Beatrice named Groundwater Guardian Community

The Groundwater Foundation has recognized Beatrice for a second year as a Groundwater Guardian Community for its efforts to protect local groundwater supplies.

Beatrice will be nationally recognized for its work on behalf of groundwater at the National Guardian Designation, held in conjunction with The Groundwater Foundation's National Conference in November.

Groundwater Guardian is a program of The Groundwater Foundation which encourages citizen involvement in groundwater education and protection at the local level. This is the second year of Beatrice being designated as a Groundwater Guardian, Beatrice Board of Public Works Water Superintendent Steve Kelley said.

“It's working good,” Kelley said. “I understand better where the farmers are coming from and they understand where we're coming from.”

The Beatrice Groundwater Guardian Team, consisting of Kelley, Gage County Extension Office Educator Paul Hay, Beatrice resident Travis Porter and local farmer Wayne Brinkmeyer, has focused on efforts to educate and train on irrigation, water conservation and water management through different trainings and meetings held during the year.

Beatrice has acquired two grants, co-sponsored by the city of Beatrice, from the Source Water Protection for $2,500 and the Underground Water Guardian for $23,500.

The grant money will be continued for education, Kelley said.

The Underground Water Guardian grant, which was also received by Beatrice last year, will be used to place fencing around the wellfields, the purchase of cost-sharing irrigation meters and ET evaporation gauges that assist with determining soil moisture and the amount of irrigation is needed and where.

The $23,500 grant was among the $211,000 funds that were issued in the state.

Beatrice was designated as a Groundwater Guardian Community for the 2007 program year and is among 139 communities in 34 states and one Canadian province to receive this designation. Beatrice is one of eight communities in Nebraska with this designation, Kelley said.

The 2007 conference, “Groundwater Protection: Bridging the Gap Between What is Known and What is Practiced,” will be held from Nov. 28-30 at the Denver Sheraton West Hotel in Lakewood, Colo.