Program a success

Dear Editor,

A few weeks ago, a group of five state senators and interested individuals took a trip down the Republican River near Alma, Neb. The trip displayed firsthand the improvements made to this streambed that was once covered by invasive vegetation. Started in 2007, with legislation introduced by Sen. Tom Carlson of Holdrege, the Vegetation Management Program was created to try to revive the once healthy flow of the Republican River. After only two years, the program has already had remarkable success improving the flow of water through the Republican River Basin. It is estimated that removing vegetation along the Republican River resulted in saving 46,000 acre feet of water in 2008.

New legislation passed this year, LB 98, introduced by Sen. Carlson and passed by the Nebraska Legislature, ensures $2 million will be available for each of the next two years to fund the Riparian Vegetation Management Task Force program. This new money will also help to expand the program to the Platte River, which is also suffering from invasive vegetation problems.

The work done thus far through the Republican River Riparian Recovery Project has been essential to improving stream flows in the Republican River Basin. Continued efforts in this area are necessary to ensure the future sustainability of the river basin. We were pleased to be able to see first hand the success of this vegetation removal and the potential for continued healthy stream flow in the basin.

Sincerely,

Sen. Ken Haar,

Dist. 2.

Sen. Scott Price,

Dist. 3

Sen. Mark Christensen,

Dist. 44

Sen. Tom Carlson,

Dist. 38

Sen. Ken Schilz,

Dist. 47