River augmentation project updated

CURTIS, Nebraska -- At their monthly meeting Tuesday evening, Middle Republican Natural Resources District board members got an update on activities on the Lincoln County farm whose irrigation water eventually will augment flows into the Republican River and on into Kansas.

The Nebraska Cooperative Republican Platte Enhancement Project (N-CORPE) is designed to help Nebraska comply with the 1943 Republican River Compact in the Republican River Basin and in the Platte River Basin with the 1977 Platte River Recovery Implementation Program.

MRNRD board of directors voted 9-2 in October 2012 to participate with the Lower, Upper and Twin Platte NRDs in the $83 million purchase of a 19,500-acre southern Lincoln County farm so that the water used to irrigate its crops could be piped to the Republican and South Platte rivers. The four NRDs are sharing the cost of the purchase of the farm, the construction of two pipelines and maintenance/operation.

N-CORPE is the largest stream flow augmentation project of its kind in the state.

This is the update info that MRNRD directors got Tuesday:

COVER CROP SEEDING -- To date, 70 of 115 pivot irrigation circles on the property have been drilled to sorghum sedan. Adequate cover with plant height knee- to chest-high has been established on many of the circles. All circles drilled with cover were watered (see an accompanying story on the MRNRD budget and public comments) and irrigation substantially complete. Final water use will be calculated in the fall, but site manager Mike Keller is estimating that two-four inches of water was applied to the cover crop

Substantial cover is needed for approximately three years as native grass is established.

Over the next couple of weeks, 13 more circles will be drilled to sorghum -- those that were previously in wheat and three others that needed to be baled before seeding could occur.

WEED CONTROL -- Recently, 36 circle were sprayed with 2, 4-D or AIM, depending on their proximity to circles planted to potatoes. An additional six circles still need to be sprayed. A tractor and mower owned by the URNRD is on site and being used to mow weeds as needed.

LAND RENTAL -- A total of 23 of the N-CORPE circles were leased in 2013. Thirteen were planted to irrigated corn; eight to irrigated potatoes and two to dryland corn. Additionally, 10 circles were in irrigated wheat at the time of the land purchase. N-CORPE harvested the wheat; the yield averaged 60 bushes an acre. N-CORPE sold the wheat for approximately $471,000.

Approximately 2,200 straw bales were produced on the wheat circles. The straw will be sold to contractors to be used as mulch to help establish cover and grass on the pipeline route when the project is completed. The N-CORPE board will decide later what, if any, ground will be leased in 2014. The board may decide to lease significantly less land.

GRASS SEEDING -- Seeding is expected to occur in 2014. Enough seed for approximately 7,000 acres is contracted for, and additional seed will be purchased as it is available. A Nebraska Environmental Trust grant will likely be pursued to help with the purchase and drilling of seed.