Water Retirement Programs
The North Platte Natural Resources District (NRD) has created two new programs to help the District meet obligations under its Integrated Management Plan. The two new programs, Encouraging Producer Innovation through Conservation (EPIC) and the 10/30 Program, provide financial incentives for producers to help the District reduce consumptive use and reach its resource management goals.
Sign-up for the Allocation Buy Down program is from February 13 – February 24, 2023. Water retirement programs are year-round, with the scoring to be by the end of March
Encouraging Producers' Innovation through Conservation (EPIC)
The EPIC Program includes two broad categories of potential funding.
First, the program will provide landowners with a bonus incentive payment to renew their expiring federal conservation program participation in lieu of putting contract acres back into actively irrigated production. The payment would be available only to those producers who re-sign a contract under these programs:
- Environmental Quality Incentives Program (EQIP)
- Agricultural Conservation Easement Program (ACEP)
- Conservation Stewardship Program (CRP)
- Conservation Reserve Enhancement Program (CREP) programs
Second, the EPIC Program will provide grant funds to producers who propose innovative agricultural practices to realize water savings through:
- Allocation buy-down
- Nitrate reduction
- Soil health
- Wildlife & habitat conservation
- Other natural resources goals
The NRD wants to tap into the innovative spirit of producers in the District to help reduce consumption and conserve resources.
Any resident of the District would be eligible to apply for the program. However, the primary focus will be on lands within the Pumpkin Creek Basin and the over-appropriated area. The District is targeting 1,000 acres for each program, subject to the availability of funds. If you are interested in the program, call the office at 308-632-2749.
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