NOTICE OF PUBLIC MEETING AND OPPORTUNITY FOR PUBLIC COMMENT

Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS), a program within the U.S. Department of Agriculture, has prepared a draft Watershed Plan titled “Turkey Creek Watershed Plan, Furnas and Gosper Counties, Nebraska” in partnership with the Lower Republican Natural Resources District. The watershed plan and associated environmental assessment analyze alternative approaches to NRCS involvement through the Pub. L. 83-566 Small Watershed Program’s authorized purpose of Agricultural Water Management.

The proposed action includes construction of an augmentation wellfield, a diversion dam, and a pump station. Groundwater pumped by the wellfield would be piped to Turkey Creek and allowed to flow downstream to a diversion dam. At the diversion dam, a pump station would pump water from the creek to the Cambridge Canal and make the water available to irrigators during years when there is limited irrigation water.

A public meeting will be held virtually on Tuesday, March 24, 2026, from 2:00pm-4:00pm, on Microsoft Teams. A meeting link and call in information is provided below. Staff from NRCS and Lower Republican NRD will be available at the meeting to discuss the Watershed Plan and answer questions. 

Public Meeting Details

Date: Tuesday, March 24, 2026

Time: 2:00pm-4:00pm.

Location: Virtual via Microsoft Teams

Join Online:

https://us02web.zoom.us/j/85047302857

Meeting ID: 850 4730 2857

Join by Phone:
+1 (531) 205-2205
Toll-free: (833) 798-7807
Meeting ID: 850 4730 2857

Interested parties may view the watershed plan at https://www.nrcs.usda.gov/state-offices/nebraska/projects-ready-for-public-comment-and-review. To receive full consideration, comments on the watershed plan and environmental assessment must be submitted to Melissa.Baier@usda.gov or received in writing at the address below by the end of the day on Thursday, April 16, 2026.

Melissa Baier, 
Assistant State Conservationist-Water Resources and Easements

USDA/NRCS
1121 Lincoln Mall, Room 360
Lincoln, NE 68508

All comments received, including the names and addresses of those people who comment, will be part of the public record and will be released for public review as required and allowed by law. Comments, information, and analyses provided should be as specific as possible and should include an explanation of why the information is important to the analysis.

PUBLIC NOTICE MEETING OF THE LOWER REPUBLICAN NATURAL RESOURCES DISTRICT

The Lower Republican NRD Board of Directors hereby provides public notice that the regular monthly public meeting of the Lower Republican NRD will be held on Thursday, April 9, 2026, at 1:30 PM, in the Lower Republican NRD Meeting Room, 30 North John Street, Alma, NE.

An agenda of the meeting is available for public inspection during normal business hours at the LRNRD office, on the front door of the NRCS offices, and at the follwoing website: www.lrnrd.org.

Individuals with disabilities may request auxiliary aids and services necessary for participation by contacting Shirlee Poyser, Lower Republican NRD office, 30 John Street, Alma, NE, telephone (308) 928-2182 or e-mail spoyser@lrnrd.org.

Nebraska Open Meetings Act