UNVEILING INNOVATIONS THAT SHAPE THE FUTURE OF WATER MANAGEMENT IN EASTERN NEBRASKA

Projects

Explore datasets, hydrogeologic interpretations and reports for effective water management in Eastern Nebraska

ENWRA’s project listings showcase a dynamic range of initiatives, from pioneering geologic frameworks to cutting-edge interpretations for understanding groundwater-surface water interactions and water budgets. These endeavors, meticulously crafted by collaborating with key partners and employing innovative technologies, represent our commitment to navigating the complex hydrogeologic landscapes of Eastern Nebraska. Dive into the details of each project, uncovering a transformative picture of the subsurface laying the groundwork for a resilient and sustainable water future for the region.

Water Quantity Monitoring

Pilot Sites & Wells Aquifer test at Logan East Rural Water System. Aquifer tests were performed at the Oakland pilot site in Lower Elkhorn NRD and the Firth pilot site in Lower Platte South NRD near Hickman to assess the aquifer extent, amount of water in storage, the rate of water movement, and its potential hydraulic connection to other aquifers.

Water Quality Monitoring

Pilot Sites & Wells Collecting a water quality sample at Oakland Pilot Site in the Lower Elkhorn NRD. ENWRA has approximately 78 wells across the Ashland, Firth and Oakland pilot study sites that have been sampled annually, compiled in tables and graphed for water quality trends since 2007.

ENWRA Recharge

Recharge Vadose zone equipment and weather station at ENWRA's Firth Pilot Study Site. ENWRA uses heat-dissipation sensors, soil moisture probes, and weather stations (air and soil temperature, precipitation, humidity, wind speed, solar radiation, and potential evapotranspiration) to continuously collect data regarding groundwater recharge at each of the pilot study sites. This information contributes to understanding the volume of precipitation recharging the underlying aquifer at a specific site, how fast that recharge occurs, and the importance of vertical and horizontal flow paths.

ENWRA Archive

ENWRA Archive Conservation and Survey Division (CSD), School of Natural Resources at University of Nebraska-Lincoln archived geological files available in PDF format for the ENWRA area of Nebraska. Historical paper files housed at CSD were scanned and organized by county for over 5,000 sets of records plus over 1,000 oversized PDFs and cross-sections for 26 eastern Nebraska counties.

Test Hole Drilling

Pilot Sites & Wells Test holes are drilled to obtain geoscientific data of the substrata, groundwater, and natural resources underlying Nebraska. The CSD Drilling Program drills an average of over 10,000 feet annually and has drilled nearly 6,000 test holes throughout the state since 1930. Geological material from these test holes is preserved at the University of Nebraska, School of Natural Resources, Conservation and Survey Division's Geological Sample Repository.

2023 Airborne Electromagnetic (AEM) Surveys

AEM Report Several 2023 AEM surveys were flown by the Nebraska NRDs in the summer of 2023. The Nemaha NRD and neighboring Lower Big Blue NRD were awarded Water Sustainability Fund (WSF) grant dollars for the upcoming 2023 surveys as well as the Middle Republican NRD. The resulting datasets from each of the NRD surveys will be uploaded to the Nebraska GeoCloud (NGC): https://snr.unl.edu/csd/geology/AEM.aspx. The NGC is a web-based digital platform for geophysical, geological, and groundwater data and models. The purpose of the NGC is to archive Nebraska’s vast volume of data and make it accessible to both model builders and model users.

2022 Airborne Electromagnetic (AEM) Surveys

AEM Report The Lower Loup and Middle Republican Nebraska Natural Resources Districts (NRDs) conducted AEM flights in Summer 2022 using Water Sustainability Fund (WSF) grant dollars awarded in 2021. In eastern Nebraska, a private entity in the Lower Platte South NRD also conducted an AEM reconnaissance survey in Cass County Nebraska in 2022 as a follow-up to the previous 2020 AEM Cass County survey.

2020 Airborne Electromagnetic (AEM) Surveys

AEM Report The Nemaha NRD, Papio-Missouri River NRD and Middle Republican NRD conducted AEM flights utilizing the SkyTEM304M system in summer 2020 with Water Sustainability Fund (WSF) grant dollars awarded in November 2019. AEM flight lines were also conducted in 2020 in Cass Co. Nebraska.

2018 Airborne Electromagnetic (AEM) Surveys

AEM Report Summary Report on “Airborne Electromagnetic Mapping and Hydrogeologic Framework of Selected Regions of the Eastern Nebraska Water Resources Assessment Area” Chapters Completed for Lewis and Clark, Lower Elkhorn, Lower Platte North, Lower Platte South, Nemaha, and Papio-Missouri River Natural Resources Districts. Jared D. Abraham, P.G., Theodore H. Asch, P.G., James Cannia, P.G. and Tammi L. Renninger, Elephant Fish, LLC

2016 Airborne Electromagnetic (AEM) Surveys

AEM Report Several Natural Resources Districts (NRDs) across the state conducted AEM flights in July and early August 2016 using Water Sustainability Fund (WSF) grant dollars awarded in April 2016: Lewis and Clark NRD, Lower Elkhorn NRD, Papio-Missouri River NRD, Lower Platte North NRD, Lower Platte South NRD, Central Platte NRD, Twin Platte NRD, Lower Loup NRD & the BAZILE AREA (Lewis and Clark, Lower Elkhorn, Upper Elkhorn, Lower Niobrara NRDs). Each NRD had a mix of the following types of surveys flown: block flights (tightly spaced flight lines for determining aquifer boundaries and/or potential groundwater volumes), transect/tie line flights (longer reconnaissance type flight lines), and grid flights (hybrid of reconnaissance and detailed type surveys, aquifer boundary mapping).