PROGRAM INFORMATION

EQIP-GSWC: Applications for 2008 funds can be taken anytime at your local NRCS office.

NSWCP: Applications for cost-share assistance can be taken at your local NRCS office.  The next approval date for irrigation practice applications will be Sept. 11, 2007.  These practices include surge valves, underground pipe from water source to surge valves or pivots, and conversions from high-pressure nozzles to low-pressure nozzles.

CALENDAR OF EVENTS

June 26: CNPPID's 4-week delivery schedule begins
July 2: CNPPID Board of Directors meeting, 9 AM
July 4: Independence Day (government offices closed)
July 10: TBNRD Board meeting, 7:30 PM
July 15-18: Kearney County Fair
July 22-26: Phelps County Fair
Aug. 2-4: Gosper County Fair
* Times are tentative

Payments for Storing Carbon is Expanding!

Producers are enrolling land into the Chicago Climate Exchange carbon sequestration program.  Through this program, they are able to receive payments based upon the amount of carbon stored in their soils.  Payments are small, but continue to grow.  If you are currently doing or will be doing the necessary practices to be eligible for this program, why not make a little extra money?  Deadlines for enrolling in the program are June 30, 2007 and Aug. 15, 2007.

In order to receive payments, producers must be no-tilling or strip-tilling their crops, have newly seeded grass on previous cropland that was planted after Jan. 1, 1999, or restoring degraded existing rangeland through management practices.  Land that is eligible for the program must be located in eligible counties.  For example, the no-till and strip-till is eligible in all 93 Nebraska counties.  Additional counties have been added to the eligible list for new grass seedings.  Roughly the western two-thirds of the state is eligible for the native rangeland program.

Nearly four years ago, Nebraska NRCS entered into a contract with the Chicago Climate Exchange to establish the first ever carbon trading market in the United States.  The project sought to reward farmers who capture and store carbon dioxide emissions through sequestration in soils.  The proposed program included Iowa, Kansas, and Nebraska with Nebraska NRCS being the administrator of the grant.  Over the course of four years, the program has expanded to about 20 states through a national Conservation Innovation Grant.

For information about who to contact in order to determine eligibility and apply for these contracts, contact your local UNL County Extension office.

ACROSS THE TRI-BASIN NRD

Coffee Shop Talk:

In the last issue of the Irrigator, under the 2006 Furrow Irrigation Field Demo, there are two things that need cleaned up.  One, a large thank you goes to Dave Nelson for all of his hard work in doing this project and allowing me to report the results.  Two, each replication in the project covered eight rows.  The project did not cover the entire field.

"The Price of Water" is a production of NET Television.  It is an hour-long special that explores where our water comes from, who uses it and for what purpose, and what people are doing to sustain Nebraska's water.  I apologize for not getting this information out in time for the premier showing.  It will be aired again on June 21 at 9 p.m. on NET1 and NET-HD for those who get this newsletter via e-mail.  It will again be aired on Wednesday, June 27 at 11 a.m. and 4 p.m. on NET2.

Are you going to the Whirlwind No-Till Expo near Bladen, Neb. on Aug. 22?  Pre-registration cost is $30 and must be postmarked by Aug. 17.  Lunch will be provided.  You can register online or get a copy of the registration form at www.notill.org.  You can also call 1-888-330-5142.  You may also get registration forms from your local NRCS.  Walk-in costs are $60 and lunch is not guaranteed for walk-ins.

Stage of Growth:

Corn (4-leaf to 9-leaf stage): At 6-leaf, the growing point and tassel above the soil surface and the stalk is beginning a period of greatly increased elongation.  At 9-leaf, the stalk continues elongation and the tassel begins to develop.

Soybeans (V1 to V3 stage): Active nitrogen-fixation begins around the V2 to V3 stage and increases over time until about the V5.5 stage when it drops off sharply.  From V2 to V5, the lateral roots are growing rapidly in the top six inches, thus cultivation should be kept shallow during this period.

Irrigation:

Rains have continued but lately are becoming more sparse and not quite as widespread.  We've gotten a lot of rain this spring, enough to fill the soil profile.  It seems like summer is settling in with higher temperatures.  Some pivots have been running to apply fertilizer.  Water application rates are about 0.20 to 0.30 inches.  Cultivation, hilling, and spraying continue to take place.

Lake McConaughy is at 39.6% capacity versus 36.7% a year ago. Flows on the North Platte River at Lewellen are at 170 cfs versus 286 cfs a year ago. Flows on the South Platte River at Roscoe are at 458 cfs versus 9 cfs a year ago.   You can track these flows on Central's web site.

Rainfall:
Rainfall amounts come from NeRAIN which can be found at http://dnrdata.dnr.ne.gov/NeRAIN/index.asp?&.

EVAPOTRANSPIRATION (ET) and GROWING DEGREE DAYS (GDD) INFORMATION

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:

"An apology is a good way to have the last word." - 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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