Public hearing on Integrated Management Plan is August 23rd
/The Lower Elkhorn Natural Resources District (LENRD) and the Nebraska Department of Natural Resources (NeDNR) hereby provide notice that the LENRD and the NeDNR shall hold a public hearing on August 23, 2018, at 7:30 p.m. at the LENRD office, located at 1508 Square Turn Blvd. in Norfolk, Nebraska. The purpose of the hearing is to take testimony on the proposed LENRD/NeDNR Integrated Management Plan (IMP) and the proposed controls. The geographic area for the proposed IMP encompasses the entire land area within the LENRD boundary. The geographic area of proposed groundwater controls is where groundwater and surface water are hydrologically connected within the LENRD boundary. The geographic area of proposed surface water controls is the extent of the Lower Elkhorn River Basin that is within the District boundary.
Chapter 7 of the voluntary IMP outlines the two controls for groundwater management and two controls for surface water management that are consistent to meet the goals and objectives of the IMP. These controls are 1) Limits on the development of new groundwater and surface water irrigated acres, and 2) Required measuring devices on certain wells and surface water diversions. The groundwater controls apply to a geographic sub-area of District; a map of which can be accessed in Chapter 5. The surface water controls apply to the Elkhorn River Basin portion of the District, a map of which can also be accessed in Chapter 5.
Any interested person may appear at the hearing and present written or oral testimony concerning the proposed IMP and proposed controls. Individuals with disabilities may request auxiliary aids and service necessary for participation by contacting the LENRD or the NeDNR by August 15, 2018. Testimony or other evidence relevant to the purposes of the hearing may also be submitted in writing to Lower Elkhorn NRD, 1508 Square Turn Boulevard, Norfolk, Nebraska, 68701, or the Department of Natural Resources, P.O. Box 64676, Lincoln NE 68509-4676, or by electronic mail at dnr.legalfile@nebraska.gov by 5:00pm, August 21, 2018.
Following the public hearing the LENRD and the NeDNR will make a joint decision within 60 days of whether to implement the proposed IMP with or without modifications and whether to adopt and implement the controls as proposed in the IMP.