NORFOLK, Neb. -- The Lower Elkhorn Natural Resources District (LENRD) has approved a decreased budget for Fiscal Year (FY) 2025. 

The LENRD Board of Directors approved the operating budget for FY 2025 at their Sept. 12 meeting with a tax request of $4,501,887, which is a decrease of 8.07% or $395,019 from last year's budget. 

Based on the property tax request the estimated levy is 1.8459 centers per $100 of valuation. That's a 18.72% decrease from the FY 2024 levy of 2.2586 cents per $100 of valuation. 

For example, if a person owns a $300,000 house, the taxes owed to the LENRD would have been $67.76 in 2024 and will be about $55.38 in 2025.

The LENRD’s total operating budget for fiscal year 2025 is estimated at $12,823,153 which is an increase of $773,221, or 6.41% from last fiscal year.

Some major expenditures for FY 2025 are:

  • Levee/Flood Protection Projects – which includes the West Point Levee, McKenzie Dam, Winslow Demolition, and Logan East Well Project, and the City of Wayne Prairie Park Project - $1,579,000;
  • Water Resources Programs - $384,250;
  • Project Construction – Willow Creek Artesian Pressure Mitigation, Maple Creek Shoreline Stabilization, Maple Creek Storm Damage, Maskenthine Bike Trail, Willow Creek Park Renovations, and Pilger Recreation Area Renovations - $397,000;
  • Conservation Cost-Share Programs – Bazile Groundwater Management Area Project (BGMA) and Willow Creek Best Management Practices (BMPs) - $708,000;
  • and Sinking Funds – Battle Creek Project Sinking Fund ($1,000,000) and Flood Mitigation Sinking Fund ($750,000).

The LENRD has received grant funding for the Willow Creek Dam Artesian Pressure, and Hazard Mitigation Plan (Federal Emergency Management Agency & Nebraska Emergency Management Agency); Bazile Groundwater Management Area and Willow Creek Watershed Project (Environmental Protection Agency) as well as State Grants and Funds from Department of Natural Resources, Nebraska Environmental Trust, and Nebraska Forest Service.

The LENRD also got grant funding from the Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) for Watershed Flood Prevention Operations (WFPO).