GRAND ISLAND- The Central Platte Natural Resources District’s board of directors met on Thursday, July 24, 2008, at the NRD office located at 215 N Kaufman Ave. in Grand Island. --Eastern Projects Committee- The committee discussed flood control issues in the town of Wood River near the by-pass. The board voted in favor of adding $10,000 to the 2009 Fiscal Budget to allow for a study on flooding in the future.

--Variance/Appeals Sub-Committee- The board approved a variance request from Hi Gain Feedlot, Dawson County, on Class 6E & 6W soils with the stipulation that the pivot does not go over those soils.

An appeal from Richard Wyman was tabled until the August board of directors meeting. --Budget Committee- The board approved the Fiscal 2009 Budget at $4,960,678.10, down $20,000 from 2008. --Trails- Dan Schultz, Lower Platte NRD, discussed the hike and bike trail system in Lincoln. Schultz said that ownership concerns are handled easily by adding a writer on the insurance policy and maintenance costs are approximately $2,000-$3000 per mile. The LPSNRD has had no issues with litter. Schultz said that before the trails were built there was some opposition but now there isn’t much opposition and the trails get a lot of use.

--Fully Appropriated Status - HDR and Flatwater Engineering Firms presented an evaluation; which studied whether or not the area below Elm Creek is fully appropriated. The evaluation researched the methods used by the Nebraska Department of Natural Resources (NDNR) to determine the fully appropriated status. Substantial conclusions can’t be made without pursuing additional efforts such as: using COHYST to determine lag impacts and considering normalization of stream gage data. Ron Bishop, general manager, requested that the engineering firms continue their research in this study.

--COHYST- Duane Woodward, hydrologist, gave an update on the Cooperative Hydrology Study. Woodward said new goals have been discussed in recent meetings such as model improvements. A new streamflow report showed that the depletion rate in the CPNRD since 1997 is 2,400 acre-feet. Woodward also reported that the North Platte NRD and South Platte NRD are currently working on developing models on the amount of depletion if drilling a new well.

--Water Bank- Ron Bishop, general manager, reported that the NRD’s Water Bank has purchased 1,000 acre-feet of water and has up to three other contracts pending in the western part of the District. Bishop said the NRD plans to administer work with any new corners with the NRCS to put them into the water bank through the new Farm Bill’s EQIP Program.

--FSA- Ron Bishop reported that the NRD has received good reception from the senators in working with the Farm Service Agency. Bishop said senators will ask for modifications in the new Farm Bill to help negotiate with FSA.

--PR Program- Scott Woodman, Shelton, was reappointed as a member to the Land Advisory Committee for the Platte River Program. Woodman had served a one-year term and was chairman of the committee. He’ll now serve a 3-year term. Dan Ohlman, Shelton, was appointed alternate.

--NRCS-- James Huntwork, District Conservationist, reported that the 2008 Farm Bill was signed into law in May. Natural resources program changes: the EQIP Program was reauthorized until 2012 and a program replacing groundwater and surface water conservation program was introduced as AWEP, Agricultural Water Enhancement Program, is available nationwide for areas in drought.

--Cost Share- 21 applications were approved through the Nebraska Soil & Water Conservation and the Central Platte NRD Programs in the amount of $34,719.42. Practices approved include underground pipeline, planned grazing, constructing diversions, livestock dugout, surge valve, streambank stabilization and well decommissioning.