Water Use Summary Reports

Earlier this year, the district mailed out water use summary reports to water users – presenting them with a visual of how much water they’ve used over the past several years (2013-2022), in hopes that our users can be more water conscious for the future. The report displayed the usage in acre inches (calculated based on flowmeter beginning and ending readings) and inches per acre (acre inches ÷ total number of certified acres). Although our board has not issued any allocation restrictions for upcoming seasons, this report provides a basis should such an event occur.

Reminder, water use reports are due December 1.

Visit https://www.upperbigblue.org/reporting to access the reporting portal. There you will also find answers to FAQs as well as video tutorials. Questions? Contact wateruse@upperbigblue.org or call (402) 362-6601.

Phase II & III Reports

The time for submitting Phase II and III reports is approaching! Each year, we see some forms completed incorrectly or submitted with data missing. Remember, our data is only as good as what you provide. If you do not complete your forms thoroughly, you may be contacted by our staff to provide additional information.

A few things to keep in mind as you complete your forms this year: 

• Be sure to include the full legal description.
• Fill out all the columns/fields when growing corn, corn silage, popcorn, or milo.
• Subtract residual soil nitrogen per acre from the UNL total N needed.
• Include the soil nitrate ppm amount from your soil test.
• Don’t forget to take credit for previous crops, (i.e. soybeans).
• PLEASE, let us know when ownership or operator changes happen.

If you need assistance in completing your forms, we are happy to help. Call the NRD at (402) 362-6601 and ask for Valerie. These forms can be submitted online through our reporting portal, or you can complete the hardcopy versions that will be mailed to you and then return them to the NRD. Learn more about our online reporting portal and frequently asked questions here.  

Irrigation Scheduling Equipment

Irrigation scheduling is a critical part of good irrigation water management. Over-irrigation increases production cost, can reduce crop yields, and leaches nitrates out of the crop root zone which pollutes the groundwater. Simple management tools are available, which can help the irrigator decide when it is appropriate to irrigate and when he or she can wait.

The district sells several of these tools at a 50 percent discount to irrigators in the district. The equipment is also for sale to others at regular prices. The irrigation scheduling equipment available includes:

• Irrometer - Moisture Sensors, Handheld Meters and Data loggers
• Etgage Company – Atmometers
• Clement, Standard, and BackSaver Soil Probes

To maintain the life of the equipment, the best practices include:

• Remove sensors at the end of the irrigation season. This will ensure that equipment doesn’t get damaged when harvesting.
• Assistant devices (such as the Watermark sensor puller) are helpful to hold onto the sensor when removing them at the end of the season. 
• After removal, clean the sensors of any soil. You may need to soak them.
• Let the equipment dry and keep it in climate-controlled area such as a basement. Remember where you put them so you can use them again next year.
• If using a datalogger, make sure to download the season’s data. If you need help with this, NRD staff can extract the data for you.
• ET Gages:
  • Remove them before the first hard freeze to avoid breaking the ceramic top.
  • Drain any remaining water and store until the spring.
  • Replacing the wafer and canvas annually for best results. These are available at the NRD.