New Groundwater Rules for Nebraska’s Little Blue Natural Resources District

Nebraska Farmers Are Not Alone—NutraDrip Can Help 

At NutraDrip, we’ve been working with Nebraska farmers to understand and prepare for these new rules. In a recent YouTube video, Tim Wolf, NutraDrip’s Lead Agronomist, walks through what the 65-inch water rule means and what you can do now to protect your yields and margins. 

How Nebraska Farmers Can Make the Most of Their Allocation 

You’re limited to 65 inches over five years—but how you use it is up to you. With a smart strategy, Nebraska producerscan stay profitable while remaining in compliance with the Natural Resources District’s rules. 

Water-smart strategies: 

• Prioritize high-use crops (corn, soybeans) in key years 

• Incorporate low-use crops like wheat, rye, or cover crops 

• Rotate intentionally to stretch your allocation over the full term 

Not sure where to start? NutraDrip can help you build a crop plan that fits your field and water limits. 

Why Subsurface Drip Irrigation (SDI) Is the Best Option for Restricted Water Use 

Subsurface drip irrigation is one of the most efficient ways to conserve water while maintaining strong yields. For Nebraska farmers operating under water limits from the Little Blue Natural Resources District, SDI offers a sustainable, long-term solution with strong return on investment. 

Advantages of SDI compared to traditional irrigation: 

• Uses 25% less water than pivots 

• Uses up to 50% less water than flood or gravity systems 

• Eliminates runoff and evaporation by targeting the root zone 

• Enables precision fertigation 

• Reduces energy use and lowers pumping costs 

The numbers speak for themselves. As Wade Danger, General Manager of the Natural Resources District in Butte, Nebraska, shared during a recent Field Talk: 

“A lot of those center pivot guys are using 15 to 20 inches of water a year to raise a crop of corn. We’ve got surface water guys on the south side of the river using 30 inches of water a year to raise 220 bushel corn. 
You look here and we’ve got meters on Shane’s stuff, we’ve got static water level monitoring, and the most we’ve seen Shane use—even in a dry year—was creeping up on 11 inches. Normally it’s seven to nine inches of water to raise a crop. 
It sounds like it’s labor intensive. It sounds like it might cost a lot, but without it, he’s using a third or less inputs than what his competitors in Northern Holt County are using to raise similar crops.”