The 7,932-square-mile Lower Loup NRD is Nebraska’s largest, stretching from the Sandhills 156 miles to just east of Columbus.

LLNRD technicians noticed municipal, commercial and irrigation well levels near Columbus falling from 2010 to 2014. Christopher’s Cove residents weren’t happy when lake levels fell.

The LLNRD could have used regulatory authority to restrict water use. “A better option was developing a project to move water around while allowing water users to keep doing what they’re doing,” said Lower Loup NRD General Manager Russell Callan.

Callan and staff developed a recharge project while leading a partnership with Platte County, City of Columbus, the Christopher’s Cove Homeowners’ Association, and agricultural processor Archer Daniels Midland.

Water passing through the Loup Power District’s hydroelectric dam can be intercepted before returning to the Loup River and piped to the abandoned Lost Creek channel, which went dry after an unrelated flood control project diverted flows around Columbus. Rising groundwater will infiltrate the Lost Creek channel and an adjacent shallow well before being pumped to Christopher’s Cove. Water will flow only when needed. Excess precipitation isn’t required. It can be shut down if heavy precipitation is forecasted.

Scheduled to go online in 2022, the project demonstrates multiple interests coming together, under NRD leadership, to benefit all. No wonder Nebraska’s locally-controlled, tax-funded, watershed-based conservation system is respected throughout the nation.

“As I interact with other states and foreign representatives, it becomes obvious that Nebraska’s NRD system and the ability of our NRD boards to make hard decisions, is admired,” said Don Masten of Downey Drilling, Inc., in Lexington. “The result of this proactive leadership is a stabilized static water level in much of Nebraska. We’ve created a future for our children and grandchildren as a reward for making the hard decisions and changing the very framework of our ag irrigation culture.”