Groundwater Management Summary of the MNNRD
Middle Niobrara NRD
303 E HWY 20
Valentine, NE 69201
402-376-3241
Manager: Mike Murphy mmurphy@mnnrd.org Fax: 402-376-1040
Website: www.mnnrd.org
Bordering South Dakota, the Middle Niobrara Natural Resources District (MNNRD) lies in North Central Nebraska along the middle stretch of the Niobrara River. One of the largest NRD’s in the state, the district has an area of 2.9 million acres which includes the northern two thirds of Cherry, western Keya Paha, northern Brown, and a small part of western Rock County.
Groundwater Status
The District has certified 157,927 groundwater, surface water, and combination surface/ground water irrigated acres since 2008. Roughly 35,000 acres north of Ainsworth are irrigated by storing 88,000 Acre Feet of water from the Snake River 25 miles south of Valentine at Merritt Reservoir and gravity flowing it through a 175-mile-long canal and lateral system managed by the Ainsworth Irrigation District. 157,927 irrigated acres make up about 6% of the total acres in the MNNRD. There are currently 1,235 groundwater irrigation wells that irrigate about 108,000 acres within MNNRD boundaries.
Groundwater levels are monitored with the measurement of static water levels twice a year at 225 sites. Measurements are taken before and after the irrigation season to see the full drawdown and subsequent recharge. The MNNRD continues to see stable and increasing groundwater tables in almost every area in the District. In 2023 MNNRD worked with DNR and Longitude 103 to build a Groundwater Index to help pinpoint water availability and mitigate groundwater user conflicts. All areas of the District have at least 96% of the underlying aquifer remaining, with several areas of the District having almost 20% higher saturated thickness levels than in 1998. Flows at the Sparks gauge on the Niobrara River run about 100 CFS higher than in 1965. Flows near the Verdel gauge on the Niobrara are nearly 500 CFS higher since 1965.
MNNRD staff sample nearly 450 irrigation, domestic, and monitoring wells on an annual basis for nitrate contamination. The MNNRD continues to see a stable trend in our nitrate levels across the district. The average nitrate concentration per county is as follows: Brown 7.26 ppm; Cherry 4.13 ppm; Keya Paha 3.97 ppm; and Rock 8.77 PPM. With the District averaging 6.03 PPM as a whole. The District is averaging about .1 PPM increase a year in each county.
Action Steps & Timeline
1972: The MNNRD began to monitor groundwater quality and quantity.
1985: The District approved a Ground Water Management Plan (GMP) that was further updated in 1995. The MNNRD GMP lays out how the district will manage the quality and quantity of its natural resources. This plan expanded the yearly sampling efforts, quality controls, implementation of best management practices, and helped identify threats to the resources and any actions to mitigate them.
2008: The Lower Niobrara Basin was declared Fully Appropriated, therefore automatically placing a moratorium on new high-capacity wells, surface water development, and new irrigated acres. After a lengthy court battle, the NE Supreme Court reversed the fully appropriated determination, allowing for limited expansion of new groundwater and surface water uses under LB 483. 2008 to 2014: The District certified all the existing irrigated acres as well as approved 9,938 new irrigated acres of groundwater uses.
2015: The Board placed a moratorium on new high-capacity wells and irrigated acre expansion to study the effects the recent development had on groundwater resources.
2016: Legislation passed to allow the Niobrara River Basin Alliance to administer the water rights formally associated with Spencer Dam and NPPD. Since then, the 4 NRDs and Game and Parks purchased and now manage those senior water rights to maintain the functional stream flow for conservation of fish, wildlife, and recreation.
2021: NDNR and MNNRD finish and implement their Voluntary Integrated Management Plan (VIMP) to help coordinate ground and surface water management decisions.
2022: The MNNRD made substantial changes to their rules that allowed the District to resume accepting applications for new high capacity uses and irrigated acres. Chemigation Act enforcement, management area zone 3 reporting, and non-relevant items were phased out or were updated.
Current and Future Activities
The District promotes water conservation through an annual cost share program for projects like gravity to center pivot conversions, mechanical flow meters, low pressure sprinkler packages, and soil moisture sensors. Telemetry systems like Field Net or Ag Sense that allow for more precision irrigation and monitoring were also added to the list. Flow meters are required only on new irrigated acres, but ultra sonic flow meter readings are offered free of charge. Staff read about 75-100 existing flow meters during fall static water levels. The District permits 450 irrigation systems for chemigation each year and conducts about 225 inspections for Chemigation Act Compliance.
The Districts GMP lays out its management zones based on nitrate contamination levels within the District. Management Zone 3 encompasses all MNNRDs portions of Rock, Brown, and Keya Paha Counties as well as eastern portions of Cherry County where nitrate concentrations can be elevated. Landowners and producers in Zone 3 are subject to required educational courses like nitrogen certification, annual water and fertilizer use reporting, and implementation of Best Management Practices like irrigation scheduling, no till, cover crops, or split N applications. About 1,000 of the Districts 1,800 fields are under management actions to help improve water quality issues.
The MNNRD is in its 4th year (2022-2025) of allowing new irrigated acres or other high capacity expanded uses after an 8-year moratorium to assess ground and surface water resources. Every Spring, the Board of Directors vote to continue or suspend accepting applications for new irrigated acres or high capacity uses after reviewing the condition of the aquifer. They also have the option to set the number of new acres accepted. Expanded static water level sampling and new technology like telemetry in monitoring wells is helping to make solid, educated decisions. The District has been averaging about 500-600 new acres in recent years, which is 0.021% of the total district.
The MNNRD is in the fifth year of participation in the Voluntary Integrated Management Plan (VIMP) with the newly formed Nebraska Department of Environment and Energy (NDWEE). Staff and directors from both parties meet every spring to discuss current and past water quantity activities, collaboration on projects, funding opportunities, and to look ahead at future management goals and objectives from both the surface and groundwater prospective.
The District continues its involvement with the Niobrara River Basin Alliance (NRBA) and their administration of the water rights that were historically held at Spencer Dam by Nebraska Public Power District. The NRBA has updated old DNR records and currently holds 68 subordination and 2 condemnation agreements for junior water right holders. The group continues to work on finding a suitable location for a new stream gauge as well as working to identify current and future basin water supplies and demand.
Long Pine Creek Watershed (LPCW) and its tributaries have experienced significant stream bank erosion, threatening structures, and further impairing hydrological and biological functions of the stream. Long Pine, Bone, Sand Draw, and Boardman Creek and the Niobrara River from Bear Creek to Snake Creek, are listed on the 303 (d) impaired waters list for E. coli and high temperatures.
The District received the final approved LPCW Watershed & Flood Prevention (WFPO) Plan-Environmental Assessment (EA) in September 2024 from NRCS to address issues in the watershed. This plan will aid in providing watershed protection through onsite treatment of watershed natural resources through grade control, bank stabilization, and aquatic ecosystem restoration and rehabilitation to address head cutting, water quality, erosion and sediment control, and wildlife/aquatic fisheries. Currently the district is utilizing Water Sustainability Funds (WSF) and sponsor match dollars to do the final design and permitting on several different projects in the LPCW, while waiting on federal funding for final construction.
Voluntary Integrated Management Plan (VIMP)
The District, in collaboration with NDWEE, implemented this VIMP to maintain a balance between the uses and supplies of both surface water and groundwater so that economic viability, social and environmental health, safety, and welfare can be achieved and maintained in the District for both the near and long term. The District and NDWEE also considered effects on existing surface water appropriators and groundwater users during the development of this VIMP. Should NDWEE subsequently determine an affected river basin, subbasin, or reach within the District to be fully appropriated, NDWEE and the District may amend this VIMP.
NeRAIN
The MNNRD participates in the NeRain program which tracks yearly precipitation across the state. If you would like to track daily precipitation at your location, please stop into the office to get a rain gauge and to activate an account you can report from on any computer or smartphone.
Ambient Water Sample Collection
The MNNRD and Nebraska Department of Water, Energy, and Environment work together to collect data from surface water sources across our district. Sampling locations include Plum Creek, Long Pine Creek, and the Niobrara River, along with many others. Every first Monday of the month staff collect water samples, water levels, and data such as PH, conductivity, and turbidity. These water sample test for the presence of "Blue green algae", E Coli, and pesticides/herbicides. Once every 5 years the District completes a large basin wide sampling effort with 6 sampling locations on every Monday in Cherry County and 6 sampling locations every Tuesday in Brown County. If you would like more information, please contact the MNNRD or NDWEE.
Beach Watch
Every Monday from May to September, District staff collect water samples at the beach at Merritt Reservoir to check for Blue Green Algae and E. Coli. Click on the link below for more information regarding Blue Green Algae and E. coli as well as other sampling points across the state.
Nitrate Sampling
Every summer the MNNRD staff collects around 450 water samples from household, livestock, and irrigation wells all across the district. These samples are shipped off to Wards lab in Kearney to be tested for Nitrates. Nitrates occur naturally and are not harmful at levels less than 10 Parts Per Million (PPM). Nitrate levels over 10 PPM are dangerous to humans if consumed, especially the elderly, infants, and pregnant women. Over usage of commercial fertilizer, leaching of animal or industrial waste into water systems, or leaking septic systems can all cause nitrate levels to spike over 10 PPM. If you would like your water tested for nitrates please stop in or call the office to get a sample bottle and instructions. The District offers free nitrate sampling for residents at the Valentine office.
Check out this website from the CDC on more information about Nitrates.
https://www.cdc.gov/healthywater/drinking/private/wells/disease/nitrate.html
Chemigation
Any producer applying an agricultural chemical through an irrigation system in the state of Nebraska must be in compliance with the Nebraska Chemigation Act of 1987. Any person involved in the calibration or monitoring of a chemigation system must be certified through NDEE. They must also get a permit from their local NRD and pass an inspection of their equipment for every injection site. The MNNRD does inspections on all permitted irrigation system every two years. This does not apply to irrigation systems pumping from the Ainsworth Irrigation District (AID). The MNNRD sends out permits every spring before irrigation season. Please follow the instructions on the back and return them before June 1st. If you have any questions, please call the office. If you are not receiving permits and need them, you can find the forms under the water resources page or you can contact the MNNRD.
The University of Nebraska puts on trainings and exams every year for certifications through NDEE. The website below contains instructions. You can also lookup your license number if you have an active license.
Chemigation Training and Certification | Pesticide Safety Education Program | Nebraska
For more information on Chemigation Rules and Regulations, calibrating your system, and other helpful tips click on the link below.
Title 195 Effective 04-19-2020.pdf
Static Water Levels
The Middle Niobrara NRD collects static groundwater level measurements at 225 sites across the district semi-annually. Measurements are collected prior to irrigation season in late March and early April, and again after the irrigation season in late October and early November. These time frames allow the District to see the full effects of the drawdown from the irrigation season and the subsequent recharge. These 225 sites consist of 74 dedicated monitoring wells and 151 irrigation wells. Twice since the districts inception sampling sites have been substantially increased. The district completed a groundwater management plan in 1995 and along with it significantly expanded the number of sampling sites with new monitoring wells and selected more irrigation wells. This 1998 date is commonly used as a baseline when assessing static water levels as it provides a better holistic picture of nearly 175 sites utilized instead of the estimated 60 sites being used in the early 1990s. In 2011, The Board of Directors required new irrigated acres to be sampled for groundwater quality and quantity. With the District being open for irrigated acre development from 2011-2014 and 2022-2026 the district continues to add 5-15 quality & quantity sites on a yearly basis.
Nitrogen Certification Classes
Water Programs Supervisor Kyle Temple offers nitrogen management certification classes each Spring in Ainsworth and Valentine. This course is required for everyone applying fertilizer to crop fields. Certification is valid for four years and is offered in conjunction with the UNL extension chemigation applicator certification classes. This class is valid for other NRDs across the state if you
Water Quality Cost Share Applications
The Middle Niobrara Natural Resources District is accepting applications for water quality cost-share for the coming year. Cost-share covers 50% up to $2,500 for items such as irrigation management technology, VRI (Ag Sense/Field Net), flow meters, low pressure sprinkler package conversions, converting gravity irrigation to center pivots, and other water use efficiency or water quality improvements. Applications will be accepted until December 1st, 2026, and can be picked up at the MNNRD office. Please contact Kyle Temple at the MNNRD office for more information (402)-376-3241.