Republican River Basin-Wide Plan Jointly developed by the Upper Republican, Middle Republican, Lower-Republican, and Tri-Basin Natural Resources Districts and the Nebraska Department of Natural Resources 2019 Republican River Basin-Wide Plan Table of Contents 1. Introduction ............................................................................................................................. 4 Effective Date and Time Frame of the Plan ............................................................................................................... 4 Authority ................................................................................................................................................................................. 4 Background, Purpose, and Intent .................................................................................................................................. 5 Vision Statement for the Plan ........................................................................................................................ 5 Mission Statement for the Plan ..................................................................................................................... 5 Integrated Management Plans and Basin-Wide Plan in the Basin ................................................................... 6 Planning Process .................................................................................................................................................................. 9 Responsibilities and Authorities of NeDNR and NRDs .......................................................................................12 2. Goals and Objectives ............................................................................................................. 13 List of Goals ..........................................................................................................................................................................14 Management Activities to Achieve Goals and Objectives ................................................................................14 3. Monitoring ............................................................................................................................. 44 Plan Schedule and Management Actions ................................................................................................................44 Reporting ..............................................................................................................................................................................45 Annual Meeting ..................................................................................................................................................................47 Measurable Hydrologic Objectives .............................................................................................................................48 Five-Year Technical Analysis ..........................................................................................................................................48 Modifications to the Plan ...............................................................................................................................................49 Report to the Legislature ................................................................................................................................................50 4. Plan Implementation Schedule ............................................................................................ 51 Measurable Hydrologic Objectives .............................................................................................................................53 5. Funding .................................................................................................................................. 63 Guidelines .............................................................................................................................................................................63 Limitations ............................................................................................................................................................................63 6. Plan Area ................................................................................................................................ 64 7. Glossary .................................................................................................................................. 65 Appendix A. Local Hydrology .................................................................................................... 70 Basic Hydrological Principles of the Basin ...............................................................................................................70 Precipitation .........................................................................................................................................................................72 Surface Water Supplies ...................................................................................................................................................73 Groundwater Supplies .....................................................................................................................................................76 Human Activities Relating to Basin Hydrology ......................................................................................................80 Appendix B. Data and Information Used During Plan Development .................................... 87 Hydrologic Considerations ............................................................................................................................................87 Studies, Reports, and Presentations ...........................................................................................................................88 Page 2 of 141 Republican River Basin-Wide Plan Other .......................................................................................................................................................................................88 Appendix C. Plan Development ................................................................................................. 90 Members of the Stakeholder Advisory Committee ..............................................................................................90 Plan Development Meeting Schedule .......................................................................................................................90 Stakeholder Themes .........................................................................................................................................................91 Appendix D. Relevant History of Groundwater and Surface Water Management .............. 93 Era of Independent Management of Groundwater and Surface Water .......................................................93 Era of Water Planning and Policy Development ...................................................................................................94 Era of Collaborative Water Planning Process Implementation ........................................................................96 Appendix E. Procedures for Addressing Conflicts Resulting from Implementation of the Republican River Basin-Wide Plan ..................................................................... 99 Purpose ..................................................................................................................................................................................99 Exclusions ........................................................................................................................................................................... 100 Overview ............................................................................................................................................................................. 100 Procedures ......................................................................................................................................................................... 100 Appendix F. Watershed Management Presentation Materials............................................. 103 Appendix G. Water Market Summary ..................................................................................... 127 Moving Forward .............................................................................................................................................................. 127 Questions to Guide Initial Discussion ..................................................................................................................... 128 The Prospect of a Pilot Program ............................................................................................................................... 129 Other Resources .............................................................................................................................................................. 129 Appendix H. 2018-2022 Allocation Summary .......................................................................................... 130 Groundwater Allocations, Summarized ................................................................................................................. 130 NRD Terminology, Defined ........................................................................................................................................