The Papio-Missouri River Natural Resources District (P-MRNRD) 2018 Groundwater Management Plan incorporates and responds to new data and information about groundwater quantity and quality throughout the District.  The new plan incorporates data from studies, as well as regulation changes including:

1. No nitrogen fertilizer application in the Platte & Elkhorn River Valley until after March 1^st and no fall fertilizer applications until after November 1^st in all other areas of the District.
2. Require well permits from the P-MRNRD prior to the construction of all new wells capable of pumping over 50 gallons per minute (gpm).
3. Minimum well spacing of 600 ft between any water supply well, including domestic wells.

 The new requirements will affect:

1. Well drillers who work within the P-MRNRD. Those well drillers will have to apply for and receive a permit prior to installing a well that pumps over 50 gpm and comply with well spacing requirements
2. Agricultural crop producers throughout the P-MRNRD will have to follow the minimum nitrogen fertilizer application dates.
3. Communities within the P-MRNRD that supply their own municipal water will need to work with the District to enhance protections for their Wellhead Protection Area.
4. Homeowners with their own domestic well will be encouraged to test their drinking water at least once every four years.

The plan in intended to help protect the drinking water supplies of over 750,000 people within the District that receive their water from a community or rural water system. Additionally it is focused on enhancing the monitoring, identification and response to groundwater quality issues that may impact the estimated 21,000 people who get their water from private domestic wells.  Ultimately the plan will allow for the availability of groundwater supplies to be monitored and better managed to all for future uses without jeopardizing long-term sustainability. 

The plan can be viewed at http://bit.ly/GMPplan. You can learn more about the P-MRNRD by visiting their website,www.papionrd.org. 

*Original article content by Meghan Sittler, revisions made by Becky Schuerman.