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Cover Crop Roller Crimper Now Available to Farmers

A roller crimper, an alternative mechanical method to terminate cover crops without herbicides, is now available for farmers in and around Washington County. By crimping cover crops and rolling them over like a blanket on a field, it can improve weed suppression and reduce moisture evaporation from the soil.

Grant funding from the EPA, Nebraska Department of Environment and Energy (NDEE) and the Papio NRD for practices relating to water quality improvements enabled the recent acquisition of the roller crimper.

It’s available to local farmers for use at a low cost of $1/acre (to address routine maintenance). Farmers who may be hesitant about this practice are encouraged to try it on a few acres initially to make their own judgement and consider it a potential future investment.

To learn more about the roller crimper and cost-share on eligible conservation practices, contact Armando Zarco with the Papio NRD at 402-350-3695 or azarco@papionrd.org.

To schedule the roller crimper, contact Phil Kempcke at 402-533-3122 or Nate Kempcke at 402-278-0584 with Kempcke Seeds in Blair.

 

 

Papio NRD River Access Sites to Open April 1

The Papio NRD will open the Elkhorn and Platte River access sites for the season on April 1st. 

The access sites include:

  • Elkhorn Crossing (intersection of 252nd & Bennington Road)
  • West Maple Road (West Maple Road northeast of Waterloo)
  • Graske Crossing (southeast corner of West Dodge Road & west of 204th St.)
  • Platte River Landing (near Highway 64)   

High river flows occasionally force the Papio NRD to temporarily close the river access sites for safety purposes. Park closures for Elkhorn River sites are called for when the Elkhorn River gauge at Waterloo reads a stage of 5 feet or greater. Platte River Landing will close when the gauge at Leshara reads 5 feet or above.

River access ramps may need to be cleaned of silt, debris and safety inspected before reopening.

Access Sites – Open or Closed? 

You can find out whether the access sites are open or closed throughout the season here:

There are no park entry fees. The access sites are open from 6:00 a.m. to 10:00 p.m. through November 1.

Enjoy!

Wildlife Wish List Drive. Please Donate!

The Papio NRD is holding a wildlife wish list drive for Nebraska Wildlife Rehab (NWR), a non-profit organization that works tirelessly to rescue, rehabilitate and release thousands of wild animals and migratory songbirds each year. NWR doesn’t receive any state or government funding, so donations are critical. Please bring wish list items to the Papio NRD at 8901 S. 154th Street in Omaha through February 24th. Our wildlife friends thank you in advance!

Notice of Availability of Draft Supplemental Watershed Plan – Environmental Assessment for the Papillion Creek Watershed

The United States Department of Agriculture, Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) in Nebraska announces the availability of a Draft Supplemental Watershed Plan-Environmental Assessment (Draft Plan-EA) for the Papillion Creek Watershed. The sponsoring local organization (SLO) is the Papio-Missouri Natural Resources District (Papio NRD). The project proposes four sites (W-5, D-78, D-2, and S-15) with a series of grade stabilization structures, one stream restoration location (S-5), one sediment control basin (S-1) with grade stabilization, and one high hazard flood damage reduction dam with a permanent pool (WP-1, previously known as D-31). This project will provide flood risk reduction, recreation, and watershed protection benefits to the community.  The proposed improvements may be partially funded by NRCS through the Watershed Protection and Flood Prevention Act of 1954 (PL 83-566) and the Regional Conservation Partnership Program (RCPP).

The proposed project is in Sarpy, Douglas, and Washington Counties, Nebraska. The National Environmental Policy Act and the Council on Environmental Quality’s regulations at Title 40 Code of Federal Regulations Parts 1500-1508 require evaluations of the potential effects of federally funded projects on human and natural resources. These evaluations include input from the public. NRCS has reviewed the potential impacts of the project and released a Draft Plan-EA for public and agency review.

Comments on the Draft Plan-EA may be submitted during a public comment period starting February 3, 2023 and ending on March 5, 2023. You can view the complete Draft Plan-EA here. Additional information can be found on the project website.

Comments may be emailed to Melissa Baier at melissa.baier@usda.gov, submitted via phone to 402-437-4065, or mailed to:

Melissa Baier, Acting Nebraska Watershed Planning Coordinator
Natural Resources Conservation Service
Federal Building, Room 152
100 Centennial Mall North
Lincoln, Nebraska 68508

Individuals who require alternative means for communication should contact Melissa Baier at 402-437-4065 or at melissa.baier@usda.gov at least 7 days prior to the end of the comment period.

 

 

Roller Crimper Soon Available to Farmers

Roller Crimper photo courtesy of Thomas Hennig.

If you planted cover crops this fall and would like to save some money next spring and improve your soil quality on your fields, a Roller Crimper might be the way to go. A Roller Crimper is an alternative option to terminate cover crops without costly herbicides or tillage in the spring. By crimping cover crops and rolling them over like a blanket on a field, it can improve weed suppression and reduce moisture evaporation from the soil. In a nutshell, it can be a win-win scenario.

Don’t want to spend thousands of dollars to try out a new piece of equipment? You’ll be happy to know that with the assistance of the Nebraska Department of Environment and Energy (NDEE), the Papio NRD has placed an order for a 31-foot Roller Crimper, which should be delivered this Fall. It will be available for local farmers to rent at very little cost.

We’ll be providing further details early next year on how to go about renting this Roller Crimper. You don’t have to do your entire field – maybe give it a try on a few acres and make your own judgement. It might just be something worth investing in for the future. Call Armando Zarco with any questions at (402) 350-3695.

 

 

 

New Director Fills Vacancy on Papio NRD Board

The Papio-Missouri River Natural Resources District Board of Directors announces a new Director filled its Subdistrict 7 vacancy.

The Board selected Josh Henningsen, an Omaha lawyer who works for the Nebraska Legislature as a committee legal counsel. Henningsen took the oath of office at Thursday’s board meeting. He replaces Danny Begley, who resigned in August.

Subdistrict 7’s boundaries roughly comprise of the Dundee/Benson neighborhoods to west of I-680 on Dodge Street.

Vacancy on Papio NRD Board of Directors

A vacancy exists on the Papio-Missouri River Natural Resources District’s Board of Directors for the Director elected from Subdistrict #7.  The vacancy will be filled by the Board of Directors.  The person appointed must be a registered elector and reside in Subdistrict #7.  A map of Subdistrict #7 can be found at  https://bit.ly/subdistrict7 . The term of the office to be filled will expire in 2024.

Persons interested in being considered for appointment to this position should submit a letter of application to the District.  The letter must be submitted to the Board of Directors at the District’s principal office, 8901 S. 154th Street, Omaha, NE 68138, postmarked no later than September 29, 2022 or delivered to the District office by 4:00 p.m. on September 29, 2022. If you have any questions regarding this matter, please call John Winkler at 402-444-6222.

 

Papio NRD Decreases Property Tax Levy

Board Approves Proposed 2023 Budget

At its September 8th meeting, the Papio-Missouri River Natural Resources District (Papio NRD) Board of Directors voted to approve the Fiscal Year 2023 general operating budget that includes a decrease in the Papio NRD property tax levy.

“We realize that historically high inflation is negatively impacting many of our constituents’ finances,” said John Winkler, general manager of the Papio NRD. “Through methodical and conservative financial management this budget allows the Papio NRD to lower its property tax levy while simultaneously funding critical public safety projects. This fiscal year’s total budget requirements, operating budget, and property tax levy are all lower than last fiscal year,” said Winkler.

For 17 out of 18 years, the Papio NRD has either decreased or kept the tax levy the same. The District will drop its property tax mill levy by 2.6% this fiscal year.

“The Papio NRD’s budgeting philosophy has been to levy only what is needed to adequately fund vital flood mitigation, conservation, erosion and sediment control projects, and the prudent management of our state’s critical natural resources,” said Winkler.

The Papio NRD’s FY23 property tax levy would drop to .0348 per $100 of assessed valuation from the District’s FY22 property tax levy of 0.357 per $100 of assessed valuation. Under this budget, a homeowner in the District with property valued at $150,000 would pay $52.14 a year or $4.34 a month in property taxes next year to support Papio NRD projects, programs, and services. The budget calls for an estimated $30 million in revenue from the Papio NRD’s property tax levy. The total operating budget is estimated at $80.1 million.

The property tax levy is based on an estimated 8.57% increase in valuations across the District, which includes all of Sarpy, Douglas, Washington, and Dakota counties, plus the eastern 60% of Burt and Thurston counties.

The Papio NRD receives less than 2% of all property taxes collected within the District’s six-county area. The remaining 98% goes to schools, cities, counties, and other taxing entities.

Bye Bye Becic. Happy Retirement!

After 38 years working in the NRD system, Jim Becic, environmental coordinator extraordinaire, is retiring and looking forward to restoring and spending more time in his own habitat.

Jim worked for five years at the Middle Missouri River Tributaries NRD and then moved to Papio-Missouri River Natural Resources District when the two NRDs merged. To say he accomplished a lot is an understatement.

So, what made Jim stay at the Papio NRD all these years?

Jim: There is really no other public entity that currently acquires and/or restores habitat as a priority.  Being a biologist, working as a part of the NRD system is a unique opportunity. While at this NRD, we’ve acquired and/or restored thousands of acres of habitat to include over a dozen project sites in our six county reach.

Quite a few projects stand out as his favorites. 

Jim: The Boyer Chute in Southern Washington County along the Missouri River with the resulting creation of a National Wildlife Refuge.  The initial acquisition of about 2,000 acres with an additional 650 acres with Nathan’s Lake and the adjacent Stratbucker site and other tracts subsequently acquired by the Fish and Wildlife Service has increase the refuge size to well over 4,000 acres and growing.  AND the people working at the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, the Corps of Engineers, the Nebraska Environmental Trust and certainly the NRD were all excellent partners.

What’s he looking forward to in retirement?

Jim: Not setting the alarm…or getting on the interstate on the way to or from work. (Bike trips, cooking, more leisurely property maintenance, death.)

Yes, he said “death.” We will certainly miss Jim’s crazy sense of humor! Most importantly, Jim we thank you, our environment thanks you, and our wildlife thank you for literally making our six-county world a much, much better place. Enjoy your retirement. It is beyond well-deserved!

Pedestrian Bridge and Trail Officially Open for Valley Residents

The Papio-Missouri River Natural Resources District (Papio NRD), City of Valley, DC West Community Schools, YMCA of Greater Omaha, and other community partners today celebrated the grand opening of Valley’s new pedestrian bridge and trail.

(From left to right) Papio NRD General Manager John Winkler, Past Board President of YMCA of Greater Omaha Ford Fischer, Former Congressman Lee Terry, Papio NRD Board of Directors Rich Tesar, Papio NRD Natural Resources Planner Eric Williams, Valley Mayor Cindy Grove, DC West Schools Superintendent Dr. Melissa Poloncic, President and CEO of the YMCA of Greater Omaha Rebecca Deterding

The 450-foot pedestrian bridge and trail provide a major community connection point that improves safety, recreation, and active transportation for Valley residents.

“The pedestrian bridge spans the Union Pacific Railroad tracks and East Reichmuth Road (old Hwy 275),” said Eric Williams, natural resources planner for the Papio-Missouri River Natural Resources District. “The City of Valley needed a solution to literally bridge the gaps between major parts of the community, especially a safe route that prevented kids from directly crossing the rail lines or walking on the highway overpass. The bridge and trail provide these safety measures as well as increased recreational opportunities. So, it’s a double win for Valley residents,” said Williams.

“The City of Valley is extremely excited to have the trail and bridge finally open,” said Valley Mayor Cindy Grove. “This has been a multiple year project and residents have been eagerly anticipating the opening. Being able to connect the YMCA with the school and south side of the community with a safe place for residents to walk and bike has been much needed for several years.”

Williams says the project is a great example of the power of community partnerships and one that came at no cost to Valley taxpayers. The total cost of the pedestrian bridge and trail is approximately $7 million, with a majority of the cost from federal transportation funding, and the remaining contribution from the Papio NRD.

 

“I am entering my ninth year as superintendent and this is a project that was in planning when I arrived,” said Dr. Melissa Poloncic, superintendent of DC West Schools. “To see this large-scale project finally come together is really a wonderful thing for our community!”

“We are so excited for the completion of the trail and the impact it will have,” said Rebecca Deterding, president and CEO of the YMCA of Greater Omaha.  “This has been highly anticipated, and we look forward to it increasing access and collaboration between the YMCA, the school and the community.”

 

 

 

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