The 2026 Water and Natural Resources Tour was held on June 22 through 24. Hosted by the Nebraska Water Center and Central Nebraska Public Power and Irrigation District, the tour visited McCook, Curtis, and the surrounding areas to get an understanding of water use and management in the Republican Basin in Southwest Nebraska.
The tour kicked off on Monday, June 22, with a welcome dinner and an overview of the basin provided by Sam Capps of the Nebraska Department of Water, Energy, and Environment. This evening allowed the 50 tour attendees to meet one another and have a baseline understanding of the Republican Basin to help anchor the information they would receive in the following days.
On Tuesday, June 23, the tour began with Nebraska Extension’s Ruby Collins and an overview of insect and invertebrate species common in southwest Nebraska. From there, Brad Edgerton from the Frenchman Cambridge Irrigation District showcased several of their irrigation and flood management structures and shared how agricultural water management differs across the state.
A tour attendee shared the value of the first-hand knowledge shared on the tour. “I was unfamiliar with ag water challenges and happenings in the Republican Basin and now I feel that I have a good idea of what is going on.”
Jack Russell and the Middle Republican Natural Resources District hosted the tour for lunch and provided speakers and presentations on data collected through airborne electromagnetic (AEM) flight surveys and their Producer Connect dashboard.
From there, the group visited the Nebraska College of Technical Agriculture (NCTA) campus in Curtis and learned about the irrigation technology management program from Dan Stehlick. Many attendees shared this was their first opportunity to visit the campus in Curtis, and they were glad to see the campus and learn more about the hands-on programs offered at NCTA.
Tuesday’s tour wrapped up with a visit to the Bureau of Reclamation office in McCook, where their staff provided an overview of water management in the Republican Basin and helped the tour understand how different organizations and states work together to manage the water.
On Wednesday, June 24, the tour explored the Upper Republican Natural Resources District. Led by Jasper Fanning and his team, the tour experienced Rock Creek State Recreation Area and Fish Hatchery and aquifer augmentation projects. As Jasper Fanning put it, "If you need to get a line to heaven, it's a local call out here." The tour also visited Blackshirt Feeders to see how large water users manage resources in the Republican Basin.
The tour is held each year in a different region of Nebraska to provide an opportunity for water managers, producers, researchers, students, and local government to experience water and natural resources management throughout the state. By partnering with local experts and organizations, tour attendees gain insight into how each region manages their resources.
“It was so beautiful visiting the incredible water resources in Nebraska and learning from this whole experience,” shared Pius Barungi, a research scholar at the West Central Research, Extension and Education Center who was awarded a student scholarship to attend the tour. “It was great to learn how this water is managed especially in the rainy and dry spells when volumes rise or go low.”
The tour was made possible through partnership with the Nebraska Department of Water, Energy, and Environment and sponsorships from HDR, the Daugherty Water for Food Global Institute, Middle Republican Natural Resources District, Reinke, and Water Futures Partnership – Nebraska.
