The 2007 Great Plains Conference on Improving Water Productivity is scheduled today (Thursday) at the North Platte Community College.
     The conference, which will be in the south campus auditorium, will provide the most current information on how to get more production from available water, said University of Nebraska-Lincoln Extension educator Alan Corr.
     Participants will see the results of various practices in the field and hear from key players and policy-makers on water issues affecting them now and in the future, said Corr, who's based at UNL's West Central Research and Extension Center.
     Speakers will include Rep. Adrian Smith and University of Nebraska Regent Bob Phares.
     Frank Kwapnioski, Nebraska Public Power District manager, will explain a different approach to water management in Nebraska, and Derrel Martin, UNL irrigation and water resources engineer, will talk about Nebraska ethanol issues.
     Jim Robb, director of the Livestock Marketing Information Center, will provide a picture of the economic impact of distillers grains on the livestock industry.
     State Climatologist Al Dutcher will discuss Nebraska's drought profile over time and Middle Republican Natural Resource District Manager Dan Smith will outline water policy issues.
     Field tours led by UNL specialists will allow conference participants to see no-till, corn on corn results, forages under limited irrigation, distillers grains in cow-calf operations and soil moisture monitoring and irrigation timing.
     The conference is free with a lunch included. To register, call (308) 696-6727 or e-mail llehmann@unlnotes.unl.edu.