The Central Nebraska Public Power and Irrigation District Board of Directors spent much of its November meeting discussing the district’s 2027 budget ahead of a final vote planned for December. Board members reviewed potential capital projects, current revenue streams, employee wages and benefits, and the ongoing challenge of maintaining aging infrastructure across the district.
Directors also received updates on water conditions at Lake McConaughy. Civil Engineer Tyler Thulin reported the reservoir stood at elevation 3,204 feet, or 24.5 percent of capacity, an increase of 1.1 feet since late October. Inflows have risen to about 760 cubic feet per second, while outflows remain at zero because of an outage in the Nebraska Public Power District system expected to continue through mid-November. Thulin said the hydrocycling period at the J-2 Hydroplant is scheduled to end November 10 and he hopes a recent water-level adjustment at Johnson Lake will be the last of the season.
The board also approved a $210,957 purchase requisition with Apex Sand & Gravel for crushed concrete to be used as rip-rap along the supply canal. Directors approved a real estate agreement tied to bridge negotiations in Dawson County and heard a report on Kingsley Dam, where sediment was discovered in a penstock during a recent inspection. District staff are investigating the cause and potential solutions.
