2007 Most Likely a Water Short Year

(Curtis, NE) – 2007 will most likely be a water short year, Middle Republican NRD Directors learned at last Tuesday’s board meeting. The district received notice from the Nebraska Department of Natural Resources of the potential for Water Short Year Administration in 2007.

A Water Short Year Administration goes into effect in those years in which the projected or actual irrigation supply is less than 119,000 acre-feet of storage available for use from Harlan County Lake. The Bureau of Reclamation is responsible for making the determination, using the methodology described in the Harlan County Lake Operation Consensus Plan. Each year between October 1 and June 30, the Bureau of Reclamation will provide a monthly update of the projected or actual irrigation supply from Harlan County Lake for that irrigation season.

The United States Bureau of Reclamation has projected that the irrigation supply from Harlan County Lake will be zero acre-feet using storage available on September 30, 2006. This forecast indicates that Water Short Year Administration will be in effect in 2007. However, the determination that Water Short Year Administration is in effect will not become final until June 30, 2007. No changes in the district rules are proposed for the 2007 irrigation season as a result of this designation.

Assistant Manager Robert Merrigan reported that district technicians Rich Karre, Tom Hanson, and Dennis Peterson began reading and servicing meters in the district at the beginning of the month. The flow meters in Hitchcock and Hayes County will be serviced this year. Irrigators who typically remove their meter from the well after irrigation season are asked to let the MRNRD office know where the meter is stored so the meter can be read.

Smith read a letter of resignation received from Director Kelly Wertz, formerly of Trenton. Wertz and his family relocated to Kansas. The board voted to accept Wertz’ resignation. Wertz was the Middle Republican NRD delegate to the Nebraska Republican River Management Districts Association. Director Kevin Fornoff (Hayes Center) was appointed the new delegate, with Chairman Gayle Haag (Bartley) serving as an alternate. Wertz has removed his name from the November ballot and his position will be filled after the election.

Following the November election, the district plans to hold a board retreat. Sponsored in cooperation with the Upper and Lower Republican NRDs, the retreat will cover a variety of water related issues with guest speakers. This retreat will provide existing and new board members the opportunity to become informed on the issues and improve their decision making background.

Smith reviewed the current status of the EQIP Permanent Retirement of Irrigated Acres Special Initiative. Approved applications are currently going through the easement process.

The next regular meeting will be on November 14 at 7:00 p.m. at the Community Building of the Red Willow Fairgrounds in McCook, Nebraska.

Full text of the meeting minutes, kept current, is available during regular business hours at the NRD office in Curtis or on the web at www.mrnrd.org.

October 12, 2006