Nebraska Sandhills and NRD's

This was taken in the early 1980’s in the Nebraska, Lower Loup NRD when Sandhills grassland was being “developed” with center pivot irrigation systems and planted to corn. We in the Natural Resources Commission did a “Sandhills Study” and provided the State Legislature with alternatives to alleviate problems which could arise as the result of the questionable land use. In checking on the correct spelling of Dick Beran’s name (local NRD M’gr, on the left), I came across a web site which led me to listening to an interview of me back in 2013 that I had never heard. It is a part of: "The Natural Resources Districts (NRD) Oral History Project is a collaboration between the Daugherty Water for Food Institute,the Nebraska Association of Natural Resources Districts, the Nebraska State Historical Society and several dedicated former and current stewards of Nebraska’s Natural Resources.Since its inception in April 2013, the project has recorded and transcribed over eighty45-minute oral histories spanning former and current staff and leadership of all 23 NRDs and key individuals that helped ensure their formation.” It can be found at <http://nrdstories.org>. My interview by Jim Barr is at <http://nrdstories.org/tony-vrana>. I should add that economic conditions, Federal, State and local regulations, etc. have largely eliminated the problem areas as shown in the picture. Much of the Class IV land has been reseeded to grass under the Federal Conservation Reserve program.