Middle Republican Natural Resources District

Middle Republican Natural Resources District is a U.S. local government entity located in Nebraska that focuses on water conservation and management efforts. The district partners with the Department of the Interior's Bureau of Reclamation to implement projects funded through the WaterSMART (Sustain and Manage America's Resources for Tomorrow) program.

The Middle Republican Natural Resources District has received multiple project grants from the Bureau of Reclamation's WaterSMART program totaling over $7 million. These projects aim to install remote telemetry systems on irrigation flow meters to improve on-farm water management, reporting, and conservation efforts. A key initiative is the Remote Irrigation Meter and Irrigation Water Conservation Project for the Upland Decline Area, which has progressed through multiple phases. Phase I installed telemetry equipment on irrigation meters, while Phase II continues these efforts and implements additional water conservation practices. Another major project funded by a $2.69 million grant will install real-time telemetry on 691 irrigation flow meters, projected to save 2,610 acre-feet of water annually by reducing overwatering. The conserved water remains in the local aquifer, maintaining groundwater levels for future irrigation and improving baseflow in the Republican River. Through these WaterSMART grants from the Bureau of Reclamation, the Middle Republican Natural Resources District works to sustainably manage vital water resources in Nebraska.