Grants and Other Funding

Grants and Other Funding

Grants

Lower Niobrara NRD: Water Sustainability Fund Grant

The Lower Niobrara Natural Resources District (LNNRD) was awarded a Water Sustainability Fund Grant in 2024 to create the Lower Niobrara Water Use Reduction Cost-Share Program. This program is designed to assist LNNRD producers in obtaining equipment that helps manage irrigation water use more effectively and efficiently.

Through this grant, the LNNRD received $360,000 in Water Sustainability Funds, matched with $240,000 in district funds, for a total program investment of $600,000. The goal of this program is to protect and preserve our region’s water quality and water quantity by supporting producers with tools that promote precision irrigation management.

Eligible cost-share items include a variety of irrigation water management technologies, such as:

  • Flow meters
  • Telemetry systems
  • Soil moisture probes
  • Other approved irrigation management devices

West Knox Rural Water: Water Sustainability Fund Grant

West Knox Rural Water was awarded a Water Sustainability Fund Grant in 2024, receiving $133,000 in grant funds. West Knox Rural Water will provide a local match of $89,000, bringing the total project investment to $222,000.

The funding was used to purchase and install remote-read meters throughout the rural water district. As of September, all meters have been installed, and billing software has been purchased, with a completion and full launch date set for January 1, 2026.

With these upgrades, West Knox Rural Water can now monitor all meters in real time, allowing for improved leak detection, enhanced water usage reporting, and a more efficient way to manage and protect local water resources.

Other Program Funding

Natural Resources Water Quality Fund

The Natural Resources Water Quality Fund (NRWQF) was established in 2001 to provide state funds to Natural Resources Districts (NRDs) in support of their water quality programs.

The fund receives revenue from portions of pesticide registration and applicator license fees collected by the Nebraska Department of Agriculture, generating approximately $1 million per year. Funds are distributed to NRDs twice annually, in August and February of each fiscal year.

By statute, NRWQF dollars may be used only by NRDs and only for water quality–related projects, including both surface water and groundwater initiatives. NRDs are required to match three dollars for every two dollars of state funds received. The Nebraska Department of Natural Resources (NeDNR) administers the program and distributes funds according to a formula that considers:

  • Fertilizer sales within each NRD (at least 50% of total funds)
  • Equal distribution among all participating districts (20%)
  • Groundwater Quality Management Areas or Clean Water Lakes designations (20%)

Up to 10% of available funds may be reserved by the Natural Resources Commission for special projects, though the Department has not yet withheld funds for that purpose.

For Fiscal Year 2024–2025, the Lower Niobrara NRD received $32,433.12 through the Natural Resources Water Quality Fund. These funds help support the District’s ongoing efforts to protect and enhance local water quality across the region.

Each NRD must annually certify eligible water quality expenditures equal to or greater than its allocation plus the required match. Any unspent or unmatched funds are returned to the Department and redeposited into the Water Quality Fund.

Nebraska Soil and Water Conservation Program (NSWCP)

The Nebraska Soil and Water Conservation Program (NSWCP) was established in 1977 by the Nebraska Department of Natural Resources (DNR) to assist landowners with the implementation of soil, water, and wildlife conservation practices. Funds are distributed by the DNR to Nebraska’s 23 Natural Resources Districts (NRDs) to support range management and conservation improvements.

The Lower Niobrara NRD receives approximately $50,000 annually through the NSWCP to provide cost-share assistance to local landowners for eligible conservation practices. Applications are accepted year-round, and funds are available to help landowners install approved projects that protect and enhance natural resources within the District.

To qualify, landowners must be in compliance with the Lower Niobrara NRD Rules and Regulations, and all applications must be approved by the NRD Board of Directors before work begins. Funds are distributed once the project is completed.

The Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) provides technical assistance for planning and installing approved practices. Recent projects have included pipelines, cattle tanks, dams and dam repairs, water and sediment basins, tree planting and mulching, fencing (standard and high-tensile electric), rural water hookups, and grass seedings for erosion control.

If you are interested in implementing a conservation practice, funding is currently available. Please contact:

  • Lower Niobrara NRD Office: 402-775-2343
  • Boyd/Keya Paha County NRCS: 402-589-9019
  • Holt County NRCS: 402-336-3796
  • Knox County NRCS: 402-373-4914

Cost-Shareable Practices Include:
Livestock Ponds · Erosion Control Structures · Grass Seedings · Windbreaks · Livestock Wells · Cross Fences · Livestock Pipelines · Tanks · Irrigation Conservation · Brush Management