PROGRAM INFORMATION

EQIP, WHIP, WRP, CREP and CONTINUOUS CRP:  Applications for funding assistance and/or annual payments can be taken anytime at your local USDA Service Center. Applications must be approved prior to starting any installation work.

NSWCP: New money comes July 1.  Applications for cost-share assistance can be taken at your local NRCS office.  Applications must be approved by the NRD prior to starting any installation work.  In the Tri-Basin NRD, flow meter applications and non-irrigation practice applications are reviewed for approval monthly.  All other eligible irrigation practice applications are reviewed four times a year: September, December, February and May.  The Tri-Basin NRD board meets on the second Tuesday of each month.  All applications to be reviewed need to be completed two weeks prior to the board meetings.

ENERGY EFFICIENCY GRANT: This grant program is an opportunity to receive cost-share assistance for sub-surface drip systems, pivots, underground pipe, well upgrades, motors, bridges, etc.  In 2008, there will be two rounds of approvals.  Applications currently on file will have approval announcements around June 16.  Additional applications can be submitted by June 16 for the second round of approvals to be announced around Sept. 15.  Applications not approved in the first round will be eligible for second round approval.  For more information, contact Kelley Kinney with Rural Development at the Kearney USDA Service Center or at (308) 237-3118, ext. 4.

CALENDAR OF EVENTS

May 26: Memorial Day (government offices closed)
May 13: TBNRD Board of Directors meeting, 7:30 PM
June 2: CNPPID Board of Directors meeting, 9:00 AM
June 24: CNPPID's four 2-week delivery schedule begins

2008 Watch List!

• Crop Water Use (ET) data included on this page will now be utilizing data from atmometer sites rather than weather stations.  Eight of the 14 sites will be listed in this newsletter.

• EQIP producers need to keep track of their irrigation scheduling records and submit them to NRCS at year's end.

• Program Information for information and applications deadlines.

• Calendar of Events and Websites of interest.

• Positive quotes will be randomized with oxymorons.

ACROSS THE TRI-BASIN NRD

2008 Version of Tri-Basin Irrigator is Underway

Welcome back everybody for the 2008 version of the Tri-Basin Irrigator.  Welcome also those of you who are receiving this newsletter for the first time.  My name is Curtis Scheele and I am the water management specialist with the NRCS covering Gosper, Phelps and Kearney counties.  My office is located in Holdrege.  See below for the address, phone number and my e-mail address.  You will also find the addresses and phone numbers for the other two NRCS offices located in the three counties mentioned above.

It's hard to believe, but this will be the fourth year of this newsletter.  The goal is to provide you with irrigation-related information across the Tri-Basin NRD while also keeping it short and sweet.  It will again be sent bi-weekly during the crop season.  If you want to receive this newsletter via e-mail, please provide me with your e-mail address.  This newsletter and archived copies will also be available on Central's website (www.cnppid.com) and the Tri-Basin NRD's website (www.tribasinnrd.org).

If there is anything in particular you would like to see in the newsletter, if you have any questions, if you wish to provide comments or feedback, feel free to contact me.  I wish for you a safe and wonderful 2008 crop season.

Stage of Growth:

Corn (Not Planted to Planted stage):

Soybeans (Not Planted to Beginning Planting stage):

Irrigation:

We have seen enough moisture this winter/spring that we are going into the season with a full soil moisture profile.  Monitoring the soil moisture this year to determine when the first irrigation will start will play a large role in saving an irrigation run or more.

CNPPID has started filling the canals using water below Lake McConaughy, which includes the South Platte River.  Again this year, CNPPID is allocating 6.7 inches of water per acre.  The irrigation schedule of four 2-week runs will start on Tues., June 24 and will end on Mon., Aug. 18.

Lake McConaughy is at 43.4% capacity versus 38.4% a year ago. Inflows to Lake McConaughy are 600 cfs compared with 706 cfs a year ago.  Flows in the South Platte River at North Platte are 171 cfs compared with 225 a year ago.  You can track these flows on Central's web site.

Rainfall:
The following rainfall amounts (inches) come from NeRAIN which can be found at NeRAIN.

Nebraska Water Management Demonstration Network (NAWMDN) Crop ET Information
Additional atmometer sites and Weather Station Data can be found on CNPPID's website

Inches of Crop Water Use (ET) = Evaporation x Kc

Crop Coefficients (Kc)

Additional ET Information Sites:

KRVN radio broadcasts
KRVN.com
Central Nebraska Public Power and Irrigation District
Water Use Hotline: 1-800-993-2507

Check out these web sites:

"Peace is not the absence of conflict, but the ability to cope with it." - Anonymous

If you would like to receive this newsletter via e-mail, or have any questions, comments or ideas, feel free to contact Curtis Scheele at the NRCS office in Holdrege or your local NRCS office at the addresses or phone numbers listed below.

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