David Ostdiek - Former Communications Specialist, Panhandle REC

Figure 1. An aerial view of the sink holes created by the July 17 tunnel collapse on the Gering-Fort Laramie/Goshen Irrigation District canal. The larger sink hole is approximately 100 feet across and 50 feet deep. (Photo by Justin Burkart, Goshen Emergency Management Association)

Update on Efforts to Restore Water to North Platte River Valley Canal

July 26, 2019

The Gering/Ft. Laramie Irrigation District and the Goshen Irrigation District (Wyoming) held stakeholder meetings this week to discuss the status of canal damage and repairs and how to restore irrigation water to 100,000+ acres. Initial canal repairs have started, with tunnel repairs expected to start soon.

Irrigation canal washout from tunnel collapse — Figure 1. Area where the North Platte River Canal breached July 17, flooding nearby fields. Water flow to the canal was stopped and won't be continued until repairs can be made, possibly cutting short the crop season. (Photo courtesy of Chabella Guzman of KNEB Radio)

Wednesday A.M. Meeting to Focus on Prospects for Collapsed Irrigation Tunnel

July 23, 2019

The Gering-Fort Laramie Irrigation District will host a public meeting Wednesday, July 24, in Scottsbluff to share information about the disruption of water deliveries caused by a tunnel collapse along the irrigation district’s main canal on July 17. It will be at 10 a.m. at the university's Panhandle Center.

Area of the North Platte River canal where the break occurred July 17. — Figure 1. Area where the North Platte River Canal breached July 17, flooding nearby fields. Water flow to the canal was stopped and won't be continued until repairs can be made, possibly cutting short the crop season. (Photo courtesy of Chabella Guzman of KNEB Radio)

Growers in North Platte Valley Face Critical Water Loss with Canal Damage

July 18, 2019

Surface-water irrigators in the North Platte River Valley south of the river in western Nebraska and eastern Wyoming have lost their water supply due to a washout in the main supply canal early Wednesday morning (July 17). The Bureau of Reclamation is assessing the damage.

UNL High Plains Ag Lab Field Day June 20

June 14, 2019

The University of Nebraska-Lincoln High Plains Ag Lab Field Day, scheduled for Thursday, June 20, will highlight UNL research on dryland crops, especially field pea and winter wheat, as well as grazing and forages.

Winter Wheat and Pea Field Days in the Panhandle in June

June 7, 2019

Field days of three winter wheat variety trials and two field pea variety trials will be conducted this June in the Panhandle. Discussion topics will include genetics, including new varieties on the horizon, and production issues.

Figure 1. Nevin Lawrence, integrated weed management specialist, shows an individual rubber dandelion plant in the greenhouse at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln's Panhandle Research and Extension Center. (Photos by David Ostdiek)

Can Nebraska Grow Rubber-Producing Dandelions on a Farm Scale?

May 17, 2019

Panhandle researchers are working with those in other states to test agronomic conditions and practices best suited to the production of rubber dandelions. While it's too early to tell, it might be a viable alternative crop one day.

Xin Qiao (left), irrigation and water management specialist and principal investigator, and Jack Whittier, Panhandle Center Director of Research and Extension, accept the award from the Nebraska Environmental Trust fund to establish SDI research with livestock effluent.

NET Awards Grant for Subsurface Drip Irrigation System with Feedlot

April 26, 2019

The Nebraska Environmental Trust has awarded a grant to construct a subsurface drip irrigation system that uses feedlot effluent to irrigate crop fields. The practice will be evaluated as a potential means to better manage the state's limited water resources, an ongoing research priority of the University of Nebraska.

Dry edible beans being cooked to test various variety attributes, including cooking time

When Developing New Lines of Dry Edible Beans, Cooking Time Matters Too

March 8, 2019

When breeding new lines of dry edible beans, disease resistance, drought tolerance, and plant architecture can be observed in the field, but measuring cooking time is a chore for the laboratory. Cooks prefer varieties that cook in 30-45 minutes.