Upper Big Blue Natural Resources District

06/12/2026

Water flows down the spillway at Recharge Lake in York after recent rains. Come out and enjoy a day at the lake, but for your safety, please remember fishing, swimming, wading, boats, kayaks, canoes, and flotation devices are prohibited within 20 yards of the spillway.
Drone footage by Drew ten Bensel taken June 11, 2026.

06/11/2026

Despite recent rains, some areas in Nebraska are still experiencing severe drought conditions. USDA has resources available to help.
Visit https://www.farmers.gov/drought for more information.

There will be a Federal Drought Assistance Webinar on Tuesday, June 23 at Noon (CDT). The webinar is FREE, but please register here: cap.unl.edu/webinars
Sponsored by USDA Farm Service Agency, NRCS, and UNL's Center for Agricultural Profitability.

06/08/2026

Please note this change from our regular Committee Meeting schedule to avoid a conflict with the NARD Basin Tour taking place this week. Agendas will be posted online 24 hours prior to the meetings: https://www.upperbigblue.org/june-committee-meetings-water-projects-and-executive

06/02/2026

Accurate crop water use data helps producers make informed decisions, improve efficiency, and support sustainable agriculture. Crop water use data for the York area is available on our homepage (www.upperbigblue.org) under "Frequently Asked Questions," or you can sign up to receive daily updates by contacting us at [email protected].

06/01/2026

Maintenance Department Surplus Inventory Reduction

Submit sealed bids in person or via mail to:
Upper Big Blue Natural Resources District
319 E. 25th St.
York, NE 68467
Mark envelope with: "Surplus Inventory Sealed Bid"

Submissions due by 5 p.m. CDT on June 15, 2026
More pictures and details: https://www.upperbigblue.org/about/bid-proposals

05/29/2026

Registration deadline for ACE Camp is June 1st. This is a great outdoor adventure camp for incoming 7th & 8th grade students. Residents within the Upper Big Blue NRD can call the office (402-362-6601) if they are interested in receiving a scholarship to attend camp.

Lower Platte North NRD is offering camp scholarships for ACE Camp! The camp is held at Camp Kaleo near Burwell and open to school children preparing to enter 7th or 8th grade during the 2026-2027 school year. Camp tuition includes meals, shirt, and lodging. Register by June 1, 2026. https://lpnnrd.org/projects-and-programs/education/grants-scholarships/

05/28/2026

Is your windbreak damaged or starting to show its age? Are you interested in starting the journey to renovate your windbreak? If so, this FREE workshop is for you! For more information and to register: https://www.upperbigblue.org/windbreak-renovation-workshop-landowners or 402-362-6601.

05/27/2026

Spring 2026 water level measurements show the average groundwater level declined 0.10 feet from last spring, but remains 3.11 feet above the “Allocation Trigger.” Southeastern parts of the district had considerable increases, while portions of western York County had the largest decreases. This is the smallest average annual decrease recorded since 2009, with eight of the years since then showing an average increase of 0.35 ft or more.
Learn more here: https://www.upperbigblue.org/groundwater-level-decreases-slightly-remains-above-allocation-trigger

05/22/2026

Welcome Gia Adelson and Drake Olson! We are glad you are here!

Gia is our new secretary and will be one of the friendly faces to greet you at the district office. She will be handling items pertaining to the Board of Directors in addition to a wide variety of other responsibilities to help keep the office running smoothly.

Drake is our summer water intern. He is majoring in geography at Concordia University in Seward and is interested in conservation and agriculture. He will get hands-on experience by doing field and office work alongside our Water Department team.

05/21/2026

Upper Big Blue NRD board meetings are open to the public. We invite you to join us!
For more details and a complete agenda:
https://www.upperbigblue.org/may-board-directors-meeting-0