Nebraska Department of Natural Resources

Lower Platte River Basin Hearing

March 12, 2009 1:30 PM Fremont NE

Testimony of Opposition

I am Dale Wiles, Chairman of the Board of Directors for the Upper Elkhorn NRD (UENRD) located at 301 North Harrison, O’Neill NE.

The Upper Elkhorn NRD is aware of the importance of ground and surface water to the State of Nebraska.  Due to this awareness we are continuously monitoring the ground and surface water for quality and quantity parameters.  Over the years, the UENRD has partnered with various landowners, local, state and federal agencies in gathering this information to better understand numerous water related issues.  After the passage of LB962, the Upper Elkhorn NRD joined a group of NRDs, state and federal agencies that had a goal of developing “better science” to determine the impacts of current and future ground and surface water uses.  This partnership created the Elkhorn Loup Model, and as the ELM project moves forward we will continue to learn more about the interaction between ground and surface water.  The ELM project played a part, as well as the Jenkins model, Nebraska laws and DNR’s own Rules and Regulations in labeling the Lower Platte River Basin as fully appropriated.  Due to the importance of existing and future water uses in the Basin we joined 9 NRDs in the task of evaluating the science and the criteria behind the Lower Platte Basin designation.  Based on the testimony and documents presented by Jaron Bromm, Fennemore Craig and Julie Wright of Brown and Caldwell, the Upper Elkhorn NRD is opposing the Nebraska Department of Natural Resources designation of the Lower Platte River Basin as fully-appropriated.

The Upper Elkhorn NRD will continue to be an active partner with individuals, local, state and federal agencies in maximizing and protecting current and future ground and surface water uses.