One Benefit of Membership
WaterClaim provides several levels of information.
Public - Information that is shown here on the web site.
Members - We provide a great deal more information to our members than what is shown on the web site. Members get frequent email updates.
Executive Members - Executive members get all of the regular email plus the more sensitive information such as the who behind various activities. They also determine the direction of WaterClaim.
If you continue to read below, you will see one of the recent emails that went out to members. It shows information that you will find no where else. This particular report is a summary of what Ann Bleed said at her confirmation hearing. It reports what the DNR has told the Senators it intends to do.
If you are a member you get this type of information on a frequent basis. Below is a summary and notes on what each person said.
February 2, 2007
Ann Bleed confirmation hearing notes
Short Summary: Ann Bleed says that the goal is to bring the Republican River Basin into compliance with the annual needs within 5 years. The 2006 overage is about 32,000 acre feet. So the goal would be to reduce usage slowly so that by 2012 the annual overage is zero.
The way this would be done is to reduce usage in the Quick Response areas. It isn’t fair and it will be very difficult. She hopes to have those plans in place and agreed to by the NRDs by the summer of 2007. Once those plans are in place, then she will go to the Governor and ask for compensation for the Quick Response landowners. She will also ask the Legislature. This compensation should come from the State and the local communities.
A complete transcript will be available from the Clerk of the Legislature.
Opening Statement
Ann Bleed: Promised an open process with water management community and water users.
Reviewed credentials, two PhDs, one in industrial systems with an emphasis in hydrology and natural resources.
Taught classes at the Natural Resources school
Degree in civil engineering
Acting administrator of DNR for 16 months
Was, with Roger Patterson, negotiator of the Cooperative Agreement.
Was also very involved in the Republican River Basin Settlement Agreement
Is trained as a dispute mediator
How she will approach the job.
S Open communications with NRD, surface, power, and environmentalists
S Fair allocation of water
S Help Nebraska manage water now and in the future
S Help overcome antagonism between surface and ground water users
LB 962 is a very good bill
It preserves local control.
However, the DNR not only regulates surface water use but helps develop IMPs. The law requires that the IMPs protect surface water users and groundwater users whose water is recharged by surface water use.
LB 962 is an involved decision making process that brings people together. It is a good process even though it is difficult.
Dealing with the overappropriated areas will be very difficult – especially in the Republican River Basin. (she says the Republican River Basin is overappropriated even though it is officially fully appropriated.)
Must help Basins go from over to fully appropriated
This means more restrictions and regulations in the Republican River Basin. Controls must be put in place that restrict Quick Response areas. They don’t have to be continued long term but are required for short term compliance.
Funding is necessary. It must be fair.
State and local are both responsible, both must fund.
Chairman Louden then opened the hearing to questions from Senators.
Senator Louden: How long have you been acting director?
Ann Bleed: 16 months.
Senator Christensen: You mentioned good communications. Will you provide the senators copy of whatever you give the NRDs and how long will it take you to answer requests for information?
Ann Bleed: Will be happy to provide the senators copy of all NRD packets and will also have information on the web site. Along with DVD of data and FTP site. There is more information on the DNR web site than most people realize. Too much some say.
Senator Dubas: Communications is important, how will you do that?
Ann Bleed: Talk to stakeholders, a long list of how many different groups she had been to see just this week. Twin Platte, North Platte, Republican River Basin, etc, etc,
Will respond to requests for information as quick as possible. Groundwater modeling requests can take time though.
Records are open
Will provide as much information as possible.
Senator Carlson: What are the top two or three challenges for 2007?
Ann Bleed: 1. Do what we must in the Republican River Basin. 2. Develop and finalize the IMPs on the other basins.
Senator Carlson: The statistics that I see show Nebraska to be over its allowance for 2006 by 32,000 acre feet. What is a reasonable gain on this number for 2007?
Ann Bleed: It depends on your point of view. We are working with the NRDs to balance. Plan to have plan that we suggested in McCook by August.
Goal is to reduce our annual overage to 0 within 5 years.
Senator Carlson: Where is the line of positive control on vegetation. (how far back from the center of the stream must vegetation be removed)
Ann Bleed: Vegetation uses water. We need to control it. Especially below the reservoirs. When we purchased surface water and released it last year it caused flooding. We need to remove the trees that are blocking flow. Talking with Bureau and Army Corp. Dealing with Steve Chick who is coordinating all of the activities in the State. The stream is being blocked by non-invasive species.
Senator Fischer: What should the Legislature do?
Ann Bleed:
Pass the DNR cleanup bill.
Decide how to regulate Quick Response areas
In time set the allocations the same for both Quick Response and Upland wells but not now as we don’t need to do that on the upland and they can contribute to the economy.
The restrictions on the Quick Response wells are going to affect the people that drilled wells to replace their surface irrigation water that dried up so they get hit twice.
How we do this fairly is the challenge.
Compensate the Quick Response people for their loss after the IMPs are put in place.
Senator Fischer: What are the Federal issues?
Ann Bleed: The Endangered Species act on the Platte. If Fish and Wildlife start going in a bad direction then we are at the table to help stop that.
Senator Christensen: You mentioned compensation. Will the DNR have suggestions on that.
Ann Bleed: Yes, we are working with the NRDs on the compensation issue. If we come up with viable plans for restricting use that balance the annual overage within 5 years. Then I will go to the Governor and ask for money to compensate the Quick Response people. The Legislature, of course, decides.
Senator Carlson: Augmentation. What is it? Hoes does it work?
Chairman Louden: This is more than your three.
Ann Bleed: 2 ways. One is trans-basin. I have heard about Loup, Elkhorn, and Platte river ideas. If the source area is fully or over appropriated then a groundwater transfer must have the permission of the source and destination NRDs. I hear that Tri Basin is holding a hearing regarding allowing transfers. Funding is not cheap. There are water quality issues that have to be addressed.
The other is retiming. It involves pumping water into the stream from wells close by. When the area is hydrologically connected as all of the Republican River Basin is then the Agreement with Kansas requires that we cannot have an effect on the stream in either the short term or the long term. This is expensive but doable.
No more questions from the Senators.
Proponents: None
Opponents: Letter from Ron Klein
Neutral: Steve Smith, WaterClaim representing irrigators and businesses that care about water. Since the Natural Resources Committee has oversight of the DNR, we ask that the Committee help obtain information from the DNR. Over the last three years WaterClaim has had an extremely difficult time obtaining the information that the area needs to make good decisions. Please use the oversight powers of the Committee to help ensure information is accessible.