A center pivot sits idle as the summer of 2026 ends southeast of Ogallala, in an area where Twin Platte Natural Resources District staff and board members are contemplating rules to halt declines in Ogallala Aquifer groundwater levels. NRD monitoring wells show drops of 4% to nearly 12% since 2008 in Twin Platte’s Area 12, which covers much of Keith County south of Interstate 80 to near the Colorado state line.
This map shows the Twin Platte Natural Resources District’s 15 designated groundwater monitoring areas, with dots showing the locations of 107 test wells. The North Platte-based NRD is considering initial steps to halt declines of 4% to nearly 12% in water levels since 2008 in Area 12, which covers most of extreme southern Keith County.
COURTESY OF TWIN PLATTE NATURAL RESOURCES DISTRICT, OLSSON
High groundwater nitrate levels have been found in monitoring wells in the part of southwest Keith County marked in red, according to the Twin Plate Natural Resources District. NRD board members are crafting rules that would include bans on fall fertilizer applications for spring-planted crops, along with a cost-share program covering up to 100% of the cost of reverse osmosis systems for rural residential wells.
COURTESY OF TWIN PLATTE NATURAL RESOURCES DISTRICT, OLSSON
A center pivot sits idle as the summer of 2026 ends southeast of Ogallala, in an area where Twin Platte Natural Resources District staff and board members are contemplating rules to halt declines in Ogallala Aquifer groundwater levels. NRD monitoring wells show drops of 4% to nearly 12% since 2008 in Twin Platte’s Area 12, which covers much of Keith County south of Interstate 80 to near the Colorado state line.
This map shows the Twin Platte Natural Resources District’s 15 designated groundwater monitoring areas, with dots showing the locations of 107 test wells. The North Platte-based NRD is considering initial steps to halt declines of 4% to nearly 12% in water levels since 2008 in Area 12, which covers most of extreme southern Keith County.
COURTESY OF TWIN PLATTE NATURAL RESOURCES DISTRICT, OLSSON
High groundwater nitrate levels have been found in monitoring wells in the part of southwest Keith County marked in red, according to the Twin Plate Natural Resources District. NRD board members are crafting rules that would include bans on fall fertilizer applications for spring-planted crops, along with a cost-share program covering up to 100% of the cost of reverse osmosis systems for rural residential wells.
COURTESY OF TWIN PLATTE NATURAL RESOURCES DISTRICT, OLSSON
