By Russ Pankonin
    The Imperial Republican
     Natural resources districts in the Republican River Basin will receive $136,000 in grant funding to study the feasibility of transferring water into the basin.
     The grant was funded through LB1226 passed last year in the Unicameral, which provided $2.5 million in funding for technical assistance studies.
     Funds are administered by the Nebraska Natural Resources Commission through the Integrated Water Management Plan Program Fund.
     The grant is sponsored jointly by the Upper, Middle and Lower Republican NRDs and the Tri-Basin NRD.
     Upper Republican NRD Manager Jasper Fanning, Lower Republican NRD Manager Mike Clements and Mike Delka, manager of the Nebraska Bostwick Irrigation Canal, serve on a committee in charge of the study.
     Other project partners include the Bostwick Irrigation District, Frenchman and Frenchman-Cambridge Irrigation Districts and the Republican River Management District Association.
     The $136,000 award will cover 80% of the projected cost of the project, which is $174,000. The remaining 20% can be contributed by in-kind match by the NRDs.
    Invasive species research
     One of the goals in the URNRD's integrated management plan is to study controlling invasive species in the district and basin.
     The Southwest RC&D headquartered in Cambridge recently received a grant totalling $121,000 to study the impact of the invasive species.
     Primary species being targeted include salt cedar and Russian olive trees.
     The goal will be to remove these species from one mile along the Republican River in each of the three NRDs.
     Fanning said they are trying to coordinate with the Nebraska Game & Parks on a similar project which could increase the study area.
    Ethanol plant allocations
     During their regular meeting Oct. 10, the URNRD board heard a detailed presentation from Mid-America Renewable Fuels, Inc., on their request for a water allocation for an ethanol plant, west of Wauneta.
     The presentation focused on a hydrology study requested by the NRD.
     They are requesting two 400 gallon-per-minute wells for the site.
     The study showed the wells will impact few wells in the area and that there has been no history of water depletion in the region of the plant site.
     However, the well locations would still be within the quick response area near the Frenchman River.
     Board members said the new allocation of 360 million gallons will still have to be accounted for under compact compliance.
     The board will likely address the issue next month. The company has been working with the district's variance committee to address allocation issues.
     A second company, Central Bio Energy, has also requested an allocation for a proposed ethanol plant near Imperial.
     The company provided a preliminary synopsis of their study but it was not yet completed.
     They will also be working with the variance committee.
    Replacement sought for Milner
     Board members accepted the resignation of Ron Milner from the URNRD board.
     The board will begin taking applications for Milner's replacement in subdistrict 5.
     Milner replaced Kenny Owens in November, 2005. The replacement will complete the term, which runs through 2008.
     In other action, Fanning notified the board that a cease-and-desist order had been filed against Wilder Farms, located north of Haigler.
     Fanning said the order was issued for a rules violation dealing with meters not being installed in the proper locations.
     He indicated Wilder Farms is cooperating with the URNRD to rectify the problem.