The lower loup natural resources district (district), located in central nebraska, will develop a cost-share program for landowners and irrigators in the service area to coordinate the installation of…

The Lower Loup Natural Resources District (LLNRD) in central Nebraska received a $704,457 Project Grant from the U.S. Department of the Interior's Bureau of Reclamation under the WaterSMART (Sustain and Manage America's Resources for Tomorrow) Grant Program (CFDA 15.507). The grant funding will support the installation of 200 irrigation flow meters and two solar-powered weather stations to improve water use forecasting and reduce inefficient water application, leading to an estimated annual water savings of 207 acre-feet. This project is expected to conserve groundwater in the local aquifer by reducing pumping. The award has a performance period from December 2024 to June 2026.

The lower loup natural resources district (district), located in central nebraska, will develop a cost-share program for landowners and irrigators in the service area to coordinate the installation of 200 flow meters on irrigation wells. The district will also install two solar-powered weather stations in targeted areas of severe drought concern to better measure environmental conditions and estimate rainfall. The project will provide irrigators with enhanced water use forecasting data, leading to more precise irrigation timing and reduced water application inefficiencies. The project is expected to result in annual water savings of 207 acre-feet, which will reduce groundwater pumping, conserving water in the local aquifer.