NOTICE OF PUBLIC HEARING
RULES AND REGULATIONS FOR THE IMPLEMENTATION OF GROUNDWATER QUALITY MANAGEMENT SUB-AREAS WITHIN THE LOWER LOUP NATURAL RESOURCES DISTRICT
Groundwater Quality: It is the goal of the Lower Loup Natural Resources District to maintain the quality of the groundwater in the groundwater reservoir to within maximum contaminant level for all chemicals and compounds established by the Nebraska Department of Water, Energy and Environment, and the Nebraska Department of Health and Human Services. Also, to establish a public information, education, and management program designed to reduce existing and potential non-point source contamination of the groundwater reservoir.
The District, to achieve these goals, has been divided into thirty (30) Ground Water Quality Management Sub Areas. There are two (2) levels of controls set by the District within the management sub areas. These two (2) levels are referred to as Phases.
• Phase I areas are set with median nitrate nitrogen levels of 0 to 6.5 ppm (parts per million).
• Phase II areas are set with median nitrate nitrogen levels greater than 6.5 ppm for 4 years in a row.
A Public Hearing on a proposed Water Quality Management Sub-Area designation will be held Tuesday, February 17, 2026, at 12 p.m. at the Wheeler County Fairgrounds in Bartlett, Nebraska.
The Public Hearing will be held to hear testimony on the Lower Loup NRD proposal to consolidate townships 22N-09W, 22N-10W, 22N-11W, 22N-12W, and 23N-12W in Wheeler County into one Phase II Water Quality Management Area, as per Chapter 7 of the LLNRD Groundwater Management Area Rules & Regulations, GROUNDWATER QUALITY MANAGEMENT SUB-AREAS; DESIGNATION; CONTROLS.
A copy of the proposed controls may be obtained at the Lower Loup NRD Headquarters Office in Ord or at LLNRD.org.
Those persons unable to appear at the public hearing or those persons with lengthy testimony may wish to submit their testimony in writing. In order to be considered by the Board of Directors for the purpose of this hearing, such testimony must be received by 5:00 p.m. on Monday, February 16, 2026, at the Lower Loup NRD Headquarters, 2620 Airport Drive, Ord, NE, 68862.
Persons with disabilities who wish to provide personal testimony may contact the LLNRD office to arrange auxiliary aids to accommodate testimony.
