Soil health practices such as cover crops are an important management tool to reduce erosion, suppress weeds, and improve water infiltration and water holding capacity in soil, yet for some growers the financial risk involved in making the change to a new practice is too high. The Upper Big Blue Natural Resources District has increased the funding available to farmers in targeted areas of the district to offset the costs associated with adding cover crops, as well as other practices. The goal of this program is to improve water quality in the Beaver Creek Watershed and in Wellhead Protection Areas. 

The increased rates for the Water Quality Management Plan Cover Crop Program are $75/acre up to a maximum of $7,500 per landowner per year. For the land treatment portion of the program, the NRD will pay 90 percent of the project cost up to $15,000. Additionally, the NRD is increasing rates for buffer strips in the target area to provide 50 percent beyond the existing buffer strip rate available through NRCS/Nebraska Department of Agriculture. 

For the cover crop program, the NRD will collect applications until July 18 for ranking by August 15. Ranking considerations will include location (some areas of increased concern will rank higher than others). First year applicants will also be given priority. Landowners and operators are eligible to apply. Applications are now available online or at the NRD office. Total funding available for this program will be determined by annual NRD budgets, which will be set in the late summer of 2025.

The Upper Big Blue NRD recently completed a Water Quality Management Plan that serves as a roadmap to improve the water resources and water quality within the district. District-wide and targeted implementation efforts to address sediment, nutrients, bacteria, and atrazine will be accomplished through existing programs. The Beaver Creek Watershed was selected as the initial target area for implementing water quality measures.

Questions? Contact Jerod Fling at jfling@upperbigblue.org or 402-362-6601.