LINCOLN, Neb. (AP) - The Lower Platte North Natural Resources District board has lifted its moratorium on new irrigation wells and imposed allocations on two areas within the Wahoo-based district.
On Monday the board created the two so-called special water quantity areas in an effort to stabilize aquifers in Butler, Saunders, Platte and Colfax counties, the Lincoln Journal Star reported (https://bit.ly/1m4KbAn ). Water tables had dropped more than 50 feet in some areas, and some domestic wells dried up during the past two summers as Nebraska struggled with drought.
The two areas total less than 5 percent of the east-central Nebraska district, which covers parts of seven counties.
Irrigators in the two water quantity areas would be allocated 27 inches per acre over a three-year period. The Butler-Saunders counties area would be guided by the allocations starting in 2015. Allocations would begin in 2016 for the Colfax-Platte counties area.
There are other restrictions as well, including flow meters on some wells, classes for irrigators, water level reporting, mandatory certification of irrigated acres and a ban on offseason irrigation without notifying the resources district.
Irrigation expansion in the two special areas also would be restricted. The district has the option of approving as many as 2,500 more acres for irrigation, but it is not obligated to do so.
Farmers who use groundwater for irrigation criticized the allocations and other requirements.
“They’re putting restrictions on us,” said Alan Huettner, a Platte County farmer. “We have no problems with our wells. The water table has been as good as it’s been.”
NRD General Manager John Miyoshi said the board could review water allocations and make changes at the end of each year.
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Information from: Lincoln Journal Star, https://www.journalstar.com
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