Yonts Water Conference delivers low irrigation outlook
The annual Yonts Water Conference, held on April 8, packed the auditorium and overflowed into side rooms, with 270 attendees at the Panhandle Research Extension and Education Center in Scottsbluff, Neb.
The crowd of Nebraska and Wyoming ag producers and irrigation stakeholders in the North Platte River Valley gathered to receive updates on snowpack and runoff conditions, reservoir carryover, tunnel replacement progress and resources and options from the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) Risk Management Agency (RMA).
Snowpack and runoff estimates
The U.S. Bureau of Reclamation (BuREC) provided estimates for snowpack and runoff for the North Platte River Basin.
The 2026 forecasted runoff and inflow for the North Platte Project – including the Pathfinder and Guernsey reservoirs – is approximately 550,000 acre-feet. This number includes water ownership and carryover of 340,000 acre-feet in both reservoirs.
The 550,000 acre-feet of water is split between the Pathfinder Irrigation District, Goshen Irrigation District and Gering-Fort Laramie Irrigation District. The amounts each district will receive will depend on the final estimated forecasts from BuREC and on each district’s carryover amounts.
Other irrigation districts in the North Platte River Valley may have some storage water carryover at Glendo and rely on natural-flow water rights.
The average runoff and inflow is around 891,000 acre-feet. The snowpack and runoff started approximately 30 days earlier than normal, with a snow water equivalent approximately nine to 10 inches less than normal. North Platte River Basin snowpack is at 39 percent of normal at this time.
Currently, Pathfinder Reservoir, which is 343,194 acre-feet full, and Seminoe Reservoir, which is 323,363 acre-feet full, are each 32 percent full. Glendo Reservoir, at 349,607 acre-feet, is 71 percent full.
Water allocations
Water allocations are expected for the 2026 growing season. The trigger amount for a forecasted allocation is a supply of less than 1.1 million acre-feet.
“We have received interest from irrigation districts regarding water loans,” said BuREC Wyoming Office Water Scheduler George Finnegan. “We have approached Wyoming’s Seminoe and Alcova reservoirs – the Kendrick Project – and they have agreed to work with us.”
Irrigation districts would need to notify BuREC of their interest in a water loan, the requested water quantity and the payment terms. The water loan cannot exceed 100,000 acre-feet, and the loan request must be approved by the Casper-Alcova Irrigation District, the state of Wyoming and BuREC, and a National Environmental Policy Act review must be completed.
The cost has yet to be determined, there is no carryover and loaned water must be repaid to the Casper-Alcova Irrigation District prior to 2027 water delivery.
The potential for a call on the river by the senior water right holders exists, and the details of the call would have to be worked out by Nebraska and Wyoming.
Duration and timing of water deliveries will take place will be determined by irrigation districts at a later date.
Many of the producers at the meeting are also waiting on the irrigation districts’ decisions. Given the current drought, producers are hard-pressed to make agronomic decisions for their operations.
“Well, it sure looks like we’re in a situation where we’re not going to be allowed a lot of irrigation water,” said Doug Harimon, Scottsbluff farmer and crop adjuster. “It is getting pretty dire. The problem is our ground is so dry right now getting the crop started is an issue. Even if we have 40 to 50 days of water, we will need it just to get the crop up.”
Other conference highlights
Nebraska Extension personnel provided information on nitrogen application rates, amounts and timing to help reduce over-application and avoid groundwater contamination.
The conference also highlighted research on deficit irrigation for area crops to producers, should there be limited water supplies this growing season.
Field specific evapotranspiration for sugarbeets, corn and dry beans for irrigation water application management can be found at go.unl.edu/o4uc. The free ACREE app is a mobile irrigation-scheduling tool that does not require soil-moisture sensors.
Representatives from the Gering-Fort Laramie Irrigation District and HDR Engineering provided an update on the replacement of Tunnel No. 2 on the Goshen/Gering-Fort Laramie Irrigation District’s main line canal.
New entrances and exits for the tunnel are being constructed for the digger shield to commence tunnel replacement starting in the fall of 2026.
The two affected irrigation districts have secured the funds to replace both tunnels, thanks to efforts by Nebraska and Wyoming legislative representatives and BuREC.
USDA RMA representatives outlined programs available to producers and answered questions about potential scenarios producers may encounter with the expected water shortage in the North Platte River Valley.
Local Meteorologist Don Day provided the spring and early summer weather outlook to wrap up the conference.
Gary Stone and John Thomas are Nebraska Extension water and crops educators, Jessica Groskopf is a Nebraska Extension agricultural economics cropping systems educator, Dr. Xin Qiao is the Nebraska Extension water irrigation specialist and Chabella Guzman is a communications specialist at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln’s Panhandle Research, Extension and Education Center. They can be reached by visiting extension.unl.edu.
