About Us
History
NRDs have been given broad responsibilities to deal with a variety of natural resources issues including erosion, flood prevention, soil conservation, ground and surface water, pollution control, wildlife habitat, recreational facilities, forestry and range management. To perform these duties, NRDs use a combination of grant funds, revenues generated through programs, State dollars, and property taxes. Each District is governed by a locally elected Board of Directors, which ensures that local issues and concerns are addressed.
Nebraska’s natural resources vary greatly across the state. The Upper Niobrara White NRD contains Box Butte, Dawes, Sheridan and the upper 80% of Sioux Counties. This Northwest Nebraskan District is approximately 4.5 million acres comprised of the Pine Ridge forest, Sandhills, rangelands and crop ground. Fortunately, the local control granted to NRDs through elected Boards allows each District to address their particular issues with local solutions and relevant projects and programs.
Today, Nebraska’s unique system of locally-controlled, tax-funded, watershed-based conservation is widely admired throughout the nation.
Responsibilities
Under Nebraska state law, NRDs are charged with:
- Erosion prevention and control
- Prevention of damages from flood water and sediment
- Flood prevention and control
- Soil conservation
- Water supply for any beneficial uses
- Development, management, utilization, and conservation of groundwater and surface water
- Pollution control
- Solid waste disposal and drainage
- Drainage improvement and channel rectification
- Development and management of fish and wildlife habitat
- Development and management of recreational and park facilities
- Forestry and range management
Staff
The Upper Niobrara White NRD currently employs ten staff members. Seven employees work at the UNWNRD office in Chadron and three work as NRCS Secretaries in the Alliance, Chadron and Rushville field offices.
Patrick O'Brien
General Manager
Manages all District operations and policies, Budget development
Lynn Webster
Assistant Manager
Ground Water Quantity, Well Permits, GIS, Cost-share Programs: Flow meters, Pivot conversions, Home water treatment systems, Well Decommissioning
Kylen Armstrong
Conservation Programs Coordinator
Accounting, Payroll, Billing, Nebraska Soil and Water Conservation Program (NSWCP) processing, Budget Assistance, Public Relations/Communications
Eli Goff
Resource Coordinator
Tree Orders, windbreak planning, wildlife habitat planning, cost-share programs, WILD Nebraska, Corners for Wildlife, No-Till Drill Programs, Irrigation Flow Meter reading, Chemigation Inspections, Static Water Levels
Haley Anders
Water Programs Manager
Groundwater Quality Monitoring, Assessment, and Reporting, Chemigation Program Coordinator, Groundwater Sampling, Domestic Well Sampling, Water Education Meeting
Tricia Goes
Conservation Programs Specialist
Chemigation Permits and Inspections, Conservation Festival, Envirothon, Land Judging, Range Judging, Board Secretary, Customer Orders, District Wellness Coordinator, Website Maintenance, Social Media Pages, PRIDE Liaison, Irrigation Flow Meter reading
Abby Brett
Groundwater Management Coordinator
Water Quantity Program, Irrigation Efficiency Education, Irrigation Flow Meter reading, UltraSonic Measurements, Well Decommissioning Program, Meters Cost Share, GIS Assistant, Weather Stations, Crop Water Use Reports, Chemigation Inspections, Tree Program support, NeRAIN Coordinator, Static Water Level support
Brenda Schnell
Alliance NRCS Field Office Secretary
NRCS/UNWNRD liaison, NRCS Secretary
Vacant
Chadron NRCS Field Office Secretary
NRCS/UNWNRD liaison, NRCS Secretary
Vacant
Rushville NRCS Field Office Secretary
NRCS/UNWNRD liaison, NRCS Secretary
Patrick O'Brien
General Manager
Manages all District operations and policies, Budget development
Lynn Webster
Assistant Manager
Ground Water Quantity, Well Permits, GIS, Cost-share Programs: Flow meters, Pivot conversions, Home water treatment systems, Well Decommissioning
Kylen Armstrong
Conservation Programs Coordinator
Accounting, Payroll, Billing, Nebraska Soil and Water Conservation Program (NSWCP) processing, Budget Assistance, Public Relations/Communications
Eli Goff
Resource Coordinator
Tree Orders, windbreak planning, wildlife habitat planning, cost-share programs, WILD Nebraska, Corners for Wildlife, No-Till Drill Programs, Irrigation Flow Meter reading, , Chemigation Inspections, Static Water Levels
Haley Anders
Water Programs Manager
Groundwater Quality, Chemigation Program, Groundwater Sampling, Domestic Well Sampling, Wellhead Protection Community Assistance
Tricia Goes
Conservation Programs Specialist
Chemigation Permits and Inspections, Conservation Festival, Envirothon, Land Judging, Range Judging, Board Secretary, Customer Orders, District Wellness Coordinator, Website Maintenance, Social Media Pages, Irrigation Flow Meter reading, PRIDE Liasion
Abby Brett
Groundwater Management Coordinator
Water Quantity Program, Irrigation Efficiency Education, Irrigation Flow Meter reading, UltraSonic Measurements, Well Decommissioning Program, Meters Cost Share, GIS Assistant, Weather Stations, Crop Water Use Reports, Chemigation Inspections, Tree Program support, NeRAIN Coordinator, Static Water Level support
Brenda Schnell
Alliance NRCS Field Office Secretary
NRCS/UNWNRD liaison, NRCS Secretary
Vacant
Chadron NRCS Field Office Secretary
NRCS/UNWNRD liaison, NRCS Secretary
Vacant
Rushville NRCS Field Office Secretary
NRCS/UNWNRD liaison, NRCS Secretary
Board of Directors
The Upper Niobrara White NRD’s Board of Directors has eleven members, each of whom is elected by the public during the general election to serve a four-year term. Two members are elected from each of the five sub-districts and one is elected at-large. The Board meets once a month to review operations and vote on policies. The meetings are usually held at the UNWNRD office on the second Thursday of each month. However, a few meetings each year may be held in varying locations throughout the District on different dates. Please call the UNWNRD office for information on an upcoming meeting.
Subdistrict 1
Richard Zochol
1573 CR 54
Alliance, NE 69301
(308) 762-3803
Kevin Oligmueller
Alliance, NE 69301
(308) 760-8992
Richard Zochol
Alliance, NE 69301
(308) 762-3803
Kevin Oligmueller
Alliance, NE 69301
(308) 760-8992
Subdistrict 2
Mike Strasburger
Ellsworth, NE 69340
(308) 282-2753
Scott Berndt
Lakeside, NE 69351
(308) 327-2848
Mike Strasburger
Ellsworth, NE 69340
(308) 282-2753
Scott Berndt
Lakeside, NE 69351
(308) 327-2848
Subdistrict 3
David Kadlecek
Hay Springs, NE 69347
(308) 638-7426
David Carlson
Hay Springs, NE 69347
(308) 638-7402
David Kadlecek
Hay Springs, NE 69347
(308) 638-7426
David Carlson
Hay Springs, NE 69347
(308) 638-7402
Subdistrict 4
Tod Dorshorst
Hay Springs, NE 69347
(308) 232-4436
John Burke
Alliance, NE 69301
(308) 762-5151
Tod Dorshorst
Hay Springs, NE 69347
(308) 232-4436
John Burke
Alliance, NE 69301
(308) 762-5151
Subdistrict 5
Nancy Fisher
Crawford, NE 69339
(308) 665-1580
Allen Rasmussen
Chadron, NE 69337
(308) 432-5112
Nancy Fisher
Crawford, NE 69339
(308) 665-1580
Allen Rasmussen
Chadron, NE 69337
(308) 432-5112
At Large
Steve Sandberg
Hay Springs, NE 69347
(308) 232-4421
Steve Sandberg
Hay Springs, NE 69347
(308) 232-4421
Committees
Each Director serves on one or more Committees within the UNWNRD. The current Committees are:
Water
Rich Zochol, Chairman
David Carlson
Steve Sandberg
John Burke
Tod Dorshorst
Operations/
Personnel/Policy
Kevin Oligmueller
Rich Zochol
Scott Berndt
Al Rasmussen
Information & Education/Land & Weed
Al Rasmussen, Chairman
Dave Kadlecek
Mike Strasburger
Nancy Fisher
2022 Executive Committee
Dave Kadlecek, Chair
Kevin Oligmueller, Vice Chair
Nancy Fisher, Secretary/Treasurer
David Carlson, Past Chair
2022 Representatives
Scott Berndt, NARD Rep
Tod Dorshorst, NARD Alt
David Carlson, NRBA Rep
Kevin Oligmueller, NRBA Alt
Budget
Nancy Fisher, Chairperson
Dave Kadlecek
Rich Zochol
Al Rasmussen
Board of Directors Documents
2021-2022 Fiscal Year
Make a Positive Impact on your Environment & Community
Currently one position open; full time, Conservation Programs Assistant
Phone:
(308) 432-6190
Fax:
(308) 432-6187
Mailing Address:
430 East Second Street
Chadron, Nebraska 69337
For specific contact information related to UNWNRD Board and Staff, please see the 'About Us' page.
To learn more about Nebraska's NRDs, please see the 'Links' page.