CPNRD Board of Directors to Review Draft 2025 Budget and Bids for Office/Educational Center

CPNRD, courtesy

GRAND ISLAND — The Central Platte Natural Resources District (CPNRD) Board of Directors will consider approval of the 2025 spending budget for the public hearing to be held the same day as the July board meeting. The amount of the levy will be set at the August board meeting.

The June board meeting will begin at 2 p.m. on Thursday, June 27, 2024, at the Central Platte NRD office located at 215 Kaufman Avenue in Grand Island.

Other agenda items/action items

Proposed Office/Education Center After four years of planning, the Board will review seven bids for the proposed office and education center and consider the Building Committee’s recommendation. The bidding process for the proposed building, which would be located as part of the Prairie Silver Moores Flood Reduction Project in northwest Grand Island, was launched in January.

The education center would offer indoor and outdoor learning experiences, demonstrating the relationship between water, forests, grasslands and soil. The outdoor locations will provide hands-on learning opportunities that complement the topics presented at the indoor learning center. These sites would include wetlands, walking trails, shelterbelts, pollinator habitats, irrigation and cropping demonstrations, monitoring wells and other educational resources.

The center could host workshops and training sessions for agricultural producers, groundwater technicians, well drillers and students to learn how to sample and test wells, operate irrigation equipment, earn credits continuing education (CEU) and explore new technologies and research.

Agreements The Council will consider the Budget Committee’s recommendations regarding an agreement to retain engineering services to assist with updates to the COHYST Modflow 6 project model and a rate increase with Water Strategies for lobbying and advocacy services. federal representation as of July 1, 2024.

Nitrogen Program Violations Water Quality Specialist Tricia Dudley will seek cease-and-desist orders for growers and landowners in Phase II or III of the Groundwater Quality Management Program who fail to comply not to the rules and regulations of the NRD.

Violations occur when growers fail to submit annual harvest reports or provide required water and soil samples or comply with their requirements.

Certification requirements for nitrogen.

Variance Request Review and consider an appeal request for a variance from a Merrick County landowner.

Director’s Report Lyndon Vogt, Executive Director, will report.

Eastern Projects Committee, Jesse Mintken, Deputy Director, will provide an update on the Wood River Flood Control Project levy.

-Groundwater Levels Luke Zakrzewski, GIS Image Analyst, will report on spring 2024 static groundwater level results as well as a comparison of groundwater levels in 1982. The 1982 levels have been established as the standard for the NRD groundwater management plan with maximum acceptable declines and a safety margin calculated for each of the District’s 24 groundwater management areas (GWMA).

Tree Report Administrative Assistant Kelly Cole will report on the number of trees sold through the NRD Tree Conservation Program and miles of weed barrier fabric sold in 2024.

Natural Resources Conservation Service Report Joe Krolikowski, district conservationist, will report.

Deb VanMatre, CPNRD Representative, Nebraska Association of Resources District, will report.

Nebraska Natural Resources Commission Middle Platte Basin Representative Mick Reynolds will report.

Requests for cost sharing through the Nebraska Soil and Water Conservation and Central Platte NRD cost sharing programs will be considered.

Next board meetings on July 25, August 29 and September 26

Central Platte NRD board meetings are held at 2 p.m. at the CPNRD office located at 215 Kaufman Ave in Grand Island.