Nebraska law requires each of the state's 23 Natural Resource Districts (NRD) to have an active and operational Groundwater Management Plan. The Lower Platte South Natural Resources District (LPSNRD) Groundwater Management Plan is a detailed publication with information about the district, its geology, needs related to groundwater, programs, and plans. To obtain a copy of the entire Groundwater Management Plan, contact LPSNRD.

LPSNRD activities related to the Groundwater Mangement Plan are reviewed annually in our "Groundwater Management Plan Annual Review."

The LPSNRD maintains a detailed set of Groundwater Rules and Regulations to aid in the implementation of the Groundwater Management Plan.​

Phase I

In 1997, the entire district was declared and remains a designated Phase I Groundwater Management Area.​ It means LPSNRD is responsible for offering educational information to constituents about maintaining the quality and quantity of our ground water.

Phase II

The LPSNRD Board of Directors has designated eight Phase II Groundwater Management Areas in the District. Elevated levels of nitrates from nonpoint sources prompted all of the designations. Phase II areas include:

• Lower Salt Creek Groundwater Management Area, designated in 2001
• Valparaiso Community Water System Protection Area (CWSPA), designated in 2004
• Davey, Hickman, Pleasant Dale, Union, Weeping Water, and Otoe County Rural Water District #3 CWSPAs, designated in 2009

Phase II Rules & Regulations (quality only)  

• 50% of wells in the monitoring network must be at or above 50% of the MCL*
• Designation must be preceded by a two-year verification study
• All Phase I rules and regulations also apply
• Educational certification required for persons engaged in the use, application, and storage of the contaminant(s)
• Increased cost-share on best management practices for targeted area
• The effectiveness of Phase II is reviewed annually  

Landowners or operators who make nitrogen management decisions within designated Phase II (or Phase III) areas may be required to attend a Nitrogen Certification Class every four years. LPSNRD will correspond to determine who needs to attend.​

Phase III

The Elmwood Community Water System Protection Area (CWSPA) was designated a Phase III Groundwater Management Area in 2009 and is the only Phase III area in the District. Elevated levels of nitrates from nonpoint sources are the reason.

Phase III Rules & Regulations (quality only)  ​

• 80% of wells in the monitoring network must be at or above 80% of the MCL*
• Designation must be preceded by a two-year verification study
• All Phase I and II requirements apply
• Requires implementation of best management practices, without LPSNRD cost-share assistance
• Requires reports of water and soil sampling
• Prohibit/regulate the application of any contaminant
• Requires the use of inhibitors to prevent leaching of the contaminant
• Requires landowners to report results of soil and water sampling annually to LPSNRD
• Effectiveness of Phase III reviewed annually

Landowners or operators who make nitrogen management decisions within designated Phase III (or Phase II) areas may be required to attend a Nitrogen Certification Class every four years. LPSNRD will correspond to determine who needs to attend.​

*Maximum Contaminant Level (MCL): The maximum amount of a pollutant that is safe for human consumption, as established by the federal Environmental Protection Agency.

Until March 15, operators responsible for making nitrogen management decisions on land in the Lower Salt Creek Ground Water Reservoir - Lancaster County portion or in the Valparaiso Community Water System Protection Area (CWSPA) may renew their Nitrogen Certification in any of three ways:

1.  On-Line Test (Find Link Below)
2.  Test via U.S. Mail
3.  Attend a certification class offered by the Lower Platte NORTH NRD.  No test is required if you attend a class.

Appropriate materials have been mailed to those who our records indicate need to be certified.  Anyone with questions about nitrogen certification can contact LPSNRD by calling 402-476-2729 and asking for McKenzie Barry or Ryan Rezac.

The certification of irrigated acres is a tool LPSNRD uses to effectively manage groundwater quantity concerns. Knowing the location and number of irrigated acres and the amount of water applied to those acres helps us make management decisions that preserve and protect the water supply and protect existing water users.​

Current LPSNRD regulations require all acres to be irrigated with groundwater be certified before any development of new irrigation takes place. LPSNRD is certifying irrigated acres regardless of whether the acres are located within the District's Hydrologically Connected Area (HCA). Certifying acres throughout the District will allow us to make better management decisions involving ground water quantity.​

​LPSNRD protects irrigation water sources from contamination by fertilizer or pesticides, as established in the Nebraska Chemigation Act. When fertilizer or pesticides (i.e., fungicide, herbicide or insecticide) are applied through an irrigation system (chemigation), LPSNRD works with other agencies to ensure chemigation applicators and irrigation systems comply with the requirements of the Nebraska Chemigation Act and Title 195, “Rules and Regulations Pertaining to Chemigation.”​

The Nebraska Department of Environmental Quality (NDEQ) is responsible for certifying chemigation applicators and NDEQ has contracted with the University of Nebraska Cooperative Extension to administer training and testing.  Chemigation certification information and training dates/locations can be found at http://deq.ne.gov/NDEQProg.nsf/OnWeb/Chemig. Applicators must be re-certified every four years.

The responsibility of Natural Resources Districts is to permit and inspect injection sites and required safety equipment:

Obtaining a Permit for a NEW System

• Complete the Application for a Chemigation Permit and submit to LSPNRD, along with the appropriate fee, at: Lower Platte South NRD, P O Box 83581, Lincoln, NE 68501-3581
  • Permit fee: $60.00
  • Renewal fee: $30.00 
  • Special permit: $60.00
  • Emergency permit: $250.00
• All new chemigation systems must be inspected prior to chemigating​.
• It is the applicant/permit holder's responsibility to schedule the required inspection with the district within 45 days.

Renewing an Existing System Permit

• All current permit holders will be notified by U.S. Mail (usually in early May) to renew their permits prior to June 1st.
• Failure to renew a permit prior to June 1st will result in the system needing a new permit and an inspection will be required.
• Systems for which renewal permits are issued are inspected every three years (unless changes are made to the system).

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