Lower Big Blue NRD

EQIP Priority Areas

Lower Turkey Creek, a 120,000 acre area located in Saline County (with a small portion in Gage county), was approved in FY 1997 as an EQIP priority area.  An estimated 96,000 acres of Lower Turkey Creek is cropland.  The area consists primarily of small farms with numerous limited resource producers raising traditional crops, but has a tremendous potential for forestry, wildlife management, and recreation.

Objectives are to reduce flooding, restore riparian areas, reduce soil erosion, improve soil health, and increase range condition.  A network of small flood control structures with donated land rights will address flooding problems.  NRD funds are being combined with EQIP dollars to increase the number of dams built.  Diversions with tile outlets will control the grade problems of waterways entering the streams.  Terrace systems will control soil erosion and grade problems.  Grazing lands will be improved with planned grazing system, cross fencing, and livestock watering facilities.  Soil health will be improved by working with crop rotations and nutrient management (including livestock manure).  Riparian Buffer areas will be restored through establishment of trees and grasses.  Shallow water habitat areas will be restored or constructed with Fish and Wildlife funds.

Educational efforts concentrate on riparian buffers, soil sustainability, and water quality.

Beatrice Tribbs was approved for funding in FY 1999.  The project area consists of a number of small tributaries which drain directly into the Big Blue River and two major tributaries, Bottle Creek and Bill Creek.  Most of the area is on the west side of the Big Blue river from Beatrice to the Kansas border.

The project encompasses 67,300 acres of which 45,000 acres are cropland.

Resource concerns that will be addressed are the quantity and quality of the groundwater and surface water as it relates to excessive water erosion, nutrient management, pesticide management, animal waste management, agricultural leaching or runoff, stream bank erosion, flooding, irrigation water  management, loss of wetland, loss of Big Blue River riparian and buffer strips, declining wildlife habitat and grassland management.

The Horseshoe Creed watershed, which is located in southwest Gage, was approved as a joint EQIP project between Nebraska and Kansas.  The project was approved in FY 1998.  The state of Kansas, Horseshoe Creek watershed district and the NRCS are presently developed watershed plan for the watershed to control flooding along Horseshoe Creek.

The objectives of the project are to reduce erosion, improve water quality, reduce flooding, improve livestock management and establishment of animal waste systems.