photo from USDA-ARS

During their June 12 board meeting, the Tri-Basin NRD board of directors received a report from NRD staff about groundwater levels in the district, as measured in April, 2008. The report indicates that groundwater levels are rising in most of the district, compared to 2007 spring measurements. Groundwater levels in Gosper, Phelps and Kearney counties have risen an average of 1.18 feet since last spring.

Unfortunately, portions of southern Gosper County and eastern Kearney County continue to have groundwater levels that are below 1981-85 average levels, which are the base levels that the NRD uses when considering the need for regulating groundwater users to protect groundwater supplies.

For this reason, Tri-Basin NRD will hold a public hearing on August 12, 2008 at 1:30 PM at the American Legion Hall in Elwood to consider whether to designate Union Township (5N, 22W) as a phase 3 Groundwater Quantity Management Area (GQMA) and Elk Creek Township (5N, 23W) as a phase 2 GQMA. Both townships are in southern Gosper County. A public hearing will be held on September 9 at 7:30 PM at the 4-H Building on the Kearney County fairgrounds at Minden to consider whether to designate May Township (6N, 13W) as a phase 2 quantity management area.

In a phase 2 GQMA, owners of non-domestic wells that are capable of pumping more than 50 gallons per minute are required to install flowmeters and report pumping annually to the NRD office. Transfers of certified irrigated acres into phase 2 GQMAs are prohibited. Phase 2 GQMA designations last for three years.

If a three-year rolling average of groundwater level measurements indicates that groundwater levels have recovered to 1981-85 average levels, the designation is rescinded. If groundwater levels have not recovered, a phase 3 GQMA is designated. In addition to phase 2 rules, groundwater pumping is limited through allocation for at least three years in a phase 3 GQMA.