The Upper Niobrara White Natural Resources District board has postponed action on controversial proposed changes to its Ground Water Management Area Rules and Regulations to take more public input and possibly find compromises.

The board is encouraging participation at a meeting of its Water Advisory Committee scheduled for the end of this month on the 30th at 1:00 at the Panhandle Event Center in Chadron.

The proposed changes extend existing limits on the amount of water an irrigator can pump from just 2 of  the NRD’s 6 sub-areas…sub-area 4-Box Butte County and sub-area 6-Mirage Flats…to the entire district.

The current limits of  an average of 13-1/2″ a year over a 4-year period would drop to 13″ over 5 years while the limit for the 4 sub-areas currently without allotments would be 15″ over 5 years. Supporters say the changes are needed to protect the longevity of the groundwater supply for all users.

Strong opposition was heard at informational meetings in Hemingford and Rushville in February and at a nearly 3-hour formal public hearing before the NRD board last month.

The opponents say the proposed changes are premature and unnecessary, a one-size-fits-all approach that has no basis in science and doesn’t follow the district’s groundwater or integrated management plans.

They also say the changes would hurt producers of more water-intensive crops such as alfalfa, corn, sugar beets, and beans…and are potentially “devastating” to the area economy.

The Upper Niobrara White NRD has its main offices in Chadron and covers all of Dawes, Sheridan, and Box Butte counties and the northern half of Sioux County.