Upper Big Blue NRD

Office Information

 District Conservationist Biolographical Sketch

I grew up in the town of Silver Creek, Nebraska and graduated high school in May, 1980 from Silver Creek Public High School.

Graduated from the University of Nebraska-Lincoln in Dec. 1984 with a Bachelor of Science Degree in Agriculture.

After graduation worked in a variety of agriculture related fields, such as fertilizer company, pivot dealer, local lumberyard & farm supply store and worked for local farmers.

In 1987 began working for the Lower Niobrara NRD in Butte NE.

In January 1988 began work with NRCS (SCS) as a Soil Conservationist in the Wakefield Field Office

In March of 1990 moved to the Albion Field Office as a Soil Conservationist

In September of 1992 became District Conservationist in the Hebron Field Office.  After reorganiztion was the Resource Conservationist in Hebron

In May of 2003 became the District Conservationist of the Upper Big Blue NRD NRCS Offices located in the York Field Office.

Currently resides in rural Polk county with his wife Lesa and two children Carson and Madison.

Resource Needs and Concerns

The Upper Big Blue Natural Resources District is located in South Central Nebraska and covers nine counties in whole and in part. My administrative area involved five counties within the Upper Big Blue NRD. They include Hamilton, York, Seward, Fillmore, and Polk which entails approximately 1.7 million acres. A majority of the district is heavily irrigated by center pivot systems and gravity systems. Our primary conservation needs involve water conservation initiatives in conjunction with water quality concerns.

We have at our disposal, a variety of efforts taking place to address the district's concern about water quality and water quantity. We have an irrigation specialist on staff who has leadership responsibility in providing assistance to landusers in managing and conserving our water resources. The Natural Resources District has a water department that works cooperatively with NRCS in monitoring the needs of the irrigators throughout the district. The Environmental Quality Incentives Program has helped us to address the water quality issue in high nitrate areas within the district. However, the district does have cropland that is subject to high rates of erosion, therefore we also focus on reduction of soil loss on environmentally sensitive lands.

The Nebraska Soil & Water Conservation Program provides cost share incentives for installation of erosion control and water conservation measures. Our district is fortunate to be located in the Rainwater Basin, where migrating waterfowl use the area for temporary feeding and nesting.

Appropriately, we have a focus on wetland preservation and restoration activities in partnership with other local, state, and federal agencies, as well as private environmental organizations. We have a variety of programs that address the needs of many landusers throughout the district. The Conservation Reserve Program has been very effective in taking environmentally sensitive cropland out of production and reducing erosion rates substantially.