In 2018, the Upper Big Blue NRD joined the Nebraska Department of Natural Resources (NeDNR) and the Nebraska Department of Environment and Energy (NDEE) (each state agency so named at the time prior to merging into the Nebraska Department of Water, Energy, and Environment) on a joint planning effort to address water quality and quantity across the district. The engineering firm JEO was contracted to help with this first-of-its-kind project. The conversations and work continued in 2019 and a public open house on the topic was held on April 2.  The resulting Water Quality Management Plan (WQMP) and draft Voluntary Integrated Management Plan (VIMP) were the result of this effort.

The joint planning process began with building partnerships between agencies. Since each plan required different but similar requirements, all agencies needed to agree on the terminology and planning schedule to be sure all statutory and federal guidelines were met in the planning process. Next all concerned explored the characteristics of the watershed to identify priority and special priority areas and management actions based on water quality resource concerns. They also reviewed the existing district rules and regulations dealing with groundwater quantity and identified management actions to address groundwater quantity. The WQMP was adopted by the Environmental Protection Agency in March 2020.

Learn more:

• Water Quality Management Plan
• Plan Implementation
• Incentive Program
• An Award Winning Plan