Water News Archive

Papio-Missouri River NRD 2018 Groundwater Management Plan

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:

What Happens in the Trench?

The effluent is distributed through the pipes/gravel or chambers, then percolates down into the soil. Oxygen is present and aerobic bacteria break down the waste. Viruses are held by soil particles and die over time.

Domestic Sewage FAQs

I have a septic system. What maintenance does it need? One of the most important things you can do to keep the system functioning properly is to have the septic tank pumped regularly by a certified professional. Scum and/or sludge could build up and be carried to the drainfield if the tank is not pumped regularly. This will clog the drainfield and not allow wastewater to be treated. Wastewater may form a pond in the yard or back up into the house. At that point you are probably facing costly repairs or replacement instead of minimal maintenance expenses.

Small Farm Issues

Many of the manure management and environmental resources and publications are written for large livestock operations. Yet, most of the farming operations in the US are small. In Nebraska, for example, nearly 70% of all beef operations are less than 300 head and 90% are less than 1,000 head.

LID Atlas

The Low Impact Development (LID) Atlas was created for the National Nonpoint Education for Municipal Officials (NEMO) Network by the Connecticut NEMO Program and the California Center for Water and Land Use (http://lidmap.uconn.edu/). The LID Atlas is an interactive tool that provides examples of LID implementation throughout the country.

Manure Management for Biosecurity

The potential for disease transfer due to manure handling equipment moving among manure storages or farms should not be overlooked. If a producer operates their own pumping equipment, they will know if PEDV or other diseases are a risk on their farm and should be able to take extra precautions to avoid spreading the disease to other facilities or farms that they own.

Septic Tank Design

A septic tank must be watertight. The wastewater has not been fully treated, so it must be contained and prevented from escaping into the environment. Septic tanks can be made of concrete, concrete blocks, fiber-reinforced plastic, high-density plastic or fiberglass.

Drinking Water Treatment

A variety of water treatment processes are available to the homeowner, differing in the types of chemicals removed, location within the home, and operating and maintenance requirements.

Odor Footprint Tool

The Odor Footprint Tool (OFT) estimates the frequency of annoying odor events around an existing or proposed livestock facility and uses this information to determine minimum separation distances that should be maintained around those facilities and to help in siting decisions.

Permeable Pavers

Permeable pavers let water pass through the spaces between them which are often filled with small gravel or sand.

Soil Management for Water Conservation

Improved water infiltration, less runoff and reduced evaporative losses in no-till systems can save from 5 to 12 inches per year, making more water available for crop production. The tilled grain sorghum on the right yielded only 61 bu/A in a dry year while the no-till on the left yielded about 121 bu/A.

Related Links

NDEQ Onsite Information List of Nebraska Certified Professionals Septic Smart H2OandM Soil surveys Water Environment Federation

Bottled Water

An increasing number of Nebraskans are using bottled water or vended water as their primary source of drinking water. When choosing between bottled, tap, and vended water, consider that each has advantages and disadvantages.

Mortality Composting

Mortalities are an unfortunate reality for livestock operations. Whether they’re caused by disease or natural disaster, losses of livestock do occur and these mortalities must be managed responsibly. The state of Nebraska allows for disposal of dead animals via several methods including burial, rendering, incineration, composting, and landfilling.

Key Tips for Reducing Pollutants

Water pollution can come from a variety of sources. Soil, grass clippings, fertilizer, pesticides, paint thinners, and motor oil can pollute water if picked up by stormwater runoff.

Soil Structure

Soil is much more than the individual particles of sand, silt, and clay. Ideally, the soil should be one-half solid materials (sand, silt, clay, nutrients, minerals, organic materials, and biological life) and one-half pore space (half of that containing water and the other half being air space). Biological life and organic matter provide the "glues" to create soil aggregates, forming soil structure.

Extension Publications

NAWMN Weekly Data Collection Form Using Modified Atmometers (ETgage®) for Irrigation Management Describes the atmometer (evapotranspiration gauge) and explains how it can be used for irrigation scheduling. Examples are provided to show how information collected with an atmometer can be used to estimate crop water use for corn and soybean. PDF version (975 KB)

Water Quality

Contaminants such as gases, minerals, bacteria, metals, and other chemicals suspended or dissolved in drinking water can affect your health and influence the quality of your water. The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has established limits, or standards, on the concentration of certain drinking water contaminants allowed in public water supplies.

Understanding US EPA Regulations

Several federal regulations may impact animal producers and their operations including the Clean Water Act and provisions that relate to NPDES permits. The federal EPA statutes that have relevance to animal agriculture are summarized at EPA's Agricultural Law Web site.

Sustainable Landscapes

Landscapes which are sustainably designed, installed and managed conserve water, lower the rate and volume of runoff water from rain, snowmelt and irrigation, and help reduce the amount of pollutants reaching surface water. Water related benefits achieved with sustainable residential, business, and community landscapes include: