Water News Archive

I am Alexis Samson, a sophomore agricultural engineering major at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln where I work for Dr. Amy Schmidt (aka the Manure Lady).

The annual Nebraska Statewide Groundwater-Level Report from the Conservation and Survey Division in the University of Nebraska–Lincoln’s School of Natural Resources shows that groundwater levels in the eastern half of the state continue to decline following several years of persistent drought.

Spring is here and that often means its time start outdoor projects. Whether you are spading in new trees, putting in a koi pond or other excavated landscape features, drilling a new well, or installing a new onsite wastewater system, you want to make sure a ‘Locate Request’ has been submitted to Nebraska811 before digging.

Nebraska811 is the statewide one-call notification center, set up by Nebraska state law. It is the link between people who want to excavate and the underground facility owners/operators.

Following a Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza (HPAI) outbreak, there may be a delay in the ability to receive manure and other products from those barns.

According to the U.S. Drought Monitor, most of Nebraska is experiencing some level of drought, ranging from "Abnormally Dry" to "Extreme Drought". Lancaster county is currently classified with “moderate drought” conditions.

National Groundwater Awareness Week is March 9–15, making it the perfect time to talk about groundwater in Nebraska! What exactly is groundwater? It is the water below the earth’s surface that fills the interconnected voids and cracks in and around soil particles, sand, gravel and rock — all of this is what we call an aquifer.

We are excited to launch Master Irrigator in Nebraska and would like your help to build it! Master Irrigator is a producer-directed comprehensive educational series focused on taking your irrigated acres to the next level. We are hosting a series of Design Summits bringing together farmers, industry, extension, and policy partners. We'll preview and discuss across four key themes:

During the growing season, up to 30 percent of residential water use is for outdoor use. Of this, the majority often goes towards watering lawns and gardens. And so, using water conserving landscape design, soil health practices, wise plant selection, and efficient irrigation has high potential for conserving water. 

A design principle to use is grouping plants based on their irrigation needs. When designing landscape beds and borders, separate them into zones such as no irrigation, once a month irrigation, twice a month, or weekly irrigation.