Ground Water
Surface Water
Floodplain Management
Dam Safety
Natural Resources Planning
Storage of Natural Resources and Related Data
Administration of State Funds

A brief description of agency responsibilities, programs, activities, and funds follows.

Ground Water
State Law requires that all new wells drilled in the state must be properly registered with NDNR.
Permits are required to transfer ground water off overlying land for large industrial uses, geothermal uses, out-of-state uses and water well spacing requirement violations.
NDNR is responsible for approving or denying municipal and rural domestic transfer permits.
NDNR maintains records on all the above.

Surface Water
NDNR has jurisdiction over all matters pertaining to surface water rights for storage, irrigation, hydropower, manufacturing, diversions, instream flows and other beneficial uses of surface water.
Anyone wishing to divert the waters of a natural stream or lake must first get a permit or water right from the Department.
The NDNR is responsible for the collection and reporting of flow data for streams, canals and pump diversions and storage data for reservoirs. This information is published annually.
NDNR represents the State's interest in connection with interstate compacts and decrees.

Floodplain Management/Dam Safety
NDNR is responsible for a non-structural program of floodplain management including the delineation of floodplains and providing technical assistance on floodplain management to local units of government.
The NDNR is charged with the responsibility for coordination and assistance with the National Flood Insurance Program and the Flood Mitigation Assistance Program.
The agency reviews and approves engineering plans for new dams, the rehabilitation of old dams and emergency preparedness plans for all dams classified as high hazard. An inventory of these dams and their field inspections are maintained.

Resources Planning and Assistance
The Department provides technical and policy information to help Nebraskans make sound soil and water resources management decisions.
Participates in numerous state, inter-state and local studies / planning efforts, development of planning related databases, and guidance of the state water planning and review process.
Provides local units of government with requested assistance in natural resources planning and management responsibilities.

State Funds Administered
A sixteen member Natural Resources Commission is responsible for funding decisions relationg to the following funds while the Department of Natural Resources is responsible for fund administration as directed by the Commission.

Soil and Water Conservation Fund provides Nebraska landowners cost-share assistance for installing approved conservation practices.
Resources Development Fund provides state funding assistance for the construction of larger water and related land resource projects that enhance Nebraska's environment.
Small Watersheds Flood Control Fund financially aids local sponsors with the acquistion of necessary land rights for flood reduction projects.
Water Well Decommissioning Fund provides state dollars to decommission or plug illegal or abandoned water wells.
Natural Resources Water Quality Fund provides tax dollars to natural resources districts for water quality projects. The districts match three local dollars for every two Fund dollars.

Natural Resources Data Bank
Housed at DNR this information system obtains, gathers, processes, stores, and makes available for distribution a wide variety of natural resources and related information to anyone at a minimal cost.

The Department maintains five field offices located across the state.

1. Bridgeport Office
729 Main Street
P.O. Box 787
Bridgeport, Nebraska 69336-0787
Phone: 308-262-1930
Fax: 308-262-1939

2. Cambridge Office
622 Patterson
P.O. Box 426
Cambridge, Nebraska 69022
Phone: 308-697-3730
Fax: 308-697-3200

3. Lincoln Office
301 Centennial Mall South
P.O. Box 94676
Lincoln, Nebraska 68509-4676
Phone: 402-471-2363
Fax: 402-471-6598

4. Ord Office
North Highway 11
P.O. Box 251
Ord, Nebraska 68862
Phone: 308-728-3325
Fax: 308-728-9969

5. Norfolk Office
601 East Benjamin Ave., Suite 101
P.O. Box 1451
Norfolk, Nebraska 68702
Phone: 402-370-3377
Fax: 402-371-0653

DNR is aware of the challenges of protecting and conserving Nebraska's soil and water resources and of the complexity of each resource issue and their alternatives. Each alternative resolution to any given issue contains competing political, social and economic impacts. Finding the balance between competing issues is a key to Nebraska's resource future, and a challenge to those responsible for the management of those resources.

The Department of Natural Resources is committed to providing Nebraska's citizens and their leaders with sound resources information so that the challenges of today and tomorrow will be met and our resources decisions will be wise, farsighted and benefit all Nebraskans both today and in the future.