News Release from
The Central Nebraska Public Power and Irrigation District

Date: Sept. 4, 2007
Contact: Tim Anderson, Public Relations Manager
Phone: (308) 995-8601

September 4, 2007 Board Meeting Summary

(HOLDREGE, Neb.) -- The Central Nebraska Public Power and Irrigation District's board of directors passed a resolution at Tuesday's monthly meeting stating Central's intention to deliver 6.7 inches of water per acre during the 2008 irrigation season.

The board's action is the result of continued low storage conditions at Lake McConaughy. The lake currently stands at elevation 3205.4 feet above mean sea level with a volume of 446,700 acre-feet (25.6 percent of operating capacity).

Although the lake ended this year's irrigation season about six feet higher in elevation and held about 90,000 acre-feet more than last year, Civil Engineer Cory Steinke said inflows to the lake were the fifth lowest on record. The four lowest inflow years have occurred since the 2001-02 water year.

Inflows were again hampered by below average runoff from snowpack in the Rocky Mountains of Wyoming and Colorado. Steinke said snowmelt runoff in the Platte River Basin was below normal for the eighth consecutive year.

In addition, he said, drought in Nebraska's Panhandle this spring and summer and unregulated groundwater use above the lake have continued to limit inflows. Central estimates that approximately 100,000 acre-feet of water per year is no longer reaching Lake McConaughy because of irrigation well development in recent years that is intercepting groundwater formerly destined for the North Platte River.

Irrigation deliveries are scheduled to take place over an eight-week period beginning on June 24 and ending on Aug. 19. Under normal circumstances, Central delivers 15 to 18 inches per acre over a 12-week season. It will be the fourth consecutive year of below-normal deliveries. Central set allocations of 6.7 inches/acre in 2005, 8.4 inches/acre in 2006 and 6.7 inches/acre in 2007.

Central's board and management arrived at the decision to allocate 6.7 inches/acre after meetings with members of the Central District Water Users and its board of directors. Policies that cover transfer of water deliveries and conveyance of water in Central's canals will remain in effect next season.

Lake McConaughy was able to gain elevation compared with last year because of conservation measures and plentiful rainfall in the irrigated area, said Irrigation Division Manager Dave Ford. Central's irrigation customers used an average of about 4 inches of surface water per acre this summer.

Ford added that the unexpected availability of flows in the South Platte River early in the season -- which could be diverted into Central's Supply Canal in place of Lake McConaughy water -- also helped the lake's end-of-season level.

Also at the September 4 meeting:

• The board awarded a bid for an oil circuit breaker for the Johnson No. 2 switchyard to Siemens Power Transmission and Distribution of Richland, Miss., for $55,800. The new breaker will replace a unit that failed in early August.

The board also awarded a bid for disconnect switches also for use in the J-2 switchyard to Pacific Air Switch Corp., of Forest Grove, Ore., for $16,600.

• The board approved a budget revision related to the equipment purchases for J-2, adding $50,000 to the current budget to pay the deductible for insurance coverage on the failed circuit breaker.

• The board rejected on an 11-3 vote a motion by Director Martin Mueller of Ogallala to accept a July 23, 2007 lease proposal from Lake McConaughy Lessees, Inc. Mueller's motion added to LMLI's proposal a 4 percent yearly escalation in lot fees and a 10-year look-in period. Directors Robert Dahlgren of Bertrand and Robert Petersen of North Platte voted with Mueller and Director Dave Rowe of Johnson Lake was absent.

• Gothenburg Division Manager Kevin Boyd reported that the salt cedar spraying project at Lake McConaughy was completed last week. More than 2,000 acres infested with the invasive plant species were sprayed for approximately half of the projected cost. The remaining funds designated for the project will be used in subsequent years for follow-up control and removal of vegetation in recreational and wildlife habitat areas around the lake.

• The board approved recommended rental rates for District property, including pasture/hay ground ($15/acre), dryland ($40/acre), irrigated land ($85/acre), advertising sign placement ($175/year for large signs; $100/year for small signs), and rental houses ($365/month to $385/month depending on location).

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