Integrated management plans contain the blueprint for water planning and management in their respective basins designated as fully appropriated or where the local agency petitioned the state to initiate this planning partnership. These locally tailored plans provide for flexibility in identifying potential management solutions and adaptability of management approaches over time. Non-regulatory approaches to address water challenges include recharging groundwater with surface water in times of excess streamflows for later use, conjunctive management of groundwater and surface water, and other incentive-based approaches. These plans also contain any regulations necessary to protect water supplies for existing users and to ensure state compliance with interstate compacts and agreements. This presentation will provide a state perspective of the water management challenges and opportunities that exist and their associated management approaches.
Thursday, October 25, 2012: 10:40 a.m.
The state of Nebraska contains a vast and highly developed groundwater resource in the Ogallala aquifer, as well as a surface water system that provides for extensive agricultural, municipal, industrial, environmental, and recreational uses. While these resources clearly provide the state with a significant economic advantage, water development results in wide-ranging water management challenges. In response to these challenges, Nebraska developed a unique approach to managing these hydrologically connected waters. This approach provides a collaborative planning process that partners state (Nebraska Department of Natural Resources) and local agencies in consultation with local stakeholders.
