If you plan to drill a new well or replacement well in Tri-Basin Natural Resources District (NRD) (Gosper, Phelps and Kearney counties), you must apply to Tri-Basin NRD for a well permit, have that permit approved and pay a $50.00 fee before you drill a well.  If well construction commences before a permit is approved, you will be charged a $250 late permit fee.  You also need to be aware of other NRD groundwater management rules that will affect you.

1. Landowners are prohibited from developing additional irrigated acres anywhere in Gosper, Phelps or Kearney Counties.  New and replacement wells can only be used to irrigate existing Tri-Basin NRD certified irrigated acres.
2. Landowners need to install flowmeters on all wells in the Republican River basin. Section Six of the Tri-Basin NRD rules and regulations details the flowmeter installation and operation requirements.  Flowmeters must be installed on all new wells and conditional replacement wells district-wide permitted since Sept. 15, 2004, even those not currently in use, unless the landowner applies to the state to register a well as inactive.
3. Landowners are required to complete and return annual water use reports for all new wells and conditional replacement wells district-wide and all wells in the Republican River basin, even wells that aren’t used.  Water use reporting is required by the terms of the Kansas v. Nebraska lawsuit settlement.
4. Wells permitted in Tri-Basin NRD after September 15, 2004 may be subject to conditions and limitations on water use that are different from conditions and limitations on wells permitted prior to that date.
5. If the well being drilled is a replacement well the well being replaced must be decommissioned by a licensed contractor. See our decommissioning page for more information.

We have switched to a one form system to make the well permit application process simpler. The old permit forms will no longer be accepted. Instead of using different colored sheets you will now place a checkmark next to the appropriate box on the front of the permit. There is some updated wording on the back of the permit; please read this over.
Things to remember when filling out well permits for Tri-Basin NRD:

1. The name on the permit should be the same as stated on the property deed.  If the permit is for a replacement well, the name on the original well registration must be the same as the current owner, or a change of ownership form must be completed and submitted to the state to resolve the discrepency.
2. The number of Tri-Basin NRD certified acres to be irrigated must agree with Tribasin NRD records; you may call our office to get the correct number.
3. Legal description of ALL land to be irrigated should include every parcel that the well will irrigate or deliver water to, even if not owned by owner of the well or if in a different section from where the well is located.  A groundwater transfer permit may be needed if the owner of land to be irrigated is different from the owner of the well.
4. The Department of Natural Resources will reject well registrations if the above information is not the same on the permit and the well registration.
5. A New Well and Conditional Replacement Well Permit applicant agreement form must accompany all well permits except for replacement wells when the original well was permitted or drilled prior to September 15, 2004.
6. A Citizenship Attestation form must accompany  cost share applications for individual owners (does not apply to companies or corporations).

If you have any questions please call the Tri-Basin NRD office. Thanks for your assistance in helping to make sure that well permit forms are filled out properly.