News

Windbreaks can serve many purposes in agricultural operations, such as preventing soil erosion,  providing wildlife habitat, and sequestering carbon. Another beneficial attribute of windbreaks is their ability to protect crops and improve crop production.

Wind can have detrimental effects on soil and agricultural crops. Persistent winds... Read More

Knox County Producer, Doug Steffen, is hightlighted for his use of compost extract in his nutrient management plan. Doug was the host for the 2023 Bow Creek Field Day where he demonstrated his process. Check out the article at https://www.farmprogress.com/soil-health/1113f1-1400-slideshow.

Eastern redcedar (Juniperus virginiana) is one of 13 juniper species native to the United States. It is the most widespread tree-sized conifer native to every state east of the 100th meridian. First accounts of Nebraska vegetation mention eastern redcedar as a native species, primarily along the steep valley of the Niobrara River in northern... Read More

Each spring, the Lewis and Clark Natural Resources District (LCNRD) distributes tree seedlings and provides planting services for windbreaks, shelterbelts, and wildlife habitat. Seedling orders are accepted now through March 31st. Planning assistance is available through local Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) offices for preparing... Read More

Regularly testing the water quality of your private well is important to maintaining a safe and reliable water source. Test results allow you to properly address specific problems with your water supply and ensure the water source is properly protected from potential contamination. Test results are also used to evaluate whether the well is... Read More

With the 2023 irrigation season coming to an end, it is a good idea to consider what can be done before next year to make irrigation management more efficient. A few things to consider when turning off your pivots for the year: an end-of-the-year checklist so that the pivot equipment is stored properly and is ready for the spring, any possible... Read More

Even though we have been graced with a wetter summer than last year, drought conditions still exist across the Lewis & Clark Natural Resources District. Paying close attention to irrigation needs is important to maintain a consistent water supply. Efficient use of irrigation water can improve the maximum economic return from crops and... Read More

The groundwater from aquifers supply most household water used in Nebraska. Efficient water use and good management practices of water use are necessary to maintain quantity and quality. Groundwater is a renewable resource, replenished mostly by precipitation that infiltrates into the soil and moves through the pore spaces down to the water... Read More

The static water levels of 34 irrigation wells located throughout the Lewis and Clark Natural Resources District (LCNRD) are measured in the spring and fall each year. Groundwater levels measured this spring indicate that the levels have decreased on an overall comparison by 0.7 feet from the spring of 2022 with 22 of the 34 wells monitored... Read More

The region has been experiencing lower than average rainfall over the last several months and one heavy irrigation pumping season could result in significant declines in groundwater levels.  Dry conditions lead to increased irrigation use, which puts increased pressure on the groundwater resources of the district, and potentially results in... Read More

This is the snapshot from the last two weeks, and here is a link to the Current U.S. Drought Monitor for Nebraska https://droughtmonitor.unl.edu/CurrentMap/StateDroughtMonitor.aspx?NE.

This is the snapshot from the last two weeks, and here is a link to the Current U.S. Drought Monitor for Nebraska https://droughtmonitor.unl.edu/CurrentMap/StateDroughtMonitor.aspx?NE.

With the cold conditions finally subsiding, farmers have been preparing fields and planting crops for another growing season. Even though there was more precipitation over the winter than in past years, and there have been spring rains, much of the district and state continue to experience drought conditions.

The U.S. Drought Monitor... Read More

This is the snapshot from the last two weeks, and here is a link to the Current U.S. Drought Monitor for Nebraska https://droughtmonitor.unl.edu/CurrentMap/StateDroughtMonitor.aspx?NE.

The Cedar Knox Rural Water Project (CKRWP) Advisory Committee recommended changing consideration of the primary site for the new water source development away from Dolphin Township. The Committee has decided instead to focus on alternative sources that have been previously identified through preliminary engineering studies conducted by Bartlett... Read More

May is Nebraska Bird Month; NRDs and Nebraska Game & Parks Commission (NGPC) are encouraging state residents to get outside and take in all the different kinds of birds that call Nebraska home or are passing through. Within the borders of Nebraska, there is an opportunity to view more than 400 species of birds, with a record of over 454... Read More

The Lewis and Clark Natural Resources District (LCNRD) awarded two Patefield-Green Memorial Scholarships to high school seniors in the 2022-2023 school year. LCNRD provides college scholarship funds to graduates who intend to pursue an agricultural related career in hopes that they will return and contribute to local communities and to the... Read More

Lewis and Clark Natural Resources District (LCNRD) is asking the public for nominations for the Nebraska Association of Resources Districts (NARD) awards program.  Annually NARD presents awards in six categories as listed. These awards acknowledge individuals or organizations who have contributed to or brought awareness of the resources in the... Read More

LINCOLN, Nebraska – To ensure water infrastructure safety, Nebraska’s Natural Resources Districts (NRDs) partnered with the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) on several dam assessments across the state.

In 2022, nine floodwater reduction dam assessments were completed with four NRDs – Lewis... Read More

The Cedar Knox Rural Water Project (CKRWP) Advisory Committee provides one $500 scholarship to a high school senior in memoriam of Galen Jueden. Galen was a dedicated employee who was fully committed to the customers and staff of CKRWP. He was an invaluable asset, and his dedication is recognized by providing a scholarship to a worthy student... Read More

Lewis and Clark Natural Resources District (LCNRD) held the first LCNRD Amateur Photography contest, which encouraged LCNRD residents to get out and capture the natural wonders of the district. Residents were asked to send in photographs representing nature, wildlife, conservation, and/or agriculture. Staff and directors selected the winning... Read More

The Lewis and Clark Natural Resources District (LCNRD) provides two $1,000 scholarships to outstanding high school seniors living within the LCNRD boundary.  Patefield – Green Memorial Scholarships are available to students who intend to pursue an agricultural-related career and plan to return to the area and help local communities to conserve... Read More

“Healthy Soils, Healthy Life” was the topic of the 2022 National Conservation Association District (NACD) Poster Contest and Stewardship Week. Students from around the district submitted their posters depicting earthworms, tractors, roots, flowers, farms, and so much more to their local NRD for judging. Local contest winners were sent to the... Read More

The static water level of 34 irrigation wells, from selected locations throughout the Lewis and Clark Natural Resources District (LCNRD), is measured semi-annually. Fall 2022 readings, following a pumping season that was the second season of heavier than most recent seasons, show average water levels lower than the fall of 2021. All of the 34... Read More

Eleven elected directors guide the Lewis & Clark Natural Resources District (LCNRD) activities, directors represent five subdistricts, with two directors serving from each subdistrict and one serving at-large. The directors are elected by the voters living within each subdistrict and serve four-year terms, with 5 to 6 seats for election... Read More

The Lewis and Clark Natural Resources District (LCNRD) enacted a 180-day stay of development on high-capacity wells and expansion of irrigated acres effective immediately under the authority of Nebraska Revised Statutes, 46-707 at their regularly scheduled board meeting on November 17, 2022.  The stay was adopted to... Read More

The National Association of Conservation Districts (NACD) is the nonprofit organization that represents America’s 3,000 conservation districts, their state and territory associations, and the 17,000 men and women who serve on their governing boards. The association was founded on the philosophy that conservation decisions should be made... Read More

The Lewis and Clark Natural Resources District (LCNRD) Board of Directors approved the fiscal year 2023 budget with a slight increase in the overall expenses to $1,984,284 and a decrease in the property tax requirement. With increased property valuations across the district’s three-county area, the tax levy of $0.026759 per $100 of actual... Read More

The Nebraska Department of Environment and Energy has announced that funding will be available for private well owners to install reverse osmosis systems to address high nitrate levels in drinking water. Applications for the program will be accepted from January 1, 2023, through June 30, 2024, with installation required to be completed by... Read More

The Lewis and Clark Natural Resources District (LCNRD) sets aside funds each year to assist communities and other public entities in enhancing and protecting natural resources through the Community Assistance Program (CAP). LCNRD accepts applications year-round and approves requests on a first-come, first-served basis.  Projects that will have... Read More