NORFOLK — The Lower Elkhorn NRD Board of Directors met on Thurs- day, March 26, at the office in Norfolk for the monthly board meeting.
Directors approved four Community Forestry Incentive applications and one Forestry Incentive for Public Facilities application for Fiscal Year 2027. The Community Forestry Assistance Program was developed to provide assistance for the improvement or renovation of community green spaces on public lands – such as cities, villages, counties, and public schools. The Forestry Incentive for Public Facilities was created for privately owned but publicly available spaces – like public cemeteries and golf courses.
An Interlocal Agreement with the City of Pierce was also approved by directors. At the March 12 committee meeting, Chad Anderson, Pierce city administrator, presented an official request to proceed with the next steps and into the design phase of the North Fork Elkhorn River WFPO Plan.
The City of Pierce is moving through a phased certification process to re-certify the Pierce levee with Federal Emergency ManagementAgency. They have already completed Phase 1 of the levee accreditation and are ready to move onto the preliminary design phase of the project.
Some Phase I findings included: the need for additional height on some portions of the levee; closure improvements; interior drainage improvements; and embankment and foundation stability. The total cost of the project is estimated to be $540,000.00 with $97,010.00 being carried over from the plan phase of the project.
The remaining local costs, $442,990.00, will be split 50/50 with each entity contributing $221,495.00 for the project. The interlocal agreement with the City of Pierce will be in effect through June 30, 2029.
Connor Baldwin, Groundwater Management Area specialist, gave the board an update on producers who have not yet completed management area reporting and/or nitrogen certi- fication. Both the annual report and nitrogen certification are required for producers in the Phase 2 and Phase 3 areas.
Annual reports are submitted on Jan. 15 every year for both dryland and irrigated fields, while nitrogen certification only needs to be renewed
once every four years. Annual reports can be filled out in the office with Connor and numerous opportunities for nitrogen certification training are offered each year.
Directors agreed that staff may begin issuing notices of violation to farm operators who have failed to submit annual field reports and obtain nitrogen certification as required by the LENRD Groundwater ManagementArea Rules and Regulations.
Conversations regarding flood miti gation options for the City of Battle Creek will resume next month. Curt Becker, assistant general manager, informed directors that a representative from the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers plans to attend the April 9 committee meeting to discuss flood mitigation possibilities for Battle Creek.
Brian Bruckner, general manager, provided an update regarding the final report of the Nebraska Water Task Force. Bruckner was one of 20 members throughout the state who served on the Governor’s task force beginning in June 2025. He also sat on the Water Conservation and Quality and Nitrate Legacy and Drinking Water Access Subcommittees.
Key recommendations from the task force focus on educational materials for residents and producers; increased engagements with producers; improved nitrogen management; and increased statewide water measurement through voluntary efforts and cost share opportunities.
The Lower Elkhorn NRD is already working hard to achieve these mea- sures. The requirement for flowmeters on all high-capacity wells in the district has been in place since 2019 and assistance for domestic well testing and reverse osmosis systems is also available for residents. With continued support from producers and district residents, the Lower Elkhorn NRD remains committed to work tirelessly to protect and conserve our precious groundwater.
To learn more about the 12 responsibilities of Nebraska’s NRDs and how the local district can work with residents and the community to protect natural resources, visit www.lenrd.org and sign up for monthly emails. The next board of directors meeting will be Thursday, April 23, at the LENRD office in Norfolk at 7:30 p.m. and on Facebook Live.
