The U.S. Department of the Interior's Bureau of Reclamation awarded a $8,665,997 Project Grant under the WaterSMART (Sustain and Manage America's Resources for Tomorrow) program (CFDA 15.507) to the Lower Republican Natural Resources District in Harlan County, Nebraska. The grant will fund the installation of 1,800 irrigation flow meters with telemetry and weather stations to collect and broadcast real-time data that will help irrigators better schedule irrigation water events. This project is expected to result in annual water savings of 8,790 acre-feet by enabling more precise irrigation scheduling and reduced groundwater pumping, which will also decrease energy demand. The conserved water will remain in the local aquifer to maintain groundwater levels for other beneficial uses and improve baseflow for surface water uses in the Republican River Basin. The project period runs from December 31, 2024 through March 31, 2028.
Generated 4/1/25, 4:50 AM