More than 600 high school students from 30 area schools competed in the Northeast Area Land Judging Competition on Wednesday, October 2nd, in Blair, Nebraska, to test their knowledge of soil structure and land evaluation.
The Papio-Missouri River Natural Resources District (Papio NRD) hosted the annual competition on an acreage in Blair where students assessed physical features of the soil, such as texture, permeability, thickness, wetness, slope, erosion, depth, and organic matter.
Land judging enables participants to learn how to recognize the physical attributes of soil, determine land capability for crop production, and evaluate management practices needed for proper stewardship.
Eight teams (West Point, Norfolk, Wisner-Pilger, Lyons-Decatur Northeast, Tekamah-Herman, Pierce, Oakland Craig, and North Bend) and one individual, Aubree Schlueter of Logan View, advance to the state land judging competition in Norfolk, Nebraska, on October 16th, 2024.
The competition was sponsored by the Papio NRD in partnership with the Natural Resources Conservation Service.
Papillion Creek Watershed Project
Improvement Plan Approved
Plan to provide environmental and safety benefits to eastern Nebraska communities
LINCOLN, Nebraska – In August 2024, the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Nebraska Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS), in partnership with the Papio-Missouri River Natural Resources District (Papio NRD), received official approval on the Papillion Creek Watershed Project Improvement Plan. The plan, an extension of an effort that began in 1966, promises to deliver significant environmental and safety benefits to residents across Washington, Douglas, and Sarpy counties.
From left, Papio NRD General Manager John Winkler, NRCS State Conservationist Robert Lawson, and Papio NRD Director Patrick Bonnett.
The original planning effort led to the construction of 30 grade control structures, which have been instrumental in reducing flooding and stream channel erosion within the watershed. Building on this foundation, a local group, the Papillion Creek Watershed Partnership (PCWP), was formed in 2001 to identify future projects to further protect and enhance the watershed.
In 2019, the Papio NRD utilized the NRCS Watershed Protection and Flood Prevention Operations (WFPO) program, which has been critical in advancing the latest supplemental plan, which identifies 40 new watershed protection projects aimed at stabilizing degrading streams, reducing erosion and sediment, mitigating flood damage, and improving public safety.
NRCS contributed $560,000 toward the completion of the plan, enabling the Papio NRD to qualify for additional NRCS financial assistance for developing detailed project designs, anticipated to begin in 2025.
“NRCS is proud to provide both technical and financial support to the Papio-Missouri River NRD,” said Nebraska State Conservationist Rob Lawson. “Our top priority is to help local sponsors identify and complete watershed projects that enhance natural resources and ensure public safety.”
The Papillion Creek Watershed, spanning 245,800 acres in eastern Nebraska, includes a large portion of Omaha and the surrounding communities of Papillion, Elkhorn, Millard, and Ralston. The projects outlined in the Supplemental Plan are designed to address the pressing environmental challenges faced by these rapidly growing areas.
“The Papio NRD appreciates our strong working relationship and strategic partnership with the NRCS,” said Papio NRD General Manager John Winkler. “This is just one more textbook example of how partnerships maximize public safety and the wise management of our natural resources while simultaneously reducing the reliance on local property taxes and other scarce local resources. Nebraska has the very best natural resource management system in the country, and arguably the world, and this type of project makes us that much better,” said Winkler.
The Natural Resources Conservation Service’s Watershed Protection and Flood Prevention Operations (WFPO) program provides technical and financial assistance to states, local governments and tribes to plan and implement authorized project plans for completing numerous watershed enhancements.
A total of 177 vehicles – a record turnout – participated in the scrap electronics collection held recently at the USDA Service Center in Dakota City.
Papio-Missouri River Natural Resources District (NRD), USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) staff, Nebraska Loess Hills Resource Conservation & Development Council (RC&D) members, and other community volunteers assisted with half-day event.
Other collections were also held in the communities of Walthill, Tekamah, and Blair. The collections were free of charge to local Nebraska residents and businesses. Funding was provided through the Litter Reduction and Recycling Incentive Grant, the Nebraska Department of Environment and Energy (NDEE) and Papio-Missouri River NRD. Midwest Electronic Recovery of Clive, Iowa, was the disposal contractor and is only one of a few companies certified for destruction and recycling of banking, medical/hospital, and governmental agency information.
Papillion Creek Watershed Supplemental Plan – Environmental Assessment
Due to the uncertainty involved with the COVID-19 virus and public health developments, the Papio NRD and Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) are going to cancel the scheduled open house. However, your feedback is important to us.
Beginning on March 23, the planned presentation will be available on our project website: https://trello.com/b/I2bEEIiB/papillion-creek-watershed-supplemental-plan-ea
Site locations and preliminary designs have been developed for the seven sites proposed in Douglas, Sarpy and Washington Counties and information on each site will be detailed in the presentation. The projects are intended to develop solutions for watershed issues such as erosion, floodwater and sediment damage, water quality and habitat improvements, and others.
The project team including the P-MRNRD, NRCS, FYRA Engineering, and Olsson Associates will do our best to accommodate requests for information and are willing to send information by mail, email, etc. Please reach out with any comments or questions to Amanda Grint, Project Manager. You may reach me by email at agrint@papionrd.org or phone at 402-315-1722. You may also send comments to my attention at Papio-Missouri River Natural Resources District, 8901 South 154th Street, Omaha, NE 68138. Please provide comments by April 6th.
Farmers and ranchers interested in soil, water and wildlife conservation are encouraged to sign up now for the Environmental Quality Incentives Program (EQIP). EQIP is available from the USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS). Those interested in applying for fiscal year 2018 program funds are encouraged to sign up before October 20, 2017.
EQIP is a voluntary conservation program available to private landowners and operators. Through EQIP farmers and ranchers may receive financial and technical help to install conservation practices on agricultural land, such as examples pictured below.
Grassed waterway on the Bureau of Indian Affairs (BIA) tract south of Macy on the Omaha Indian Reservation.
According to Craig Derickson, NRCS State Conservationist, there are several options available to producers through EQIP. “EQIP is one of our most versatile programs. It offers cost-share and technical assistance to apply conservation measures on cropland and rangeland, as well as for animal feeding operations and establishing or enhancing wildlife habitat. There are many opportunities available, and NRCS staff can help landowners and operators sort out their EQIP options.”
Individuals interested in entering into an EQIP agreement may apply at any time, but the ranking of applications on hand to receive funding will begin October 20, 2017. The first step is to visit your local NRCS office in Dakota City or Walthill and complete an application.
Installation of a water pipeline on the Gerald Bousquet farm north of Hubbard, Nebraska, using an underground boring machine instead of a trencher to prevent possible erosion along the steep hillside.
For more than 75 years, the Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) has helped agricultural producers design and install conservation plans. NRCS Conservationists work with landowners on their farm or ranch to develop a conservation plan based on resource goals. Conservation planning assistance is free and does not require participation in financial programs.
For more information about the Environmental Quality Incentives Program (EQIP) and other conservation programs, visit your local NRCS field office or go online at www.ne.nrcs.usda.gov.
