Applications for 4,099 new irrigated acres across three river basins have been received by the Lower Loup Natural Resources District.
The NRD received 67 total applications for additional irrigated acres across the North Loup, Beaver Creek, and Middle Loup River Basins.
Lower Loup NRD General Manager Russell Callan said the next step in the application process is a visit to each of the fields where new acres are requested. NRD technicians will photograph each field and look at soil types, field slopes and other factors.
Those reports will be examined by the LLNRD Water Resources Committee, and a recommendation will be made to the NRD Board of Directors for approval or denial.
In the North Loup basin, there were 23 applications, requesting an average 58 new acres each.
There were 25 applications in the Beaver Creek basin, requesting an average of 58 new acres each.
In the Middle Loup basin, there were 19 applications requesting an average of 68 new acres each.
Lower Loup NRD Board earlier approved 2,500 new irrigated acres in the district.
In the North Loup basin, a maximum of 1,250 new irrigated acres will be granted. A maximum of 500 acres will be granted in the Middle Loup basin, and a maximum of 750 new irrigated acres will be available in the Plum Creek, Beaver Creek and lower portion of the Loup basins.
The top scoring applications, up to the number allowed in that basin, will be considered for approval by the NRD Board. Callan said the entire process will be completed by Dec. 1, 2018, when landowners will be notified of their application’s outcome.
LLNRD receives applications for 4,099 new irrigated acres
