Upper Elkhorn NRD's Groundwater Management Plan

     The Groundwater Management and Protection Act was enacted in 1984 and required all Natural Resources Districts to develop and implement a groundwater management plan which specifically addressed groundwater quantity.

     The Upper Elkhorn NRD's finalized its Groundwater Management Plan in 1995 with input from staff, board members, district residents and a Citizen's Advisory Committee.  That plan is being implemented gradually through three phases (Phase I, Phase II and Phase III) with each phase corresponding to a specific range of nitrate-nitrogen concentration in the groundwater.  

     Specific concentration ranges for each phase were chosen based on the federal health standard or maximum contaminant level (MCL).  The MCL for nitrate-nitrogen in drinking water is 10 parts per million (ppm) and represents the level beyond which serious health problems can occur.  Phase  I Groundwater Quality Management Areas correspond to nitrate-nitrogen concentrations of 0 to 7.5 ppm.  Phase II Areas correspond to nitrate-nitrogen concentrations between 7.5 to 9.5 ppm and Phase III areas to nitrate-nitrogen concentrations greater than 9.5 ppm.

     Phase I will primarily emphasize mandatory educational requirements while Phases II and III will emphasize and/or require the implementation of Best Management Practices.

     The designation of phase areas will be based primarily on the District's on-going water quality sampling program along with area studies conducted within the Upper Elkhorn NRD.  Phase II and III areas will be designated by townships within the Upper Elkhorn NRD, unless data collected from the District's monitoring program shows a definite boundary where only a portion of a township should be designated.  The Upper Elkhorn NRD District board members and staff may designate a Phase II or III area at any time deemed necessary.

     More information on the three phases is below:

Phase I

Phase II

Phase III

For further information contact:

Upper Elkhorn NRD
301 North Harrison Street
O'Neill, NE 68763
402-336-3867.

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