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announcements
Headlines prior to September 30, 2005 Roger Patterson is resigning from the DNR effective August 19. He will be starting up his own consulting business. Ann Bleed has been named interim director. The Wyoming equivalent of the DNR has proposed transferring 50,000 AF into the Platte River each year via a pipeline Wyoming Transfer Plan Headlines prior to June 21, 2005 The Wyoming equivalent of the DNR has proposed transferring 50,000 AF into the Platte River each year via a pipeline KRVN Story Report on Water Policy Task Force meeting Pete Letheby, an employee of the Grand Island Independent attacks irrigation and specifically WaterClaim. His opinions are called useful by the Omaha World Herald editors. Both editorials are hidden behind registration pages so you will have to do a bit of work to get to them.
Causes of Stream Flow Increase and Decrease Government control of Water - yields stagnant water Pumping, Precipitation, Conservation and Stream Flow WaterClaim recognized by the EPA as being a Maximizing Stream Flow, A Billon Dollar Solution The Criminalization of Irrigation URNRD allowance and depletions - The URNRD needs to make almost no reductions in usage in order to stay in compliance with the Settlement Agreement. WaterClaim Proposal for helping solve the Republican River Basin Settlement requirements
Headlines prior to June 5, 2005 Government control of Water - yields stagnant water Pumping, Precipitation, Conservation and Stream Flow WaterClaim recognized by the EPA as being a Maximizing Stream Flow, A Billon Dollar Solution Some say there isn't an anti-irrigation climate in Nebraska. There sure seems to be a lot of people that disagree with that. Take a look at the following stories. You might notice that all of them see only one solution. Reduce the number of acres or inches and as a result the number of farmers. "Water Issues in Western Nebraska" The Future of Ground Water Irrigation in Nebraska Accessing the Underground Ocean
Lower Republican NRD via the Kearney Hub URNRD passes its Integrated Management Plan. URNRD votes to establish a citizens advisory committee Kenny Owens resigns effective July. If you are a member, make sure you you have given us your email address so that you can keep abreast of what is happening. There is much more information sent via email than what we post here. WaterClaim challenges URNRD closed sessions WaterClaim believes that public policy should be developed and formed in public. We believe Nebraska Statutes and the Nebraska Attorney General Opinions regarding open meetings require the development, discussion, and details of the formation of water policy to be open to the public. The URNRD has gone into closed session six times since November 2004. WaterClaim is asking the court to issue an injunction on any future closed sessions dealing with the formation of water policy. In an attempt to minimize conflict and to give the NRD the greatest possible respect, WaterClaim is, at this time, asking for action only on future meetings and is not asking for action on prior violations of the open meetings laws. This will permit the NRD to continue with the Integrated Management Plan and will not disrupt the process that is underway. WaterClaim is simply asking that all future NRD actions be open to the public as the law requires. WaterClaim would also like to thank the NRD board for incorporating many of the suggested improvements to the IMP. While WaterClaim envisions a more positive future, we also believe it is important to safeguard the pooling and carryover provisions of this IMP. URNRD IMP Current Draft (requires Adobe Reader) The Criminalization of Irrigation URNRD allowance and depletions - The URNRD needs to make almost no reductions in usage in order to stay in compliance with the Settlement Agreement. WaterClaim Proposal for helping solve the Republican River Basin Settlement requirements
Headlines prior to April 13, 2005 Guest Editorial in Omaha paper on water policy registration required under April 13, opinion section Influential Heritage Foundation opposes Ethanol The charts section has undergone a major renovation Central Platte NRD rebuffs DNR attempts to expand well control area - Registration required WaterClaim’s goals:
Planet Ark's thoughts on the next farm bill Where the water is pumped
This is a large file. It shows the boundaries of the URNRD directors. You can find this in the future under the maps folder. Jerry Kuenning is At Large. The Criminalization of Irrigation Tom Osborne essentially says, it is better to eliminate some irrigation than to allow the lake to stay below optimum level. via Omaha World Herald (registration required) March 31, article under the Region section Colorado Supreme Court Ruling on Water The URNRD held a special meeting on March 28 to discuss modifications to the IMP. It also voted to go into closed session for a period of two hours. WaterClaim formally objected to this decision and will ask the judge to rule on the issue of the NRD developing public policy while in closed session. WaterClaim position: Public policy should be developed and decided in public, not in secret meetings of sub-committees and then closed sessions of the full board. Attorney General summary of Open Meeting Law "To sin by silence when they should protest makes cowards of men." Abraham Lincoln The URNRD has modified the IMP enough that it believes another public hearing is necessary. Tentative date on the next hearing is April 25th or 26th with a vote by the board at the regular May meeting. Modifications to the IMP are to be released to the public by March 31. The changes are to address the public's concerns given at the first hearing and to change a definition. The special meeting called for March 28 still happens and will review the modifications to the IMP with the full board, and set the new hearing date. It may also go into executive session to discuss with the full board why those changes are being made and the advantages and disadvantages of the IMP. WaterClaim believes the law requires public policy to be developed in open session rather than executive session. The URNRD's frequent use of closed sessions and sub-committees violates the intent of the law. The actual reason the board usually excludes the public is because certain board members do not want the public to know what they think and say. Maddux, Ambrosek, Cappel ask Water Policy Task Force to cause URNRD to define sustainability as 3 to 6 inches URNRD allowance and depletions - The URNRD needs to make almost no reductions in usage in order to stay in compliance with the Settlement Agreement. Nebraska Supreme Court rules on Spear T case WaterClaim Analysis of the Spear T case WaterClaim Proposal for helping solve the Republican River Basin Settlement requirements Nothing Required - Challenges and Responses
Headlines prior to March 7, 2005 A listing of a few of the Water Meetings
WaterClaim presented the Nebraska Republican River Management Districts Association with the inter-basin water transfer concept. The NRRMDA voted to investigate the concept. WaterClaim will encourage the association to take action at its February 16th meeting. Roger Patterson of the DNR indicated that he will consider any permit request presented by the association. The NRRMDA needs encouragement to follow through on its commitment to consider the concept. NRRMDA is a an association made up of the four Republican River Basin NRDs and the surface irrigation districts within the basin. Final Draft copy of URNRD IMP prior to public comment. Note the Draft is not complete and the URNRD did not vote to accept the IMP subject to public hearing. Instead the public hearing was called even though the plan is not complete. URNRD sets public hearing dates for Integrated Management Plan. March 3. Time and location not set yet. The "publicly developed," Final Draft of the plan is still sealed and not available to the public. Copy of the last publicly available draft. WaterClaim opposes IMP as currently drafted
Nebraska Supreme Court rules on Spear T case Grand Island Independent Article WaterClaim Analysis of the Spear T case Imperial Republican article on Water Import McCook Gazette article on Water Import Current Status of Republican River water policy WaterClaim comments added. This is an important document. We encourage you to read it carefully. Not all board members agree on what it says. We have provided a copy both as unformatted text and as an MS Word document that makes it easy to print. URNRD average usage per acre for 2004 was approximately 12.7 inches. See Champion Nebraska ET Needs and Availability for historical needs. The water import concept as a part of the overall solution has received critical support from the NRDs and the State of Nebraska. This will help relieve much of the stress in the water short years. See below for a copy of the proposal. WaterClaim Proposal for helping solve the Republican River Basin Settlement requirements We recommend that you read Death Knell 2007 for an idea as to why this proposal is attractive to so many people. If you use the water Model created by Bruce Dodson or listen to the presentations made by UNL, you should read this information. Champion Nebraska ET Needs and Availability Holdrege Nebraska ET Needs and Availability
Evapotranspiration (ET) or Crop Water Use Nothing Required - Challenges and Responses
Headlines prior to January 7, 2005 “It is a very complicated proposal and needs refinement, some of which Steve has already done,” Patterson said. “But we are looking seriously at the concept.” WaterClaim Proposal for helping solve the Republican River Basin Settlement requirements We recommend that you read Death Knell 2007 for an idea as to why this proposal is attractive to so many people.
Champion Nebraska ET Needs and Availability Holdrege Nebraska ET Needs and Availability
Evapotranspiration (ET) or Crop Water Use WaterModel - an excel worksheet to help you identify the amount of water you need for your crop. Created by Bruce Dodson. Nothing Required - Challenges and Responses Headlines prior to December 11, 2004
Champion Nebraska ET Needs and Availability Holdrege Nebraska ET Needs and Availability
Evapotranspiration (ET) or Crop Water Use WaterModel - an excel worksheet to help you identify the amount of water you need for your crop. Created by Bruce Dodson. Nebraska Water Task Force - Report by the Lincoln Journal Star Nebraska Water Task Force - Homepage Nebraska Water Resource Association - Kearney meeting report Kansas vs Colorado water dispute before the US Supreme Court
Headlines prior to November 29, 2004 The Upper Republican NRD elects two new NRD board members. Both Fraiser and Ambrosek publicly stated they wanted to make greater reductions in the water allocations.
In the Middle Republican NRD the top five vote getters are elected. Absentee and Provisional ballots are enough to give Jerry
Mustion the victory over incumbent Del Harsh. Two incumbents in the Middle Republican lose their seats.
Both Madsen and Harsh were advocates of increased restrictions on
irrigation.
Lower Republican NRD
Did you know you will only be getting 7 inches of water next year? National Wildlife Federation sues regarding CRP policy Roger Patterson has indicated he will accept the MRNRD proposed ruiles. This is for a 39 inch allocation for three years on all acres. QR acres and Upland acres are treated the same. Click here to see the full set of MRNRD regulations. The MRNRD will vote to accept or reject these at their regular November meeting. Omaha World Herald publishes WaterClaim guest column. OWH modifed the numbers used in the letter. We have requested they return the number to what we said rather than what they replaced it with. Their editing of the number is factually incorrect. Our letter requesting a correction. On Oct 20, the URNRD and DNR meet to discuss a DNR proposal. Our review of the various University Studies Kansas State research gives a very different version of the effect water reductions have on the farm from what Darrel Martin, an expert for the DNR, presents. The State of Nebraska plans on conducting several educational classes for farmers in the basin to show them how water reductions will have minimal impact on a farmer's net profit. You might want to be familiar with the following reports before the planned re-education. LB 962 permits the government to require farmers to attend these educational classes in exchange for the privilege of irrigating.
NRD Candidate Questions and Answers Highlights from the Supalla Economic Study - Specifically for the URNRD. Economic Study by Ray Supalla for Southwest Public Power District Requires Adobe Acrobat Reader to view. Nothing Required - Challenges and Responses
Headlines prior to October 21, 2004 Omaha World Herald publishes WaterClaim guest column. OWH modifed the numbers used in the letter. We have requested they return the number to what we said rather than what they replaced it with. Their editing of the number is factually incorrect. Our letter requesting a correction. On Oct 20, the URNRD and DNR meet to discuss a DNR proposal. Our review of the various University Studies Kansas State research gives a very different version of the effect water reductions have on the farm from what Darrel Martin, an expert for the DNR, presents. The State of Nebraska plans on conducting several educational classes for farmers in the basin to show them how water reductions will have minimal impact on a farmer's net profit. You might want to be familiar with the following reports before the planned re-education. LB 962 permits the government to require farmers to attend these educational classes in exchange for the privilege of irrigating.
Response to the editorial NRD Candidate Questions and Answers Highlights from the Supalla Economic Study - Specifically for the URNRD. On Oct 12, MRNRD approved a proposal for allocations. This is being sent to the DNR for approval. If it is acceptable to the DNR, then the MRNRD will vote at their regular meeting on November 9 to adopt or reject the proposal. (Note, the allocation the NRD is proposing will use substantially more water than what the DNR has stated in the past is required.) In short, the MRNRD will allocate 39 inches over the next three years for each certified acre. There are about 311,000 irrigated acres in the MRNRD. There are no water short year restrictions for Upland or Quick Response wells. Up to 13 inches may be carried over into the next allocation period, if the landowner has been able to conserve that much water. The proposal contains language that the MRNRD will not be held liable for any failures by the other NRDs to meet their obligations. The full set of proposed rules and regulations are posted here. Economic Study by Ray Supalla for Southwest Public Power District Requires Adobe Acrobat Reader to view. Nothing Required - Challenges and Responses
Headlines prior to October 13, 2004 Highlights from the Supalla Economic Study - Specifically for the URNRD. Other NRD analyses to follow. On Oct 20, URNRD meets in a public meeting with Jim Cook, (legal counsel for the DNR), Tom Davidson, (legal counsel for the URNRD), and Joel Burke, (legal counsel for the URNRD). The meeting is described as a board retreat so that the board may consult with the lawyers about what is required to comply with the Settlement. The board prefers no questions or comments from the public and would prefer a closed session so as to obtain a more candid set of questions and answers. However, it is a meeting of the full board and is open to the public. Oct 20, 1:00 pm, Super 8 conference room, Imperial. On Oct 12, MRNRD approved a proposal for allocations. This is being sent to the DNR for approval. If it is acceptable to the DNR, then the MRNRD will vote at their regular meeting on November 9 to adopt or reject the proposal. In short, the MRNRD will allocate 39 inches over the next three years for each certified acre. There are about 311,000 irrigated acres in the MRNRD. There are no water short year restrictions for Upland or Quick Response wells. Up to 13 inches may be carried over into the next allocation period, if the landowner has been able to conserve that much water. The proposal contains language that the MRNRD will not be held liable for any failures by the other NRDs to meet their obligations. The full set of proposed rules and regulations are posted here. Economic Study by Ray Supalla for Southwest Public Power District Requires Adobe Acrobat Reader to view. McCook Gazette article on the MRNRD hearing. WaterClaim has mailed questionnaires to the candidates for the three Republican River NRDs. We will report here the answers provided by the candidates. WaterClaim is organizing a series of meetings to discuss the water issues. We will hold these meeting across the Republican River Basin. If you would like to be involved in that planning process, please contact us. Nothing Required - Challenges and Responses Headlines prior to October 7, 2004 The final report for the Supalla economic study will be presented to its sponsors on October 5th. MRNRD Public Hearing The Middle Republican NRD will hold a public hearing for the purpose of receiving testimony with regard to proposed rules and regulations for the Ground Water Management Area and the Integrated Management Plan for the Middle Republican Natural Resources District and the Nebraska Department of Natural Resources. The hearing will be at the Fairgrounds Community Building at the Red Willow County Fairgrounds at West 5th and O streets in McCook, Nebraska on October 6, 2004 at 7:00 P.M. Written testimony may be sent to the Middle Republican Natural Resources District at PO Box 81, Curtis, Nebraska, 69025. Written testimony will be accepted until 5:00 P.M. on October 12th, 2004. This is a hearing to take public testimony on the MRNRD plans to implement new rules and regulations. It is important that you attend the meeting and make your opinions known. WaterClaim encourages you to review the articles on the left. The MRNRD does not have to make the reductions they are planning to make, yet they are doing it anyway. Please read our Nothing Required article. WaterClaim has mailed questionnaires to the candidates for the three Republican River NRDs. We will report here the answers provided by the candidates. The Omaha paper reports another economic study has been initiated. A call to Tom Osborne's office reveals that the study has limited funding. What funding exists will come from UNL and the Game and Parks. The study will use the same researchers that did the economic study commissioned by SWPPD. The Osborne study will be released in parts over the next year to 18 months, as UNL has time to work on it. Central Nebraska Public Power and Irrigation District, which has filed suit asking that many of the ground water irrigation wells above Lake McConaughy be shut off, is also participating in the economic study. WaterClaim is organizing a series of meetings to discuss the water issues. We will hold these meeting across the Republican River Basin. If you would like to be involved in that planning process, please contact us. How pumping groundwater can lower a river article by Roger Patterson and Ann Bleed Nothing Required - Challenges and Responses
Headlines prior to September 30, 2004 WaterClaim has mailed questionnaires to the candidates for the three Republican River NRDs. We will report here the answers provided by the candidates. MRNRD Public Hearing The Middle Republican NRD will hold a public hearing for the purpose of receiving testimony with regard to proposed rules and regulations for the Ground Water Management Area and the Integrated Management Plan for the Middle Republican Natural Resources District and the Nebraska Department of Natural Resources. The hearing will be at the Fairgrounds Community Building at the Red Willow County Fairgrounds at West 5th and O streets in McCook, Nebraska on October 6, 2004 at 7:00 P.M. Written testimony may be sent to the Middle Republican Natural Resources District at PO Box 81, Curtis, Nebraska, 69025. Written testimony will be accepted until 5:00 P.M. on October 12th, 2004.This is a hearing to take public testimony on the MRNRD plans to implement new rules and regulations. It is important that you attend the meeting and make your opinions known. WaterClaim encourages you to review the articles on the left. The MRNRD does not have to make the reductions they are planning to make, yet they are doing it anyway. Please read our Nothing Required article. WaterClaim is organizing a series of meetings to discuss the water issues. We will hold these meeting across the Republican River Basin. If you would like to be involved in that planning process, please contact us. How pumping groundwater can lower a river article by Roger Patterson and Ann Bleed Bruce Vincent - Cambridge Water Meeting Requires Quick Time, Bruce is introduced at 37.30. It takes a minute or two load after you click. Nothing Required - Challenges and Responses The Natural Resource Commission Headline prior to September 2, 2004 Omaha article on Pumpkin Creek How pumping groundwater can lower a river article by Roger Patterson and Ann Bleed Bruce Vincent - Cambridge Water Meeting Requires Quick Time, Bruce is introduced at 37.30. It takes a minute or two load after you click. Nothing Required - Challenges and Responses The Natural Resource Commission Nothing Required - Challenges and Responses WaterClaim was one of the presenters at the Cambridge Republican River Basin water meeting. We will post a video of the meeting when it is available. Attendance was excellent and the featured speaker was exceptional. He has been invited to return to the area after corn harvest. Headlines prior to August 26, 2004 The Natural Resource Commission StatePaper - The Water is Falling Omaha World Herald editorial on water
Quick Repsonse / CREP map The DNR has provided WaterClaim with a copy of all input an output data for the MODFLOW software along with with all worksheets associated Republican River Basin. We have posted some of this information for our members to review. Headlines prior to August 14, 2004 MRNRD: Tuesday night approved a proposed rule change to comply with the RR Settlement. Proposal includes a 13 inch allocation on 100% of the certified acres. Carryover will be allowed. First hearing date will be during the first week of October. URNRD: The board meeting Tuesday night was for the purpose of informing the public that the assurances this district had received from the DNR about the allocation allowed to each district had been withdrawn. To quote Greg Pelster, chairman of the URNRD, "This is going downhill fast. Where the hell is our agreement at?" The URNRD feels that until it has better numbers, more assurances that the numbers will not change, and the details worked out, that extreme caution in accepting any proposal is necessary. No action was taken at the meeting. DNR has agreed to provide WaterClaim a copy of all data files. This is about 130 Gig of data and is supposed to include all model inputs, outputs, and worksheets used by the DNR. We are shipping them a hard drive for the data. We are curious as to what we will get. WaterClaim response to URNRD proposal Republican River Basin Meeting August 25th in Cambridge. 7pm. Cambridge High School. Headlines prior to August 4, 2004 UNL Economic Study Presentation
We are encouraging the sponsors and UNL to verify that the correct information is used so that an accurate report can be generated. Who Owes Whom - article on property rights "Groundwater Flow and Hydraulic Conductivity: Groundwater
flow is very slow compared to surface water movement. A rough average number
often used for natural flow in the High Plains aquifer is a foot per day. This
is thousands of times slower than river flow (typically measured in feet per
second), and means that a 'parcel' of groundwater takes over a decade to move a
mile, and about a century to cross a township. This natural time scale
underscores the importance of long-term planning and management, and helps
explain why resource depletion or contamination cannot be quickly or easily
rectified." Kansas has an excellent site for a detailed discussion of how the aquifer works. The above quote is taken from their site. July 22, 2004 Omaha World Herald article on WaterClaim Jasper Fanning was hired by the Upper Republican NRD, Tuesday night, July 20, as Temporary Interim Manager. He has a PhD in economics from KSU in 2003. First day of work is Monday, July 26. DNR responds to handouts WaterClaim has made at Public Information Meetings on June 29, 30, July 1, 9, and 16. Omaha World Herald article on LB 962 and its affects on cities. The Lower Republican NRD voted to lift the moratorium they had on the certification of new acres. This means additional acres may be certified through the end of December 2004. The DNR warned this meant the amount of water allowed would not change and that the water would have to be spread thinner over more acres. PowerPoint Presentation made July 13, 2004 in Imperial by WaterClaim. You may need the PowerPoint Viewer to see this file. About 120 people attended. Very positive response. The State of Florida has created an excellent summary of how a water system works. If you click on the flash version, you can see an animated diagram of how a water system works.
July 12, 2004
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