NRD to consider water rule revisions

Friday, October 5, 2007

What irrigators in the area can pump beginning in 2008, and recommendations from the state about pumping in dry years, will be considered by board members of the Middle Republican Natural Resources District, at its regular meeting Tuesday night in Curtis, 7:30 at the American Legion Hall.

Board members will vote on whether to accept revisions to the groundwater management area, that include reducing pumping allocations from 13 to 12 inches.

In a related matter, the board will be asked to adopt revisions to the Integrated Management Plan that involves state-recommended options for NRDs during dry years.

These options include that 12 inches are sufficient in a wet year, but the NRD will have other options in dry years, such as reducing allocations and acres and buying more surface water.

If the board accepts these options as part of the Integrated Management Plan, it will go to a public hearing tentatively set for Nov. 30, said Dan Smith, MRNRD general manager.

The board also will review progress on the $9.7 million bond the three Republican River NRD's will borrow to buy surface water rights, to be paid back with taxes on homes and property and fees on irrigated acres.

The Republican River NRDs were allowed to buy surface water under LB701, as a way to meet compliance with Kansas in the Republican River Compact.

Discussion topics also include occupation tax acres, the Basin Coordinator position and the resolution that the three NRD's approved at their September board meetings that outlines each NRD's portion of the bond,

The MRNRD's portion of the bond comes to $2.7 million. The MRNRD comprises of Red Willow, Frontier, Hitchcock and Hayes counties.

Middle Republican NRD Web site:

http://www.mrnrd.org/

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