Integrated Management Planning of Surface and Ground Water in Nebraska January 18, 2017 Christine Reed

1. Integrated Water Management in
Nebraska
Christine M. Reed, Professor
School of Public Administration
University of Nebraska at Omaha

2. The Platte River
Source: Platteriverprogram.org (last accessed 12/29/2016)

3. Natural Resource Districts
Source: Natural Resources Conservation Service (last accessed 12/29/2016)

4. The Upper Platte River Basin
Fully Appropriated Area
Source: dnr.nebraska.gov/iwm/upper-platte (last accessed 12/28/2016)

5. The Upper Platte River Basin
Over-Appropriated Area
Source: dnr.nr.gov/iwm/upbwp (last accessed 12/29/2016)

6. Integrated Management Plans
Over Appropriated Areas
LB 962 motivated by need to get ahead of the PRRIP
IMPs developed jointly with NRDs
IMPs = no new or expanded ground water wells
IMPs must offset new depletions and/or uses after July 1, 1997
IMPs developed after consultation w/stakeholders
Upper Platte Basin Plan first developed in 2009
Upper Platte Basin planning process starting new ten year cycle
IMP and Basin Wide planning process is “bottom-up”

7. Platte River Recovery Implementation Program
Nebraska New Depletion Plan
USFWS “target flows” to restore critical habitat
NE agreed to prevent/mitigate new depletions to target flows caused
by new and expanded uses of water (effects going back to 7/1/1997)
DNR negotiates with NRDs to share in offsets to depletions whose
effects date back to 1997
Responsibility for offsets to groundwater (GW) in hydrologically
connected (HC) areas.
HC area = cumulative stream depletion over 40 years > 28 percent
total GW consumed from wells.

8. Governance of the Upper Platte River Basin
Platte River Recovery Implementation Program (2007)
Extensive system of water diversion and storage
Critical habitat designation of Big Bend Reach
Cooperative Agreement (Interior, NE, CO, WY)
Governance Committee (Interior, NE, CO, WY, NRDs/CNPPID/NPPD, Environmental)
LB 962 (2004) anticipated the PRRIP
Integrated Management Plans
Required where basins over-appropriated/fully appropriated
DNR designates/determines status
IMPs jointly developed between DNR and NRDs
Basin-Wide Plan required for over-appropriated portions of Platte River Basin
Meets NDP requirement

9. A Polycentric Governance Systems
A POLYCENTRIC SYSTEM OF GOVERNANCE HAS MULTIPLE OVERLAPPING
JURISDICTIONS AT DIFFERENT SCALES, EACH WITH SOME INDEPENDENT
AUTHORITY OVER PARTICULAR ISSUES OR FUNCTIONAL AREAS.
A POLYCENTRIC GOVERNANCE SYSTEM HAS INTERDEPENDENT CENTERS
OF AUTHORITY, EACH WITH QUALIFIED INDEPENDENCE OVER ITS OWN
FUNCTIONAL AREA.
A POLYCENTRIC GOVERNANCE SYSTEM IS OFTEN DESCRIBED AS SELF-
ORGANIZED, ARISING IN A BOTTOM UP FASHION, WITH NEW
BOUNDARIES THAT CAN MATCH THE SCALE OF THE ISSUE AT HAND, SUCH
AS A WATERSHED.
POLYCENTRICITY PROMOTES INTERACTIONS UP AND DOWN LEVELS OF
GOVERNANCE AND PROMOTES INSTITUTIONS THAT CAN ADAPT TO
CHANGES IN SOCIAL-ECOLOGICAL SYSTEMS.

10. A Polycentric System of Water Governance
PRIPP Governance
DNR
CNPPID Municipalities
NPPD Environmental
NRDs

11. The Platte River
Source: Platteriverprogram.org (last accessed 12/29/2016)

12. The Upper Platte River Basin
Over-Appropriated Area
Source: dnr.nr.gov/iwm/upbwp (last accessed 12/29/2016)

13. Central Platte NRD
Partnerships
Partnerships with three canal companies within the NRD involve
purchase or lease agreements to rehabilitate each canal and store
excess stream flows for recharge and return to the Platte.
Helps to meet requirements of LB 962 to return Platte River to its
1997 level of use determined to be 3,400 AFY.
Leasing water formerly used for irrigation to the PRRIP
Using other portion of recharge/return credit for NDP

14. Central Platte NRD
Water Bank
First NRD to establish a water bank
The NRD purchases water rights to offset new uses
Landowner “donates” water rights
Owner restricted to dryland farming
NRD compensates (willing) seller
Price = cost per AF impact on river
NRD holds permanent conservation easement
Avoided need to regulate ground water use

15. Lessons Learned
Questions for Future Research
I. Nebraska’s approach to integrated water management is unique
among the fifty states. Nebraska’s IMP process is “bottom up” with
DNR facilitating the development and implementation of NRD
plans.
II. Polycentric governance systems promote capacity to adapt to
changing environmental conditions. Polycentric governance
systems create opportunities to interact across different scales.