(HOLDREGE, Neb.) - The Central Nebraska Public Power and Irrigation District’s board of directors heard reports on water conservation efforts and education from an irrigation water management specialist at Monday’s meeting.
Curtis Scheele, irrigation water management specialist with the Natural Resources Conservation Service, presented his annual conservation report, summarizing activity related to the federal Environmental Quality Incentives Program (EQIP). He also reported on the Conservation Stewardship Program (CSTwP).
Scheele also provided the board an overview of the local UNL Testing Ag Performance Solution (UNL Taps) team’s yield from this past season. He presented the directors with results from a nitrogen testing program that was conducted across the state by UNL.
Also at Monday’s board meeting:
• A bid was approved for $191, 615 to Van Diest for purchase of chemicals for the 2025 irrigation season.
• The board approved a bid of $372,800 for a 2025 CAT 330 Excavator from NMC, Inc. of Doniphan, Neb.
• Directors approved a Hydro Vac Excavator in the amount of $68,500 from Ditch Witch of Grand Island, Neb.
• Directors gave approval for the purchase of four ½ ton pickups, five ¾ ton short bed pickups, and one ton dually pickup from Pony Express Chevrolet Buick of Gothenburg, Neb.
• Hydraulic Project Operations Manager Cory Steinke updated the board on the project taking place near Medo’s at Johnson Lake. He reported the dike work should be completed on Monday and crews will be covering the entire new dike with rock the rest of this week. He anticipates the water level of the lake to begin coming up this week, depending on power production scheduling at the hydroplants.
• Civil Engineer Tyler Thulin reported that Lake McConaughy’s elevation was at 3236.4 feet on Monday (57.9%). Inflows are around 1,200 cubic feet per second (cfs) and outflows are about 675 cfs. Snowpack in the upper North Platte basin is currently 94% of median average, the lower North Platte is at 87% and 104% in the South Platte basin.