BEATRICE – The Lower Big Blue Natural Resources District will meet June 5th to determine whether a temporary moratorium on new wells or increases in irrigated acres will be extended.  The district held a public hearing at the DeWitt Community Building Thursday night, attended by about twenty area residents.


NRD General Manager Scott Sobotka says the district’s board enacted the temporary stay after fall groundwater readings were reviewed.
"We had some record declines in some areas, and then we were also permitting through our well permitting, our well scoring system, new wells in some of our areas where we were seeing some of the greatest declines. With the weather conditions, the drought conditions, they put that temporary stay on, to look at the scoring system, the well permitting system...to look at management options like sub-areas. We are a very diverse district with multiple aquifers."


Lower Big Blue Assistant Manager and Water Programs Coordinator Tyler Weisahn says a three-to-four-foot recovery in water levels with spring readings would be considered good…but the district has been seeing water levels below baseline for the past two or three spring seasons. The NRD received some input on the current situation.


"They ran the gamut. It was everything from total support, keep doing what you're doing, you've got a good plan and go forward....to we got some projects I'd like to do, what's the expectation going forward....just trying to get a feel for that."


Sobotka says the NRD has hired an engineering consultant to look at the hydrology of the district’s territory.  "Our first step is looking at development of those sub-areas...based on the various aquifer characteristics...and where we're seeing levels of decline."


The Lower Big Blue’s monitoring network shows some variation across the district regarding groundwater readings. Sobotka says the drought pattern has existed in the district for nearly a year.  "Last year we started out with, at least a full soil profile. This year, most of the district is not starting out with much, or any of a soil profile."


An extension of the stay would allow the district and board to examine its options and further monitor groundwater readings. Sobotka and Weisahn said an extension of the stay, if formalized, would be for an indefinite time frame. It could be lifted at any time, if conditions should improve.


The district plans to conduct another public hearing to update producers on the status of work on water management options and conditions.


The latest Drought Monitor Map shows the Lower Big Blue NRD in either abnormally dry conditions, or moderate drought. A region of east and northeast Nebraska remains in exceptional or extreme drought conditions.