Irrigation system improvements targeted

    Recently, the Haxtun Conservation District submitted a proposal through the U.S. Department of Agriculture Natural Resource Conservation Service to address high energy costs. The proposal was preapproved and potentially up to $500,000 will be set aside through the NRCS Environmental Quality Incentive Program for this project.   
    The goal of this proposal is to educate irrigators and provide cost incentives to increase the usage of innovative tools and practices by area producers, in an effort to better inform decision-makers and promote the use of current best management practices for irrigation.  
    It is estimated that over 50 percent of irrigation pumping stations in Phillips County are operating with older, inefficient electric motors, leading to high energy costs. The irrigated producers in Phillips County are part of the Republican River watershed and are faced with potential allocation adjustments.  
    In addition, the Ogallala Aquifer, in which Phillips County resides, continues to experience steady decline in both water storage level and recharge. Irrigators are faced with increasing regulations with the Colorado/Kansas/Nebraska Republican River Compact.
 

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