About NRDs

There are 23 Natural Resources Districts (NRDs) in Nebraska. Each district is autonomous, governed by a locally elected board of directors. While NRDs share a common set of responsibilities (see NRD Programs), each district sets its own priorities and develops its own programs to best serve local needs.

Established in 1972, Nebraska's Natural Resources Districts are local government units involved in a variety of projects and programs to conserve and protect the state's natural resources. Today, Nebraska's unique system of locally-controlled, tax-funded, watershed-based conservation is widely admired throughout the nation.

In 1969, Sen. Maurice Kremer introduced and the Nebraska Legislature enacted Legislative Bill 1357 to combine Nebraska's 154 special-purpose entities into 24 Natural Resources Districts by July 1972. In 1989, the Middle Missouri NRD and the Papio NRD were merged to become the Papio-Missouri River NRD resulting in today's 23 Natural Resources Districts.

NRD boundaries are organized based on Nebraska's major river basins, which allows for better management practices to be applied to similar topography.

Natural Resources Districts were created to solve flood control, soil erosion, irrigation run-off, and groundwater quantity and quality issues. Nebraska's NRDs are involved in a wide variety of projects and programs to conserve and protect the state's natural resources. NRDs are charged under state law with 12 areas of responsibility including flood control, soil erosion, groundwater management and many others. 

Download the NRD History Fact Sheet

NRD Structure

'NRDs are local government entities with broad responsibilities to protect our natural resources. Major Nebraska river basins form the boundaries, enabling districts to respond best to local needs. Elected boards of directors govern districts. Much of the funding comes from local property taxes. In many cases, your local natural resources district typically uses 1-2 percent of all property taxes collected in the county.

Challenges & Solutions

NRDs help Nebraskans respond to natural resources challenges with local control and local solutions. Often, they build partnerships with other agencies and organizations, including the U.S. Department of Agriculture, the Nebraska Natural Resources Commission, Nebraska Department of Water,  Energy & Environment, and other state and federal agencies, municipalities, counties and private organizations.

Leaving a Legacy of Conservation

Many NRD projects produce long lasting results: dams, terraces, drainage ditches, windbreaks, reservoirs and recreational trails. NRDs are unique to Nebraska, a state which has a long history of political innovation including the nonpartisan, single-house legislature and public power. For more than 50 years, NRDs have experienced tremendous growth in the responsibilities given to them by state statute, especially in protecting groundwater. With information, education and outreach efforts, NRDs also reach Nebraska's future generations, the young people who will watch over the state's resources into the future.