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

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
Aug. 6: CNPPID Board meeting, 9 AM
Aug. 22: Whirlwind No-Till Expo near Bladen, Neb.  Go to www.notill.org or call 1-888-330-5142 for more information and registration.
* Times are tentative

NAWMDN Across the Tri-Basin NRD!

NAWMDN is the Nebraska Agricultural Water Management Demonstration Network.  It was formed in 2005 by UNL Extension and the Upper Big Blue NRD (UBBNRD) in York.  The Nebraska NRCS became a partner in 2006.  The goal is to expand the project across the state.  This year it started here in the Tri-Basin NRD with the NRCS, UNL Extension, TBNRD and CNPPID collaborating on this effort.  The project is designed to increase the adoption of available technologies that will help conserve water and energy resources.

Each participating producer uses the equipment to schedule irrigations.  The ET information is recorded weekly on CNPPID's web site, www.cnppid.com (http://www.cnppid.com/ET_Map_location_page.htm).  Click on the green dot on the map closest to your field for data for corn and soybeans.  To use this data, use the following example:

• Under the most current date, use the "ET gage change for period" number
• Multiply that number by the "Crop ET Factor" based on your crop stage
• That will give you the crop water use for the previous week.  Divide by seven to get average daily crop water use.  You can use this information to project forward in scheduling irrigations for the coming week.

This information is to provide an additional nine crop water use stations across the TBNRD from which you can schedule irrigations.

If you have questions about this project, you can contact Curtis Scheele at 308-995-6121, Chuck Burr at 308-995-4222, or Marcia Trompke at 308-995-8601.

ACROSS THE TRI-BASIN NRD

Ultrasonic Flow Meter Measurements Available:

Again in 2007, you can request an ultrasonic flow meter measurement at no cost to you.  The ultrasonic flow meter is a portable flow meter that clamps onto the outside of your pipe.  It determines flow through the use of two sensors.

The ultrasonic flow meter can be used to determine how much water your well is pumping.  It can tell you how much water is going into your pivot system.  It can be used to determine how much water you are losing through gates and gaskets.  It can be used to determine the amount of water your are applying to your field.  If you feel your permanent flow meter is not working properly, it can be used as a check.

If you wish to request an ultrasonic flow meter measurement, you can contact Curtis Scheele at 308-995-6121, ext. 3 to schedule an appointment.

Stage of Growth:

Corn (9-leaf to early tassel stage): At 10-leaf the plant begins a rapid, steady increase in nutrient and dry weight accumulation.  Moisture and nutrient deficiencies during this range of stage growth will seriously affect yields.  Silking is just around the corner which is the crop stage of largest yield reduction when water stressed.

Soybeans (V3 to beginning bloom stage): V6 is just before beginning bloom.  A 50% leaf loss at V6 can reduce yields by approximately 3%.  Begining bloom is when the vertical root growth increases sharply.  Lateral roots are completely across the row spacing.

Irrigation:

A lot of pivots started irrigating in the last couple of weeks.  There are some that haven't started yet.  Areas on July 3 received enough good rains to shut off the pivots for a few days.

With all the rains received east of Lake McConaughy, nothing has provided relief to the west for the North Platte River and its flows into Lake McConaughy.  Precipitation below the lake and South Platte River flows have enabled Central to delay releases for several weeks which has kept some of the pressure off McConaughy water.  For additional data, see map and information at the bottom of this page.

Lake McConaughy is at 36.5% capacity versus 33.2% a year ago. Flows in the North Platte River at Lewellen are at 137 cfs versus 336 cfs a year ago. Flows in the South Platte River at Roscoe are at 219 cfs versus 2 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
(Crop ET data comes from CNPPID's web site)

Additional ET Information Sites:

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

• Lake McConaughy daily inflow at Lewellen on 6/25/07 was 84 cfs, 4.5% of the average June 25 measurement since storage began in 1941.
• Lowest daily inflow ever recorded at Lewellen was 38 cfs on June 24, 2002.
• During May and June, when stream flows are typically at their highest, inflows at Lake McConaughy averaged 388 cfs, or 22% of the May/June average of 1,780 cfs since 1941.

Check out these web sites:

"The shortest and surest way to live with honor in the world is to be in reality what we would appear to be." - Socrates (469-399 BC), Greek philosopher

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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