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Unique to Nebraska, Natural Resource Districts are local government entities with broad responsibilities to protect the State's natural resources. In 1969 Senator Maurice Kremer introduced and the Nebraska Legislature enacted Legislative Bill (LB) 1357 to combine 154 special purpose entities in the state into 24 Natural Resources Districts by July, 1972. Created to solve flood control, soil erosion, irrigation runoff and groundwater management issues, Nebraska's NRDs are involved in a wide variety of programs and projects. Districts are organized by Nebraska's major river basins to allow for the implementation of better management practices across similar topography and resource concerns. Today there are 23 NRDs, of which the Lower Big Blue is one.

The Lower Big Blue Natural Resources District is located in southeast Nebraska, adjoining Kansas and is in the lower portion of the Big Blue River Basin. The District consists of 1,644 sections totaling 1,052,160 acres and is approximately 45 miles wide at its widest point and approximately 50 miles in length. The main stream flowing through the District is the Big Blue River, with other important tributaries being Bear, Big Indian, Cedar, Cub, Little Indian, Mission, Mud, Plum, Swan, Turkey and Wolf-Wildcat Creeks. Within the District agriculture is the principal enterprise with row crop being the predominant land-use and corn and soybeans being the primary cash grain crops.

NRDs Celebrate 45 Years!

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Creation of NRDs: July 1, 1972

From left: Harold Siek, Herman Link, Chet Ellis, Senator Maurice Kremer, Governor Tiemann, Warren Patefield, Milton Fricke, and Warren Fairchild.

NRD Staff

Scott Sobotka

GENERAL MANAGER

402-228-3402 (Ext. 2)

sobotka@lbbnrd.net

Tyler Weishahn

ASSISTANT MANGAGER | WATER PROGRAMS MANAGER

402-228-3402 (Ext. 5)

weishahn@lbbnrd.net

Scott Theis

OPERATIONS SUPERVISOR

402-228-3402 (Ext. 1)

theis@lbbnrd.net

Ryan Thomas

RESOURCES SPECIALIST

402-228-3402 (Ext. 3)

thomas@lbbnrd.net

Nick Schroeder

GIS/IT/DATA SPECIALIST

402-228-3402 (Ext. 7)

schroeder@lbbnrd.net

Adam Kimmerling

ADMINISTRATIVE ASSISTANT

402-228-3402 (Ext. 6)

kimmerling@lbbnrd.net

Jerry Bucy

SPECIAL PROJECTS COORDINATOR

402-228-3402

bucy@lbbnrd.net

Jane Filipi

NRCS District Secretary - SALINE COUNTY

402-821-2031

jane.filipi@ne.nacdnet.net

LaRita Sudik

NRCS District Secretary - GAGE COUNTY

402-223-3125

larita.sudik@ne.nacdnet.net

Paula Schultz

NRCS District Secretary - JEFFERSON COUNTY

402-223-3125

paula.schultz@ne.nacdnet.net

Board of Directors

Ryan Birkett - Vice Chairman

Sub District 1

Water/Personnel and Equipment Committees

2323 CO RD M

Wilber, NE 68465

Duane Parde

Sub District 1

Information and Education Committee

9876 E Dogwood RD

Pickrell, NE 68422

Darrell M. Rains - Treasurer

Sub District 2

Programs and Projects/Building Committees

35292 HWY 77

Beatrice, NE 68310

Heidi McClintock

Sub District 2

Information and Education Committee

6650 W HWY 8

Odell, NE 68415

Doug Stokebrand

Sub District 3

Water/Information and Education Committees

2181 County Road 2250

DeWitt, NE 68341

Larry Barta

Sub District 3

Programs and Projects Committee

2150 County Road 1500

Swanton, NE 68445

Robert J. Lorenz

Sub District 4

Personnel and Equipment Committee

720 County Road 1900

Crete, NE 68333

Rodney Skleba

Sub District 4

Water/Personnel and Equipment Committees

1071 County Road 2350

Wilber, NE 68465

Jason Sand - Secretary

Sub District 5

Programs and Projects Committee

901 W Mary Street

Beatrice, NE 68310

Dean Roehr

Sub District 5

Personnel and Equipment/Water/Building Committees

2110 Garfield Street

Beatrice, NE 68310

Brent Katz

Sub District 6

Information and Education Committee

124 Regency DR

Beatrice, NE 68310

Steven A. Kelley

Sub District 6

Personnel and Equipment/Water/Building Committees

1806 S 16th Circle Drive

Beatrice, NE 68310

Jason Pohlmann - Chairman

At Large

Programs and Projects/Water Committees

10977 W Hackberry Road

DeWitt, NE 68341

Sub-Districts

The Lower Big Blue Natural Resources District is split into six sub-districts. These six sub-districts are represented by two members of the Board of Directors that live within that sub-district. Therefore, our Board has twelve directors with one at-large member make a total of thirteen directors. Each sub-district is split evenly (within 5%) based on population data from the U.S. Census Bureau. A detailed view of our sub-districts is listed below.