Water Current, Volume 34, No. 5. October 2002

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October 2002

Water Current, Volume 34, No. 5. October 2002

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VOL. 34, NO. 5UNL WATER CENTER OCTOBER 2002

Fall NSIA/NWRA Convention Focuses on “Changing Times / Changing Attitudes”

he UNL Water Center has joined with the Nebraska moderates a “Water Policy Issues Form that will feature TWater Resources Association (NWRA) and State Senator Ed Schrock and Nebraska Department of Nebraska State Irrigation Association (NSIA) in spon- Natural Resources director Roger Patterson. Dave soring next month’s annual NSIA/NWRA convention. Cookson of the Nebraska Attorney General’s Office will “Changing Times/Changing Attitudes” is at North also update those attending on state water litigation. Platte’s Sandhills Convention Center , Sunday, Nov. 24 Congressman Tom Osborne is slated to be Tuesday’s through Tuesday, Nov. 26. A registration mailing has luncheon speaker. been sent to NWRA and NSIA members, along with The convention adjourns after an early afternoon those on the Water Center’s Water Current mailing list. If NWRA board of director’s meeting. you did not receive this mailing, contact the NSIA in Lincoln at (402)476-0162 or the Water Center at (402)472-3305. 100 Years of Reclamation Invited keynote speaker is John Keyes, Commissioner of Reclamation, U.S. Bureau of Reclamation. Several convention topics will focus on the Bureau’s 100th anniver- sary (see a summary of Bureau projects in Nebraska and eastern Wyoming elsewhere in this issue). A “Reclama- tion Projects Panel” moderated by Fred Ore, general manage of the Bureau’s Kansas-Nebraska office, kicks-off convention topics at 9 a.m. on Monday, Nov. 25. Senator Don Pederson is Monday’s luncheon speaker; Ernie Niemi, Vice President of ECONorthwest, speaks early Monday afternoon; and Lower Platte South NRD general manager Glen Johnson will moderate a Plains farmers survey their land in western Nebraska, probably “Municipal-Industrial Panel.” in the teens or 1920’s. Exact date unknown U.S. Bureau of General sessions resume on Tuesday with “Natural Reclamation projects to “reclaim” the arid western lands and Resources District Panel, moderated by Nebraska control flooding were in large measure responsible for Nebraska’s agricultural successes. As the Bureau of Reclamation Association of Resources Districts general manager celebrates its Centennial this year, look inside this issue for the Dean Edson. history and details of the projects it built in Nebraska and Later that morning, Tim Anderson of Central eastern Wyoming. (USBR photo). Nebraska Public Power and Irrigation District (continued on page 13)

INSIDE 3 ...... Meet the Faculty 14 ...... Water News Briefs

4 ...... Guest Column 15 ...... Calendar

5 - 11 ...... SPECIAL BUREAU OF RECLAMATION 16 ...... Bottled Water or Tap? CENTENNIAL COVERAGE

PROTECTING NEBRASKA’S WATER RESOURCES THROUGH RESEARCH AND EDUCATION Celebrating 100 Years of Reclamation

harvests. “Rainfall follows the enthusiastically signed by plow,” was said to explain the President Roosevelt. Construction successes of early homesteaders. of several reclamation projects With a return to normal began shortly afterward. One of rom the precipitation patterns, that theory the first was the North Platte f was soon discredited. Project, located in eastern During the 1880s and 1890s Wyoming and in the panhandle of farmers in the Platte, Frenchman western Nebraska. DIRECTOR and Niobrara river valleys Since completion of that project, recognized the true climatic Nebraska has benefited from environment in which they lived, construction of many other and they began building a network reclamation projects. Elsewhere in of irrigation canals. Before long this issue of Water Current, each they realized their cumulative project is discussed and depicted demand for water often exceeded on a map. the magnitude of river flows. This year marks the centennial During July and August, when year for passage of the crop water requirements are Reclamation Act. In effect it’s the greatest, irrigators recalled the un- 100th birthday for the U.S. Bureau diverted river flows that had of Reclamation. A national passed their canal headgates the birthday party was held at Hoover J. Michael Jess previous spring. Dam earlier this year. An obvious solution was to Locally, Nebraska’s celebration n 1820 Major Stephen H. Long construct upstream reservoirs to is planned for North Platte. The Iled an exploration party across impound springtime runoff. Water program for a joint meeting of the Nebraska to the Rocky Mountains. held in storage upstream could Nebraska State Irrigation Based upon his observations, he later be released to supplement Association, the Nebraska Water concluded the land he saw was meager summer time river flows. Resources Association and the “uninhabitable by a people That obvious solution became Nebraska Water Conference depending on agriculture.” As the political objective for Council will highlight reclamation Americans headed west several Nebraskans and others promoting activities and projects in our state. decades later, Long’s sentiment arid land reclamation across the Watch for the registration disappeared. Following the Civil west. Their efforts finally paid off announcement and please join War, cheap land and a coincidental with passage of Rep. Francis those making plans to attend the period of above normal Newlands’ (D-Nev.) Reclamation November 25 and 26 festivities in precipitation resulted in abundant Act. On June 17, 1902, the bill was North Platte.

WATER CURRENT Water Center Kyle D. Hoagland - Director This newsletter is published with University of Nebraska-Lincoln J. Michael Jess - Acting Director partial financial support from the 103 Natural Resources Hall and Water Specialist Department of the Interior; Lincoln, NE 68583-0844 U.S. Geological Survey. The content Mark S. Kuzila - Director, Phone: (402) 472-3305 does not necessarily reflect the views Water Sciences Laboratory Fax: (402) 472-3574 and policies of the Department of the E-mail: [email protected] Steven W. Ress - Editor Interior, nor does mention of trade Patricia A. Liedle - Editorial Assistant names or commercial products http://watercenter.unl.edu Anne M. Moore - UNL CIT, constitute endorsement by the Layout and Design U.S. Government.

PAGE 2 WATER CURRENT OCTOBER 2002 Meet the Faculty Dr. Joe Szilagyi M.S. in Hydrology, University of of surface waters. New Hampshire, 1994. — Developing new methods for Hydrologist and research assistant B.S. in Meteorology, Eotvos Univer- baseflow separation. professor, Conservation and Survey sity, Budapest, Hungary, 1989. — Applying GIS technology to Division, Institute of Agriculture water management issues. and Natural Resources, University Samples of Current Research: Samples of Current Projects: of Nebraska-Lincoln. — Mapping statewide long-term evaporation, baseflow and recharge — Modeling capture zones in well- Education: to groundwater in Nebraska. head protection areas (Nebraska Ph.D. in Hydrologic Science, Uni- — Detecting an intensification of the Department of Environmental versity of California-Davis, 1997. global hydrologic cycle as a result Quality), 2000. of climate change. — Update and revision of regional — Investigating the long-term 1x2 degree watertable configu- regional water balance of the ration maps for the State of Republican River valley. Nebraska (NDEQ), 2000. — Validating a new analytical solution of the Boussinesq equation Samples of Current Extension and for describing seepage of ground- Outreach Programming: water to open channels. — Assisting the involved parties in — Applying vegetation indices for the Rainwater Basin study. areal evaporation estimations. — Assisting Natural Resource — Building a semi-distributed District personnel in wter man- watershed model in aiding live- agement issues. stock management with regard to Cryptosporidium contamination (continued on page 12) Joe Szilagyi

C. Dean Yonts Education: — Member of team to develop chicory as a new crop in the Irrigation Engineer and Associate M.S. in Ag Engineering, University of United States. Professor of Biological Systems Wyoming, 1978. Engineering Department, Univer- B.S. in Ag Engineering, University of Samples of Current Extension sity of Nebraska-Lincoln (since Wyoming, 1974. Programming: 1980). Located at the UNL Pan- handle Research and Extension Samples of Current Research: — Editor of Irrigators News Line, Center, Scottsbluff, NE. distributed to the North Platte — Current research and extension pro- Valley irrigators. grams focus on improving water — Coordinator for annual North management techniques to con- Platte River Basin Water Policy serve water and maintain water Conference. quality for both surface and ground- — State coordinator for annual water sources. Specific research Central Plains Irrigation Short projects include the following: Course conducted with Kansas and Colorado. — Methods to improve sugarbeet — Member of specialist team to emergence using center pivot conduct annual crop Manage- irrigation. ment Workshop for agribusiness — Early and late season water personnel. management of dry bean and — Surge irrigation demonstration sugarbeets. project with the U.S. Bureau of — Use of polyacrylamide to Reclamation. reduce sediment loss from furrow irrigation. (continued on page 12) C. Dean Yonts

OCTOBER 2002 WATER CURRENT PAGE 3 Guest Column: Both Blues Fall Below State-line Minimums

By Keith A. Paulsen, by July 29 the flow at the state-line exceeded the com- Lincoln Field Office Supervisor, pact target flow, and the basin was opened to junior Nebraska Department of Natural Resources irrigators and storage rights. The close/open sequence was repeated in August and again in September. ou are going to have to shut off your irrigation pump” is the last thing irrigators want to hear Big Blue Administration “Yon a hot dry afternoon, particularly when they have spent many hours of work and hundreds of dollars for Dry conditions also occurred in the Big Blue River fuel during the last six weeks trying to keep their corn Basin. Localized shortages requiring water rights regu- crop alive. Many irrigators who rely on the water flow- lation on the upper end of the Big Blue started on July ing in the streams of the Big and Little Blue River Basins 11. By July 19, it was clear that unless the basin received were told to shut off their pumps this year. Some of significant rainfall that the flows were going to go below them the state-line target on the Big Blue River. The Big Blue River Basin in Nebraska extends Contact with the Lower Big Blue NRD indicated that from Hastings to the state line south of Beatrice, encom- the NRD was open to the possibility of releasing water passing 4,450 square miles in all or parts of 15 counties; from some of their reservoirs to satisfy the state-line has 1,022 surface water irrigation permits; and 328 minimums to avoid the closing of junior irrigators in storage permits. The Little Blue’s headwaters are near that basin. Kansas was receptive to this idea and agreed Minden, and the river exits the state south of Fairbury. to give this proposal a chance. From July 23 to July 29, The basin encompasses some 2,700 square miles in all or the Lower Big Blue NRD released up to 94 cfs from four parts of 10 counties. It has 347 irrigation permits and of their reservoirs in southern Gage County. These 127 storage rights. releases allowed the junior irrigators an extra week of In 1971 Nebraska entered into the Kansas-Nebraska irrigation at a critical time. The NRD went out of their Big Blue River Compact, which apportions the waters of way and greatly helped the surface water irrigators in the Big and Little Blue Rivers between Kansas and the Big Blue Basin through their voluntary reservoir Nebraska. Among other things, the compact sets out releases. state-line target flows during the months of May Runoff from intense storms increased the flow above through September on both rivers. Nebraska agreed the target until August 5. At that time, 547 junior irriga- that whenever the targets were not being met that the tors were closed, and additional storage of water in the junior users (a junior user as set out in the compact is 328 storage reservoirs in the basin was prohibited. The any use permitted after November 1, 1968) will be 475 senior irrigation permits in the basin were regulated closed, and senior uses held to their permit limits. to their permit limits. The junior rights remained closed Since adopting the compact in 1971. Nebraska has until August 13 when rainfall runoff again put us over had to administer water rights on the Little Blue River the state-line target flow. Subsequent rains in the Big due to state-line flow shortages, only twice before this Blue Basin kept the state line flow above the compact year, in 1988 and 1991. This was the first year that regu- target the remainder of the irrigation season. lation of water rights in the Big Blue Basin was neces- sary in order to satisfy state-line flow requirements. Conclusion

Little Blue Administration In southeast Nebraska it is very unusual to have it rain so little for so long over an area as large as one of Above normal temperatures and below normal rain- these basins. To have it occur in both basins at the same fall in the Little Blue River Basin increased the demand time indicates just how extensive the drought was in for irrigation and decreased the supply. By July 18, the southeast Nebraska this summer. The cooperative atti- flows on the Little Blue had fallen below the compact tude shown by the Lower Big Blue NRD came at a criti- target, and the 187 junior irrigation rights and the 127 cal time for the irrigators in the Big Blue Basin and most storage rights in the basin were closed. The 160 senior certainly took some of the bite out of the drought for irrigators in the basin were allowed to continue operat- many. Unless more normal weather patterns in the area ing but were closely regulated. The notices were mailed return, it could prove to be another rough year for Big and then followed up with field investigations to assure and Little Blue River Basin irrigators in 2003. compliance. Due to some heavy rain, which fell in basin,

PAGE 4 WATER CURRENT OCTOBER 2002 Special Bureau of Reclamation Centennial Coverage Reclaiming Land Across the Arid West

Less than 30 years after his trek to survey the west- These early years of the 20th century were when many ern states in 1867, John Wesley Powell’s expeditions and of Nebraska’s reclamation projects were developed, in- advocacy of water development helped lead Congress cluding the Inland lakes, Frenchman-Cambridge Project to action that helped turned the west into an agricul- and many others. tural breadbasket for the world. These early projects began solely for the benefit of Powell, widely considered to be the father of recla- irrigation and it often wasn’t until later that other ben- mation, and his supporters, including Buffalo Bill Cody, efits such as flood control, municipal water, hydro- realized that large scale development of irrigation projects power and, more recently, fish and wildlife habitat in the arid western states would be needed to fully realize issues were considered. the agricultural potential of the Great Plains. From the beginning, it was planned that irrigators Farmers in Nebraska, Wyoming and other states would repay the federal government the cost of build- west of the Missouri River continually battled alternat- ing the projects, and a repayment agreement was ing droughts and floods in trying to break western required before project construction began. lands to the plow. Their collective voice for stable sup- An example of how programs developed to meet plies of water reached new heights in the 1890’s, when a competing water use demands was the Pick-Sloan Mis- drought struck settlers so hard that many of them gave souri River Basin Program of 1944. This was a compro- up their dreams of settling the land. mise between the Bureau and the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers that had competing missions and plans for water development in the Missouri River Basin. The program, which was a response to the severe drought and flooding cycles in the basin, divided responsibilities with the Corps developing mainstem reservoirs, prima- rily for flood control and hydropower and the Bureau developing tributaries for multiple use with an empha- sis on irrigation. This ongoing compromise has had a huge impact on projects developed in Nebraska. Nebraska continues to benefit from the many irrigation and multiple use projects developed by the Bureau. The western two-thirds of the state, in particular, have benefited from the reclamation of thousands of acres of cropland, cheap and clean hydropower generation, flood Construction of the south end of the conduit of Minatare control, and recreational aspects of these enduring projects. Dam, September, 1913 (USBR photo). On the following pages, the Bureau’s projects in eastern Wyoming and Nebraska are detailed, including Congress responded by passing the Reclamation Act looks at the irrigation districts that run them and the of 1902, establishing the U.S. Reclamation Service area offices that administer them. within the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS). The new service wasted little time beginning irrigation projects to “reclaim” the western lands. About 30 of them, including the North Platte Project and many others in the Mis- souri River Basin, were being built within five years of the act’s passage. By 1907 the Reclamation Service was separated from the USGS and created as an independent bureau within the U.S. Department of the Interior. The work to irrigate the west continued, but often encountered problems with lack of funds, unprecedented engineering challenges, lack of knowledge about soils under irrigation, land speculation and uncer- tainty of repayment of the projects by irrigators. Still, the work went forward, with unprecedented Teams of horses and men excavate brule clay from the cut- drought in the 1930’s spurring further development. off trench at Minatare Dam in May, 1913 (USBR photo). OCTOBER 2002 WATER CURRENT PAGE 5 Bureau of Reclamation Develops Irrigation and Flood Control Projects Across Nebraska

he Bureau of Reclamation changed the face of agri released a report for comprehensive flood control and Tculture, flood control and recreational opportuni- irrigation development of the basin in what is now ties in many parts of Nebraska with the development of known as the Bostwick Division. irrigation units. Many of these units were developed in The division extends from Orleans to Concordia, KS, direct response to the drought years of the 1930’s, as and includes land on both sides of the Republican River. well as horrific flooding of the Republican River in 1935. It helps irrigate 104,240 acres in seven counties. Water for the Bostwick Division is stored in Harlan Ainsworth Unit County Lake and the Lovewell Reservoir which divide When it was developed after World War II, the the division into two areas: the Bostwick in Nebraska Ainsworth Unit was designed to supply irrigation water and the Kansas-Bostwick in Kansas. The Nebraska area for Brown and Rock Counties. is 24,240 acres divided into two units: Franklin and Unit water comes from the Snake River and is stored Superior-Courtland. in Merritt Reservoir for release into the Ainsworth The Franklin Unit is served by the Franklin and Canal, where it is conveyed to irrigate project lands. Naponee Canals, which divert water from Harlan Average annual irrigation diversion requirements to County Reservoir, as well as by the Franklin South Side provide a full supply of water for the nearly 34,000 Pump Canal, which receives water directly from the acres of irrigable acres is 102,000 acre-feet (an acre-foot river. The Superior-Courtland Unit is served by the being equivalent to 325,851 gallons). Superior and Courtland Canals, which originate at the Merritt Dam and Reservoir is on the Snake River Superior Courtland Division Dam on the Republican about 14 miles upstream from its confluence with the River. Niobrara River, in Cherry County, southwest of Valen- Harlan County Dam was completed by the Corps of tine. The reservoir has a capacity of nearly 68,000 acre- Engineers in 1952. The lake’s storage capacity is more feet and surface area of 2,906 acres. than 840,000 acre-feet. Of that, more than 500,000 acre- The dam empties into the Ainsworth Canal, which feet are allocated for flood control and 200,000 acre-feet extends east through the Sandhills to project lands. The for irrigation. canal is concrete lined for its entire 53-mile length and There are two diversion outlets in the dam to serve has an initial capacity of 580 cubic feet per second (cfs). the Franklin Unit. The first is the Franklin Canal extend- There are nearly 170 miles of laterals delivering irriga- ing almost 48 miles to the east, paralleling the Republi- tion water off this canal. can River; the second is the Naponee Canal, extending Bostwick Division east from the dam on the south side of the river. The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers began developing The Superior-Courtland Diversion Dam is on the irrigation plans for the Lower Republican River area in Republican River three miles west of Guide Rock. The the drought and depression years of the early 1930’s. canal begins at the north side of the dam and extends 30 The work was stepped-up in part due to unprecedented miles east to the state line. It supplies water to 5,863 flooding in 1935. In 1943 the Bureau of Reclamation (continued on page 10)

North sluice gates of Whalen Dam with interstate diversion One of the many irrigation canals and laterals laboriously built gates in the background. View looking upstream from construc- in Nebraska in the early part of the 20th century to help irrigate tion. Date unknown (USBR photo). more croplands (USBR photo).

PAGE 6 WATER CURRENT OCTOBER 2002 The North Platte Project in Wyoming and Nebraska

he North Platte project extends 111 miles along the located about three miles below the North Platte River’s TNorth Platte valley from Guernsey, WY, to Bridge- junction with the Sweetwater River, and about 47 miles port. The project provides irrigation to about 226,000 southwest of Casper, WY. The dam was built from gran- acres divided into four irrigation districts. It also pro- ite quarried from nearby hills. vides a supplemental irrigation service to eight water- Guernsey user associations serving a combined 109,000 acres. Guernsey Dam is used to control river flow. Water Primary features of the project include Pathfinder released from Pathfinder Reservoir can be stored in this Dam and Reservoir, Guernsey Dam and powerplant, reservoir and then released to satisfy irrigation Whalen Diversion Dam, Fort Laramie Canal, Interstate demands. The water is released through the dam’s Canal and Reservoir System, and the Northport Canal. powerplant. Guernsey Dam is located in a rocky canyon Storage structures for the North Platte project are two miles from Guernsey, WY. The reservoir’s original interspersed along the North Platte River and require capacity of 73,810 acre-feet has been reduced by silt- close coordination of operations. These operations are ation to about 46,000 acre-feet. The powerplant has two further complicated by agreements and laws governing 2,400 kilowatt generators. water rights. Use and quantity of water are allocated for certain defined purposes — some on a priority basis, Whalen Diversion Dam and Fort Laramie and some on a proportionate share basis, and some on a geo- Interstate Canals graphical source basis. Water for the North Platte Project has been diverted Primary water use is for irrigating about 390,000 from the river by the Whalen Diversion Dam since 1909. acres of cropland in the following four irrigation divi- Water is diverted on the south side of the river into the sions: Interstate, Fort Laramie, Northport and Storage. Fort Laramie Canal and on the right side of the river Two-thirds of the project’s irrigated lands are in these into the Interstate Canal. The dam is about eight miles divisions; the remaining one-third, about 100,000, acres, below Guernsey Dam. are represented by nine districts and canal companies (continued on page 11) receiving water under Warren Act contracts. The North Platte Project includes 1,602 miles of canals and laterals and 352 miles of open drains. Structures North Platte River water passes the Seminoe and Kortes Dams before entering Pathfinder Reservoir, which impounds flow from the Sweetwater River. The reservoir has a storage capacity of more than one million acre-feet (an acre-foot being equivalent to 325,581 gallons), and is the primary holding facility for North Platte Project water. During the irrigation season, water is released from the reservoir as required, including water from Seminoe Reservoir diverted at Alcova Dam for irrigation use on the U.S. Bureau of Reclamation’s Kendrick Project. Pathfinder (completed in 1909) was one of the very Construction on the Guernsey powerplant in January, 1927 first dams built by the U.S. Reclamation Service and is (USBR photo).

OCTOBER 2002 WATER CURRENT PAGE 7 The Glendo Unit in Wyoming

nvestigations leading to the Glendo Unit began in A small reregulating dam called Gray Reef also is I1944 under the Flood Control Act of that year. The part of the Glendo Unit. It ensures a continuous flow of primary purpose of the unit was envisioned as storage water downstream of Alcova Powerplant. Gray Reef capacity of about 150,000 acre-feet in Glendo Reservoir was also completed in 1961. to replace capacity lost to sedimentation in Guernsey Reservoir, reregulation of return flows from upstream irrigation and for flood control and hydropower generation. Later investigations recommended increas- ing the the size of the reservoir to 798,000 acre- feet for more effective hydroelectric power production and better flood control of the North Platte River Valley in Wyoming and Ne- braska below Glendo Reservoir. More than one-third of Glendo’s reservoir capacity is des- ignated exclusively for flood pool storage. The dam and reservoir were completed in 1958 and the Fremont Canyon Powerplant was finished in 1961. Glendo furnishes a maximum of 40,000 acre-feet of water annually for irrigation. About 38 percent of that water is used in Wyoming, the rest in Nebraska. Nine private irrigation districts with a combined size of nearly 164,000 acres hold long-term contracts Building Pathfinder Dam in August, 1907. The dam was completed in 1909 (USBR photo). for Glendo water.

Two Area Offices Manage Nebraska and Wyoming Projects

eclamation projects covered in entities which collectively serve more Farwell, Frenchman-Cambridge, Rthis issue are administered by than 580,000 acres of land and eight North Loup, Sargent and Bostwick, area offices in Nebraska and municipal and industrial contractors, and the Mirage Flats project. Wyoming. as well as providing for hydroelectric Nebraska projects provide water The Wyoming Area Office in power, flood control, fish and for 509,000 acres of farmland. Mills, WY. manages the Boysen, wildlife, and recreation. Reservoirs in Nebraska provide Glendo, Hanover-Bluff, Kortes, Owl Contact: Wyoming Area Office, 25,000 acres of water surface and Creek and Riverton units of the P.O. Box 1630, Mills, WY 82644, 40,000 acres of adjacent land for Pick-Sloan Missouri Basin Program; phone (307)261-5671, Fax (307)261- public use. The reservoir areas are the Shoshone Project in the Bighorn 5683 (area office manager: John managed by the Nebraska Game River Basin; and the North Platte Lawson). and Parks Commission for fish and and Kendrick Projects in the North The Nebraska-Kansas Area wildlife, and recreation purposes. Platte River Basin. Office, in Grand Island, manages Contact: Nebraska-Kansas Area The office has a control system projects in Nebraska and Kansas, Office, P.O. Box 1607, Grand for operation of the federal dams except the North Platte Project and Island, NE 68802, phone (308)389- and powerplants on the North the Wichita Project in Kansas. 4622, Fax (308)389-4780 (area office Platte and other rivers in Wyoming . The office manages six units of manager: Fred Ore). The office administers projects the Pick-Sloan Missouri Basin supplying water to 43 irrigation Program in Nebraska: Ainsworth,

PAGE 8 WATER CURRENT OCTOBER 2002 Irrigation and Reclamation Districts and Water Supply Companies

he Bureau of Reclamation deliv Frenchman Valley Irrigation President Joseph C. Novotny, asses- Ters irrigation water to croplands District, Culbertson, managed by sor Dean G. Thede and secretary- in the Nebraska and Wyoming Don Felker. President Kenneth treasurer Merlyn Schudel. project areas, detailed elsewhere in Albert, vice-president Clarence H & RW Irrigation District, this issue, through a number of irri- Jankovits, Jr., secretary-treasurer Culbertson, managed by Don Felker. gation districts specifically estab- Jerry Kotschwar. President Roger Kolbet, secretary lished for that purpose. Frenchman Valley and H & RW Debra Swanson and treasurer Don These districts include the Irrigation District, Culbertson, Ruggles. following: managed by Don Felker. President Pathfinder Irrigation District, Ainsworth Irrigation District, Roger Kolbet, vice-president Kenneth Mitchell, managed by Dennis Ainsworth, managed by Harlin D. Albert and secretary Debra Swanson. Strauch. President Mick Lookabill, Welch. President Brent Johnson, vice- Gering-Ft. Laramie Irrigation vice-president Fred Kinghorn and president Chester Wilkins and District, Gering, managed by Rick secretary-treasurer Margaret secretary-treasurer Donald Fling. Preston. President Edwin Neuwirth, Harriger. Bostwick Irrigation District, Red vice-president Jonny Dillman, Jr., Northport Irrigation District, Cloud, managed by Michael Delka. and secretary-treasurer Julie Hawley. Bridgeport. President Jimmie J. President W.E. Bean, vice-president- Mirage Flats Irrigation District, Jensen, Jr. secretary James Miller and treasurer- Hay Springs, managed by Brett Other districts holding contracts assessor Walter Knehans Skinner. President Terrance Terrell, to purchase water impounded in Farwell Irrigation District, vice-present Ross Alcorn and Bureau reservoirs include Farmers Farwell, managed by Thomas L. secretary-treasurer Nancy ID, Scottsbluff; Bridgeport ID, Knutson. President Dale Nowak, Rasmussen. Bridgeport; Brown’s Creek ID, secretary-treasurer Arlan Hostetler Sargent Irrigation District, Broadwater; Central ID, Scottsbluff; and assessor James Stanczyk. Sargent, managed by Thomas L. Chimney Rock ID, Bayard; Central Frenchman-Cambridge Irriga- Knutson. President Clifford Hanna, Nebraska Public Power and Irriga- tion District, Cambridge, manager secretary Randy Treptow and asses- tion District, Holdrege; Enterprise ID, by Roy L. Patterson. President Ralph sor Bernard Ritchie. Scottsbluff; Gering ID, Gering; Best, vice-president Robert Wallen Twin Loups Irrigation District, Mitchell ID, Mitchell; and Beerline and secretary Robert Andrews. Scotia, managed by Ronald Wolf. ID, Broadwater.

Husker Harvest Days

Governor Mike Johanns visits with extension pesticide coordinator Larry Schulze (center) at September’s annual Husker Harvest Days in Grand Island. University of Nebraska-Lincoln extension and research programs were well represented at the annual event, including the UNL Water Center (photo: Steve Ress)

OCTOBER 2002 WATER CURRENT PAGE 9 Bureau of Reclamation Develops Irrigation and Flood Control Projects Across Nebraska (continued from page 6) acres north of the river. The Court- The unit began with formation of North Loup Division Project land Canal system also extends from the Sargent Irrigation District in 1939, Early settlers in the area were the dam, serving almost 2,000 acres with plans to irrigate 25,000 acres in plagued with grasshoppers, insuffi- in Nebraska. The canal discharges the Middle Loup Valley. Several cient rainfall, and recurring into Kansas’ Lovewell Reservoir. unsuccessful attempts were made to droughts. Attempts to irrigate the secure funding for the district, leading Farwell Unit land led to formation of several irri- local leaders to form the Loup Basin gation districts, the largest being the Most irrigable land in Howard Reclamation District in 1950 with sup- North Loup River Public Power and County had been settled by 1890. port from the Bureau under the Pick- Irrigation District. Later, the Twin This, coupled with the drought and Sloan Missouri Basin Program. Loups Irrigation District (organized economic depression of the 1930’s, A primary feature of the unit is the in 1958) was formed as Nebraska’s created a need for additional irriga- Milburn Diversion Dam, completed in entity to operate the Bureau of tion development. 1956. The dam diverts water into the Reclamation’s North Loup Division. The unit’s most prominent feature Sargent Canal and distribution system. The project, which was one of the is Sherman County Dam and Reser- The 39.6-mile Sargent Canal also last irrigation projects built by the voir. The reservoir holds more than was completed in 1956. Associated Bureau of Reclamation, includes 68,000 acre-feet of water with a sur- with it is the Sargent Lateral System, Calamus Dam and Reservoir, Kent face area of 2,845 acres. The dam is totaling 44.6 miles of laterals and Diversion Dam, Davis Creek Dam on Oak Creek, about four miles more than 30 miles of drains. and Reservoir, five principal canals, northeast of Loup City. The Sargent Unit helps irrigate and associated pumping stations and Another prominent unit feature is 14,000 acres of cropland, in addition laterals. the Arcadia Division Dam. to providing a range of recreational Calamus Dam is on the Calamus The Sherman Feeder Canal is just activities. River, about 5.5 miles northwest of over 19 miles long and has a capacity Mirage Flats Project Burwell. The river canal can dis- of 850 cfs. The Sherman Feeder Tun- charge about 7,220 cfs into the nel is 2,053 feet long with a diameter The Mirage Flats Project is on the Mirdan Canal and about 450 cfs can of nearly one foot and has a capacity Niobrara River in northwest be released through the river outlet of 850 cfs. Nebraska. It includes Box Butte Dam into the Calamus River. The Farwell Main and Lower and Reservoir, Dunlap Diversion Davis Creek Dam and Reservoir Main Canals have a combined length Dam, and Mirage Flats Canal and is about six miles southeast of North of 37.5 miles and an initial capacity associated distribution and drainage Loup. It is located in Jack’s Canyon, of 960 cfs. In addition to these are the systems. The project diverts water about four miles above its confluence Farwell Central Canal, the Farwell from the Niobrara River to irrigate with Davis Creek, a tributary to the South and Upper South Canals. about 1,670 acres of land on the north North Loup River. The reservoir is a Farwell Main and Lower Main later- bank of the river, about 12 miles storage and regulating facility with als total slightly more than 105 miles south of Hay Springs. the Fullerton Canal being the sole in length. The Farwell Central Lateral Nebraska’s 1930-36 drought re- outlet from the reservoir. It supplies systems totals more than 46 miles in newed interest in irrigation develop- about 53,000 acres of irrigable land. length. The Farwell South and Upper ment in the area. Subsequent Bureau Davis Creek Dam and Reservoir South Lateral system is just under investigations led to a 1939 report fills from the Mirdan Canal and sup- 1103 miles long. advocating the project. plies water to the Fullerton and Elba The Farwell Unit is one of two Box Butte Dam has a reservoir Canal systems. units comprising the Middle Loup capacity of 31,060 acre-feet. About Division of the Pick-Sloan Missouri eight miles downstream is Dunlap Frenchman-Cambridge Basin Program. The other is the Diversion Dam. Mirage Flats Canal Division Sargent Unit. The Farewell Unit extends from the Dunlap Diversion The 1935 Republican River flood covers parts of Custer, Sherman, Dam to the beginning of irrigable that influenced development of the Valley and Howard Counties. land, or about 13 miles. There are Bostwick Division also led, in large four main laterals in the distribution Sargent Unit measure, to formation of the French- system, totaling about 47 miles in man-Cambridge Irrigation District in About 100 miles northwest of length. 1946. The Frenchman-Cambridge Grand Island on the Middle Loup In recent years, the Nebraska Division is in southwest Nebraska, River is the Sargent Unit, the major- Game and Parks Commission from Palisade southeastward along ity of which is in Custer County, with acquired title to a portion of Box the Frenchman River and from Tren- smaller portions in Valley and Blaine Butte Reservoir, somewhat altering ton eastward along the Republican Counties. the way the project is managed. River to Orleans and Alma.

PAGE 10 WATER CURRENT OCTOBER 2002 Irrigation and flood water storage Some 45,000 acres in the French- Driftwood Sub and Meeker Exten- is in Enders Reservoir and Swanson, man-Cambridge Irrigation District sion, have a total length of about 27 Hugh Butler and Harry Strunk are served by the Meeker-Driftwood, miles. Lakes. They and their associated irri- Red Willow, Bartley, and Cambridge —Red Willow Dam (High Butler gation systems provide storage to Canal systems. Lake): Located on Red Willow Creek irrigate and provide flood control for Total length of canals in the divi- about six miles northwest of more than 66,000 acres of land along sion is more than 205 miles, with an Indianola and built in 1963. It diverts the Republican River and its three additional 181 miles of laterals and water into the Red Willow Canal tributaries: the Frenchman River, and 35 miles of subsurface drains helping serving lands in the Red Willow Red Willow and Medicine Creeks. to distribute water to the farms. Unit, north of the Republican River. Irrigation releases are made from Prominent features of the district the canal is more than 24 miles long all the reservoirs for diversion into include the following: and serves more than 4,900 irrigated downstream canal systems, with Enders Dam, located about a mile acres. additional irrigation releases made and a half south of Enders. —Bartley Diversion Dam and from Swanson Lake into the Meeker- —Trenton Dam: Located on the Canal System: The dam is on the Driftwood Canal. Republican River near Trenton. It Republican River about two miles Enders Dam and Reservoir, Tren- releases water to the Upper Meeker southeast of Indianola and was fin- ton Dam and Swanson Lake, Red Canal to serve lands in the Meeker- ished in 1954. The Bartley Canal, Willow Dam and Hugh Butler Lake, Driftwood Unit. These lands are originating at the dam, supplies and Medicine Creek Dam and Harry along the southside of the Republican water to part of the Red Willow Unit Strunk Lake are located on the River from the dam to about eight south of the river. It is 19.4 miles long Frenchman River, Republican River, miles east of McCook. and serves 6,539 irrigated acres. Red Willow Creek and Medicine —Meeker Canal system: The —Medicine Creek Dam (Harry Creek, respectively. Upper Meeker Canal begins at Tren- Strunk Lake): The dam is on Medi- Culbertson Diversion Dam and ton Dam and extends more than 15 cine Creek two miles west and seven Culbertson Canal and laterals in the miles along the south side of the miles north of Cambridge. Harry Frenchman Valley Irrigation District Republican River to just south of Strunk Lake is formed by the dam. were privately built prior to the turn Culbertson, serving the Meeker- —Cambridge Diversion Dam and of the 20th century. In the 1950’s, the Driftwood Unit. The Driftwood Canal System: the diversion dam is on diversion dam was rehabilitated, and Canal begins at the end of the Upper the Republican river about two miles the canal was enlarged to add a Meeker Canal and extends south, east of Cambridge and was finished in supplemental water supply for 9,600 southeasterly and northeast on the 1949. The canal begins at the dam and acres to carry water to the Culbertson south side of the Republican River extends more than 49 miles along the Extension Canal, serving 1,490 acres Valley to within eight miles east of Republican River to Harlan County in the Hitchcock and Red Willow McCook. Remaining canals in the Reservoir, serving more than 17,000 (H&RW) Irrigation District. system include: Driftwood West, acres in the Cambridge Unit.

The North Platte Project in Wyoming and Nebraska (continued from page 7)

The Fort Laramie Canal winds its Northport Canal was designed to ir- Minatare and has 379 surface acres of way for 129 miles to an area south of rigate more than 16,000 acres of crop- water and about four miles of shore- Gering, delivering irrigation water land in the Northport Division. The line. along the way. The canal was built canal is 27 miles long. Lake Alice, named for Alice between 1915 and 1924. Roosevelt, one of President Theodore Inland Lakes The Interstate Canal was built be- Roosevelt’s six children, is the second The Inland Lakes, east of tween 1905 and 1915. It follows the largest of the lakes with a reservoir Scottsbluff, were created to store and land for 95 miles to Lake Alice and capacity of 752 surface acres and six facilitate timely irrigation water de- Lake Minatare Reservoirs (part of the miles of shoreline. Little Lake Alice, liveries. They also provide critical Inland Lakes). The 35-mile long lying between Lake Alice and Lake wildlife habitat and recreational op- High-Line Canal extends from Lake Winters Creek is the smallest of the portunities. They include Lake Alice to the southwest. Inland Lakes. It has about 180 acres Minatare, Lake Winters Creek, Lake of surface water and less than four Northport Canal Alice, and Little Lake Alice. miles of shoreline. The Northport Canal is a continu- The largest of the four is Lake Construction on the Inland Lakes ation of the privately built Tri-State Minatare with a surface area of 2,160 began in 1910 and was completed Canal, which is part of the Farmers acres and 12 miles of shoreline. Lake with construction of Lake Winters Irrigation District. Water in the Winters Creek lies northwest of Lake Creek in 1917.

OCTOBER 2002 WATER CURRENT PAGE 11 Meet the Faculty

Dr. Joe Zailagyi (continued from page 3)

Teaching: — Szilagyi, J., 1999. “Streamflow depletion investigations in the Republican River Basin: Colorado, Ne- Guest lecturer in the Civil Engineering Department: braska and Kansas,” Journal of Environmental Systems, — Hydrology (Undergrad/Grad), course #353/853, 27(3): 251-263. Fall semester, 1999. — Szilagyi, J. and M.B. Parlange, 1999. “Defining wa- — Introduction to Water Resource Engineering tershed-scale evaporation using a Normalized Dif- (Undergrad), course #352, Spring semester, 1999, ference Vegetation Index,” Journal of the American 2000. Water Resources Association, 35(5): 1245-1255. — Szilagyi, J. and M.B. Parlange, 1999. “A geomorphol- Publications: ogy-based semi-distributed watershed model,” Ad- vances in Water Resources, 23: 177-187. — Szilagyi, J., 2001. “Modeled areal evaporation trends — Szilagyi, J., 1999. “On the use of semi-logarithmic over the conterminous United States,” Journal of Irri- plots for baseflow separation,” Ground Water, 37(5): gation and Drainage Engineering, 127(4): 213-218. 660-662. — Szilagyi, J., 2001. “On Bouchet’s complementary hy- — Szilagyi, J., M.B. Parlange, G.G. Katul and J.D. pothesis,” Journal of Hydrology, 146: 155-158. Albertson, 1999. “An objective method for determin- — Summerside, S. and J. Szilagyi, 2001. “Configuration ing principal time scales of coherent eddy structures of the water table, circa 1995, 1x2 degree Valentine using orthonormal wavelets,” Advances in Water Re- Quadrangle, Nebraska,” Conservation and Survey sources, 22(6): 561-566. Division, UNL. — Szilagyi, J., 2001. “Identifying the cause of declining Web address: flows in the Republican River, USA,” Journal of Water http://csd.unl.edu/csd/programs/water.html Resources Planning and Management, 127(4): 223-230. — Szilagyi, J., 2000. “Can a vegetation index derived from remote sensing be indicative of areal transpira- tion?,” Ecological Modelling, 127: 65-79.

C. Dean Yonts (continued from page 3)

— Subsurface drip irrigation project with the U.S. — Yonts, C.D. and D.E. Eisenhauer, 2000. “Firming Irri- Bureau of Reclamation. gation Furrows to Improve Irrigation Performance.” NebGuide G97-1340. Samples of Research and Extension Publications: — Yonts, C.D., W.L. Kranz and D.L. Martin, 2000. “Application Uniformity of In-Canopy Sprinklers.” — Yonts, C.D., B.L. Benham, J.M. Blumenthal and R.B. NebGuide G97-1337. Ferguson, (in review). Polyacrylamide Effect on Irri- — Yonts, C.D., W.L. Kranz and D.L. Martin, 2000. gation and Sediment Yield.” Transactions of the “Water Loss from Above-Canopy and In-Canopy ASAE. Sprinklers.” NebGuide G97-1328. — Yonts, C.D., J.A. Smith, and R.G. Wilson, 2002. — Wilson, R., B. Desprez, J. Smith and D. Yonts, 1999. “Evaluation of Cover Crop System for Sugarbeet “Effect of Drying on the Carbohydrate Composition Production Under Furrow Irrigation.” Journal of of Chicory Roots.” European Fructan Association. Sugar Beet Research. Journal of American Society of Eighth Seminar on Inulin, Lille, France, pp. 14-21. Sugar Beet Technologist 39(1-2):25-35. — Yonts, C.D., J.A. Smith and R.G. Wilson, 1999. — Wilson, R.G., J.A. Smith, and C.D. Yonts, 2001. “Effect of Seed Coating, Planter Type and Depth of “Influence of Glyphosate and Glufosinate on Weed Planting on Sugarbeet Emergence.” Journal of Control and Sugarbeet Yield in Glyphosate-Resistant Sugarbeet Research, 36(4): pp. 1-9, Journal Series No. and Flufosinate-Resistant Sugarbeet.” Weed Technol- 12381. ogy Weed Tech. 16:pp66-73. Journal Series No. 13329. — Yonts, C.D., R.G. Wilson and J.A. Smith, 1999. — Yonts, C.D., B.L. Benham, D.E. Eisenhauer, C. Burr, “Influence of Planting Date on Stand, Yield and and W.L. Kranz, 2001. “Adapting a College Credit Quality of Sugarbeet.” Journal of Sugarbeet Research, Course to Extension Programming Needs.” Journal of 36(3): pp 1-14. Journal Series No. 12218. Extension 39(5). Online http://www.joe.org/joe/ 2001october/iw5.html. Web address: [email protected]

PAGE 12 WATER CURRENT OCTOBER 2002 Fall NSIA/NWRA Convention Focuses on “Changing Times / Changing Attitudes” (continued from page 1)

Both the NSIA and NWRA will conduct board of 3:45 p.m. General Session — “Municipal — Industrial Panel” director meetings during the convention, as well as the Moderator: Glen Johnson, Lower Platte South NRD annual membership meeting for the NWRA. Jerry Obrist, Lincoln Water System Tentative convention agenda: Tom Wurtz, Omaha Stan Staab, Upper Elkhorn NRD, Small Project Sunday, November 24: Gary Mader, Cities and Villages 5:15 p.m. Adjourn 7 p.m. NSIA Board of Directors Meeting 6:00 p.m. Refreshments — Exhibit Area Monday, November 25: 7:00 p.m. Dinner Moderator: Demaris Johnson 8 a.m. NSIA Membership Annual Meeting Registration Opens Tuesday, November 26: 9 a.m. General Session — “Reclamation Projects Panel” 8:00 a.m. NWRA Annual Membership Meeting Moderator: Fred Ore Exhibit Area Opens — Coffee Dennis Strauch , Pathfinder ID 9:00 a.m. General Session — “Natural Resources District Ron Wolf, Twin Loups ID Panel” Jim Miller, Nebr. Bostwick ID Moderator: Dean Edson, NARD 10:15 a.m. Refreshment Break — Exhibit Area Opens Mike Mosel, Republican River Basin 11:00 a.m. General Session Resumes Dick Mercer, Central Platte River Basin Welcome: Association President Ron Bishop Ted Wehrbein, Lower Platte South Basin Welcome: Mayor of North Platte 10:30 a.m. Refreshment Break — Exhibit Area Presentation of Colors 11:00 a.m. General Session — “Water Policy Issues Forum” Keynote Address: John Keyes, Commissioner of Moderator: Tim Anderson, CNPPID Reclamation Senator Ed Schrock — Water Policy Task Force 12 Noon Luncheon Roger Patterson — NE Nat. Res. Dept., Natural Moderator: John Turnbull, Upper Big Blue NRD Resources Development Fund Speaker: Senator Don Pederson David Cookson — Status of Litigation 1:30 p.m. General Session — “The Sky Will Not Fall” 12:15 p.m. Lunch Ernie Niemi, Vice President, ECONorthwest Moderator: Eric Brown 3:00 p.m. Refreshment Break — Exhibit Area Speaker: Congressman Tom Osborne 1:30 p.m. NWRA Board of Director Meeting.

Construction of Minatare Dam in western Nebraska, like many It’s almost hard to imagine that many plains settlers were still early Reclamation projects, included having to elevate skips living in sod houses like this one when the U.S. Reclamation containing gravel into a hopper that screened the gravel. This photo Service began building major irrigation projects in Nebraska dates to November, 1912. For and eastern Wyoming in the first perspective, that’s little more than decade of the 20th century (USBR seven months after the ocean liner photo). RMS TITANIC struck an iceberg and sank in the North Atlantic (USBR photo).

AND THE RAINS CAME. Despite enduring drought conditions in the Lincoln area this year, torrential rains caused flash flooding in many areas of the Capitol City on Aug. 28 as seen in this photo.

OCTOBER 2002 WATER CURRENT PAGE 13 Water News Briefs

Mailing List Updates else, please continue to submit those changes, as they will be filed for Free Tabloids No updates will be made to the updating as soon as the office super- Water Current’s mailing list until at visor returns. Copies of Wetlands-Understanding least October and possibly as late as If you have questions about this a Resource (1997) and Drinking Water- January, 2003 due to the UNL Water or need to submit a new subscription, Understanding a Resource (1999) Center’s office supervisor being on change of name or change of address, remain available at no charge from maternity leave. If you have a change email your questions or mailing label the UNL Water Center. to your mailing label or wish to changes to [email protected]. Organizations wanting copies for request a subscription for someone educational use or general distribution may obtain copies of either or both publications at no cost, providing they make arrangements to pick Water Center, them up at our UNL East Campus office. If copies are shipped to you, you will be asked to pay actual Conservation and Survey shipping/mailing costs. Call the Water Center at (402)472-3305 or Division 2003 Calendar email [email protected]. For a list of other free publications available he UNL Water Center and Conservation and Survey Division through the UNL Water Center, go to (CSD) have teamed on a free 2003 wall calendar celebrating the http://watercenter.unl.edu. T two University of Nebraska unit’s dedication to water use, development and conservation . Free Directories Calendars will be available by late October. Those interested in obtaining one can do so by contacting the UNL Water Center, P.O. The UNL Water Center has a Box 830844, University of Nebraska, Lincoln, NE 68583-0844, emailing pocket-size directory of federal and [email protected] or phoning (402)472-3305. Calendars will be distrib- state agencies, Natural Resources uted one per request on a first-come, first-served basis while supplies Districts and NU water research and last. cooperative extension offices The free wall calendar has been produced in simple black-and- designed to help answer your water- white featuring monthly photographs of water-related scenes from related questions. Listings are by both the state’s distant and more recent pasts. Many of the photo- telephone and FAX number. If you graphs date from the first decades of the 20th century. would like a copy, phone (402)472- “We didn’t anticipate water being such a timely topic with this 3305 or email [email protected]. Copies year’s drought, but it is interesting that within the UNL system, these will be distributed on a first-come, two organizations, along with Biological Systems Engineering, prob- first-served basis. ably have had the most to do with the development or irrigation and irrigation best management practices in the state,” said Water Center acting director and CSD associate director Michael Jess. Though CSD has previously produced and distributed calendars, this is the first such joint venture between the two units. In addition to the importance of water in Nebraska’s development, the calendar also celebrates the coming merging of UNL’s School of Natural Resource Sciences and CSD, a move that will further strengthen natural resources education, research and outreach programming within NU’s Institute of Agriculture and Natural Resources.

PAGE 14 WATER CURRENT OCTOBER 2002 OCTOBER

21-24: International Conference on Contaminated Soils, Sediments, and Water: “Expediting and Economizing Cleanups,” Amherst, Mass. Contact Denise Leonard, Environmental Health Sciences, N344 Morrill, University of Massachusetts, Amherst, MA 01003, phone (413)545- 1239, FAX (413)545-4692, email [email protected] or online at http://www.UMassSoils.com.

23: 13th Annual South Platte Forum, “Who’s Running This Ecosystem,” Raintree Plaza Conference Center, Longmont, CO. Calendar Contact Jennifer Brown at (970)213-1618, email [email protected] or online at http//southplatteforum. colostate.edu. 6-8: Petroleum Hydrocarbons and 24-26: Nebraska State Irrigation Asso- 27-30: The Geological society of Organic Chemicals in Ground Water: Pre- ciation/Nebraska Water Resources Asso- America 2002 annual meeting, Colorado vention, Assessment, and Remediation ciation annual conference “Changing Convention Center, Denver, CO. For Conference and Exposition, Atlanta, GA. Times/Changing Attitudes,” Sandhills details, go to http://www.geosociety.org/ Sponsored by the American Petroleum Convention Center, North Platte. To regis- meetings/2002/. Institute and National Ground Water Asso- ter, or for information, contact the NSIA at ciation. Contact Dawn Guth, National (402)476-0162. 29-30: Colorado Nonpoint Source Ground Water Association, 601 Dempsey Forum, “Restoring Impaired Waters: Tools Road, Westerville, Ohio 43081, phone ECEMBER For Tomorrow,” Colorado Springs, CO. For (800)551-7379, FAX (614)898-7786, email D information, contact Jennifer Brown at [email protected] or online at http:// 9-11: Ground Water Expo: “From (970)213-1618 or email www.ngwa.org. Science to Technology,” Las Vegas, NV. [email protected]. Contact Bob Masters, National Ground 7-8: Conference on Water Law: “Water Water Association, 601 N. Dempsey Rd., Regulation, Quality and Use in the Mid- Westerville, OH 43081, phone (800)551- NOVEMBER west,” Embassy Suites Hotel and Conven- 7379, email [email protected] or online at tion Center, Lincoln. For information, go to http://www.ngwa.org. 2: Central Region Woodland Steward- http://www.cle.com/upcoming/ ship Conference, Lied Conference Center/ elinwat02.shtml, or phone CLE Interna- ANUARY Arbor Day Farm, Nebraska City. Optional tional at (800)873-7130. J , 2003 pre-conference walking tours are Nov. 1. 11-12: NASULGC 2002, 115th Annual 15-16: “The Scientific, Regulatory and Address questions to Dennis Adams at Meeting, Chicago, IL. Call the National Cultural Factors Underlying Water Issues (402)472-5822. Association of State Universities and Land in Tropical Pacific Islands,” Pagoda Hotel, Honolulu, HI. Sponsored by the University 3-7: American Water Resources Asso- Grant Colleges at (202)478-6050 or online at http://www.nasulgc.org. of Hawaii Water Resources Research Cen- ciation (AWRA) annual conference, Phila- ter. For information, contact Peter Rappa at delphia, PA. For information, go to 12-13: Nitrate in Groundwater Sympo- (808)956-3974 or email [email protected] www.awra.org or contact Harriette E. sium. Fresno, CA. Contact: Kathy Snelson, Bayse at (540)687-8390. Exec. Dir, Groundwater Resources Asso- MARCH 5-7: Nebraska chapters Soil and Water ciation of California, 915 L St., Ste. 1000, Conservation Society (SWCS) regional Sacramento, CA 95814. phone (916)446- 18-20: Fifteenth Annual South Dakota workshop, “Excellence in Conservation 3626, FAX (916)442-0382, email Department of Environment and Natural Planning,” Lied Conference Center, Arbor [email protected] or online at Resources Environmental and Ground Day Farms, Nebraska City. For information http://www.grac.org/nitrate.html. Water Quality Conference, Ramkota River or to register, call John Beckwith at Center, Pierre, SD. Abstracts are being ac- 18-20: Groundwater: The Forgotten Ele- (402)437-4090 or Craig Derickson at cepted until Feb. 1, 2003. For information ment of Watershed Protection, Eugene, OR. (402)437-4068 or go to http:// on general topics and program format, con- Contact Cindy Kreifels at The Groundwater incolor.inetnebr.com/dougg/swcs/ tact Gary Haag at (605)773-5855 or email Foundation (800)858-4844, (402)434-2740 [email protected]. 6-7: Virginia Water Research Sympo- (Lincoln) or email [email protected]. sium 2002: “Drinking Water Supplies 21-24: Midwest Environmental Educa- APRIL Assessment and Management Strategies tion Conference and Leadership Clinic, For the 21st Century,” Sheraton Richmond Andersen Center for Professional Educa- 23-25: Sixth National Mitigation Bank- West, Richmond, VA. For information, con- tion, St. Charles, IL. For information, visit ing Conference. For information, go to tact Judy Poff at (540)231-8030 or http://www.eeai.net/. www.mitigationbankingconference.com or [email protected]. phone (800)726-4853.

OCTOBER 2002 WATER CURRENT PAGE 15 Making The Choice Between Bottled Water or Tap Water by Carol McNulty, ducer bottling and selling water in Nebraska is in full University of Nebraska Cooperative Extension, compliance with regulations, their water should be suit- Douglas and Sarpy Counties able for drinking. Tap water is supplied through a distribution system hile most Nebraskans rely on tap water, an in and is intended for human use. Tap water can come Wcreasing number are using the bottled variety for from a public system that provides water to at least 15 their primary source of drinking water. service connections, or at least 25 people, or a private Publicly supplied tap water concerns including water supply that serves fewer than 15 service connec- safety, taste, color and odor are on the rise. While tap tions, or less than 25 people. water may be safe, the presence of dissolved substances The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) may make the water undesirable for some people. When regu-lates publicly supplied tap water. FDA and EPA deciding between bottled or tap water, consumers need regulations are essentially the same, with a few minor to remember both sources have advantages and disad- exceptions. vantages and are regulated to ensure quality and safety. All public supplies are required by the Safe Drinking Sharon Skipton, a University of Nebraska Cooperative Water Act to be tested on a scheduled basis. Public sup- Extension educator in Douglas and Sarpy Counties, says pliers must submit water samples to an approved labo- bottled water can come from a variety of sources, includ- ratory for testing. ing wells, protected springs or a public water supply. If the water from a public system isn’t safe to drink, the The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) regu- local water supplier is required to notify users and provide lates the public water supply. The FDA also randomly information on alternative sources of drinking water. Just tests bottled water imported from foreign countries. To as with bottled water, there is always some risk of contami- ensure that FDA standards are met, bottling companies nants going undetected between testing intervals. regularly test their products. In Nebraska, tap water from a private supply isn’t Nearly all bottled and public tap water contains dis- regulated, which means private water supply owners solved substances. However, the water can’t contain and users must determine if the water is safe to drink. more than allowable levels of any given substance. (Editor’s Note: University of Nebraska Cooperative FDA rules for bottled water don’t apply to water that Extension NebGuide G02-1448-A, Drinking Water: is packaged and sold within the same state. These Bottled or Tap?, January, 2002, by Sharon O. Skipton, waters are unregulated in about one in five states. DeLynn Hay and Julie A. Albrecht is available free at Skipton says water bottled and sold in Nebraska is local county extension offices. The publication pro- regulated by the Nebraska Department of Agriculture vides additional details on the regulation and safety and must meet FDA bottled water standards. If a pro- of drinking water from various sources).

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