the plan since November of 2011 for the portion of the District within the Lower Platte River Basin. A voluntary IMP is a proactive approach to the management of the water resources through cooperative planning with the Nebraska Department of Natural Resources that recognizes the interconnectedness of both surface water and groundwater. The Board adopted the IMP at their meeting on July 10, 2014.

The adoption of an IMP, which is the planning tool the District and the Department use to   help ensure the long term viability of the interconnected water resources of the Lower Platte, requires the District to adopt at least one groundwater control as outlined in Nebraska statutes. The proposed control for adoption is a limit on the expansion of groundwater irrigated acres within the hydrologically connected area. The purpose of the hearing was to consider the proposed control and take testimony from the public.

The NRD Board will take action on adopting the proposed groundwater control at its November meeting.

Information concerning the Integrated Management Plan is available on the NRD’s web sitewww.papionrd.org or by contacting project manager Brian Henkel bhenkel [at] papionrd.org or 402-444-6222.

The Board of Directors of the Papio-Missouri River NRD held their monthly meeting October 9, 2014.