J-Lake to Drop After Labor Day

Post date: Jul 27, 2014 6:46:47 PM

News Release from Central

(HOLDREGE, Neb.) The summer irrigation and recreation seasons just got a little

longer after decisions made by The Central Nebraska Public Power and Irrigation

District. Central board members voted at a special board meeting Friday to extend the

irrigation delivery season by one week to accommodate customers who may have

late maturing crops or who had to replant after spring storms. In addition, staff

recommended that the planned drawdown of the Supply Canal system

including Johnson Lake to finish the last irrigation deliveries be delayed until after

Labor Day.

A relatively small drawdown is expected to occur after Labor Day to finish irrigation

deliveries, but how much the lake might decline will be subject to weather

conditions, precipitation and irrigation demands.

In addition, a more significant drawdown will take place later this fall to allow

completion of construction projects near the inlet by the Nebraska Game and Parks

Commission. Dates for the construction project are yet to be determined.

Both decisions were made possible by water supply conditions that exceeded pre

season projections. Projections are typically made during the previous fall to

accommodate producers' planning processes for the next irrigation season, but

weather and water supply conditions can change markedly from available trends and

forecasts. Such was the case this year when snowpack runoff, spring and summer precipitation,

and significant contributions to the hydro irrigation system from the South Platte

River Basin combined to alter the water supply picture.

Lake McConaughy is almost ten feet higher and holding more than 200,000 feet more

water than it was at this time last year, a significant improvement over pre

irrigation season projections.

"We were fortunate to have a series of weather events in both the North and South

Platte basins over the last 12 months that has increased the projected end

of season level for Lake McConaughy by about 12 feet above the projection made last fall,"

said Central civil engineer Cory Steinke.

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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

July 25, 2014

Contact: Jeff Buettner

Public Relations Coordinator

Office: (308) 995 -8601

Cell: (308) 991-3228

E-mail: jbuettner@cnppid.com