Tucked below the earth’s surface, you may not be able to see groundwater, but it is essential to our daily lives. Communities in our District rely on a clean and consistent groundwater supply for drinking and agricultural use.
To protect the quality of our groundwater and sustain its long-term supply, the Papio NRD is working to secure the current and future needs of our District by monitoring water levels, preventing contamination, promoting efficient water use, and more.
Groundwater may be out of sight, but it’s far from out of the minds at the Papio NRD.
The Integrated Management Plan (IMP) is developed by the Papio NRD and the Nebraska Department of Water, Energy, and Environment, to manage surface water and groundwater in areas where they are connected throughout the District to achieve the following:
The District is required by law to maintain a Groundwater Management Plan (GMP). The GMP sets rules and regulations to ensure the sustainable use of groundwater in our District such as understanding the available water supply, assessing water quality and contamination levels, and implementing and encouraging conservation measures.
The GMP is developed through public feedback, scientific data, and planning with our partner NRDs and the State of Nebraska. The data is used to create advanced groundwater analysis and management tools, including a groundwater system flow model we are developing in collaboration with the Lower Platte North Natural Resources District, Lower Platte South Natural Resources District, and Nebraska Department of Water, Energy, and Environment.
As part of the plan, the Papio NRD has designated regions throughout the District as Phase I and Phase II Groundwater Management Areas to identify and address specific groundwater quality and quantity needs.
The Papio NRD and The U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) regularly test samples from well waters across the District to monitor groundwater for a variety of contaminates, such as nitrates, pesticides, heavy metals, and additional nutrients. This enables the Papio NRD to assess the overall health of the aquifer system and take appropriate protective measures.
The Papio NRD is working with the Lower Platte North Natural Resources District, Lower Platte South Natural Resources District, and the Nebraska Department of Natural Resources to create a sub-regional groundwater flow model.
The model will help us understand how to track water levels and plan for future water needs. It will provide insight into groundwater development and drawdown, streamflow depletion impacts from pumping, climate change impacts, examination of well head protection areas, aquifer conditions, and hydrogeological properties and responses.
We offer producers a cost share program for groundwater and nutrient application management. Financial assistance includes the following eligible practices:
To effectively manage the District’s water resources, accurate records of existing irrigated cropland are necessary. The Papio NRD asks landowners or farm operators within the Integrated Management Plan (IMP) area to provide documentation to certify their irrigated acres by submitting an application and filling out the Farm Service Agency (FSA) Certification of Identity Form.
The Papio NRD grants variances to landowners for up to 2,500 acres of new groundwater irrigated acres in a portion of the IMP area each year.
Landowners wanting to implement new irrigated acres or expand upon existing irrigated acres within the IMP area need to submit an application.
Chemigation is a method of applying fertilizers and other chemicals to crops through an irrigation system. However, without proper safeguards, chemicals can accidentally enter the groundwater supply.
To protect our irrigation water from contamination (fungicide, herbicide, or insecticide), landowners or producers are required to submit a chemigation permit application to the Papio NRD to comply with Nebraska chemigation regulations. Applicants are also required to undergo chemigation training and testing before operating a chemigation system.
Landowners within the District who plan to install a well must complete a Water Supply Well Permit Application.
Please read these instructions before completing the form. There are no fees to submit an application.
The Papio NRD implements a variety of conservation practices to manage irrigation water use and ensure soil health throughout the District.
We offer producers a cost share program for groundwater and nutrient application management. Financial assistance includes the following eligible practices:
Contact: Philip Paitz: ppaitz@papionrd.org
To effectively manage the District’s water resources, accurate records of existing irrigated cropland are necessary. The Papio NRD asks landowners or farm operators within the Integrated Management Plan (IMP) area to provide documentation to certify their irrigated acres by submitting an application and filling out the Farm Service Agency (FSA) Certification of Identity Form.
The Papio NRD grants variances to landowners for up to 2,500 acres of new groundwater irrigated acres in a portion of the IMP area each year.
Landowners wanting to implement new irrigated acres or expand upon existing irrigated acres within the IMP area will need to submit an application.
Contact: Philip Paitz: ppaitz@papionrd.org
Chemigation is a method of applying fertilizers and other chemicals to crops through an irrigation system. However, without proper safeguards, chemicals can accidentally enter the groundwater supply.
To protect our irrigation water from contamination (fungicide, herbicide, or insecticide), landowners or producers are required to submit a chemigation permit application to the Papio NRD to comply with Nebraska chemigation regulations. Applicants are also required to undergo chemigation training and testing before operating a chemigation system.
Contact: Philip Paitz: ppaitz@papionrd.org
The Papio NRD is developing an online portal for producers to view their certified irrigated acres and report required water meter readings.
Contact: Philip Paitz: ppaitz@papionrd.org
