2024 Airborne Electromagnetic Survey (AEM)
New for 2024: the Middle Republican NRD and Lower Big Blue NRD each flew additional AEM surveys in summer of 2024 with continued WSF grants.
Approximately 536 line-miles of AEM survey were acquired with the SkyTEM 304 system for the Lower Big Blue AEM survey in June and July 2024. Collected data was processed in the Spatially Constrained Inversion (SCI) AEM earth models with 39 layers. Mapping results produced from the AEM data for the LBBNRD project provide three-dimensional subsurface views of the aquifer materials and estimates of the extents of the groundwater resources available following the approach used for previous Eastern Nebraska Water Resources Assessment (ENWRA) areas. Interpretations provided in the 2024 AEM Report, including the identification of potential saline groundwater locations, will be used by the NRD to address potential quantity and quality concerns.