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Nebraska Ag News Headlines |
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Nebraska Environmental Trust Supports Rainwater Basin Project
Nebraska Ag Connection - 05/18/2018
The Nebraska Environmental Trust announced a grant of $105,000 to support the "Rainwater Basin Watershed Restoration Initiative." The project will be implemented by the Rainwater Basin Joint Venture (RWBJV), an affiliated fund of Nebraska Community Foundation. The Trust board announced funding for the project at its meeting in Lincoln.
This is the first year of the award; there is potential for second-year funding of an additional $105,000. The project is one of 105 projects receiving $18,301,819 in grant awards from the Nebraska Environmental Trust this year. Of these, 66 are new applications and 39 are carry-over projects.
RWBJV is a conservation partnership of agencies (state, federal, and local), conservation organizations, and private landowners that work together to implement wetland habitat conservation in Nebraska's 6,100 square mile Rainwater Basin (RWB) landscape. This grant's objective is to fill at least 21 abandoned irrigation reuse pits in the watersheds of public or private wetlands enrolled in conservation programs. In 1975, Nebraska legislation was passed to regulate groundwater irrigation. This law required producers to manage groundwater irrigation in ways that would not impact adjacent properties. As a result, over 10,000 irrigation reuse pits were excavated to reduce runoff and increase irrigation efficiency.
Today, many of the fields that were gravity irrigated with water from irrigation reuse pits have been converted to pivot irrigation. As a result, many of the irrigation reuse pits are not used and have a negative impact on wetlands. The abandoned irrigation reuse pits in the watersheds of conserved wetlands must fill with water before runoff from precipitation events will reach the wetlands. Filling abandoned irrigation reuse pits with soil provides a win-win solution for producers and wildlife.
When an irrigation reuse pit is filled, the producer eliminates an obstacle in the field and acquires additional farmable acres while restoring wetland hydrology and watershed function by facilitating runoff to the wetland on a regular basis. Functional RWB wetlands are critical, especially during spring migration when approximately 8.6 million waterfowl, a half million shorebirds, and federally endangered whooping cranes stage in this area to rest and feed, replenishing critical nutrient reserves.
To maximize project effectiveness, emphasis will be on irrigation reuse pits closest to wetlands with large storage capacities. Because RWB wetlands are major recharge sites of the underlying Ogallala Aquifer, grant activities will also benefit local residents and area producers. Activities made possible by this grant will support a sustainable aquifer, wildlife habitat, and productive agriculture operations for generations.
The Nebraska Legislature created the Nebraska Environmental Trust in 1992. Using revenue from the Nebraska Lottery, the Trust has provided over $289 million in grants to over 2,000 projects across the state. Anyone -- citizens, organizations, communities, farmers and businesses -- can apply for funding to protect habitat, improve water quality and establish recycling programs in Nebraska. The Nebraska Environmental Trust works to preserve, protect and restore our natural resources for future generations.
RWBJV collaborates with private landowners, agriculture producers, conservation organizations, non-profits and government agencies across Nebraska to protect, restore and enhance habitat for millions of migratory waterfowl, shorebirds, and other wildlife. Nebraska Community Foundation serves as the financial management entity for RWBJV.
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