By LORI POTTER
Hub Staff Writer

ORD - Total property valuations in the Lower Loup Natural Resources District are up $6 million, allowing LLNRD directors to approve an increased budget Thursday without increasing the current levy of 2.85 cents per $100 valuation.

LLNRD General Manger Leon Koehlmoos said the levy will fund a property tax asking of nearly $1.93 million for the fiscal year 2008-2009 budget, compared to $1.75 million for the past fiscal year.

The new budget of about $5.46 million includes funds for groundwater management activities, including $107,000 for infrared aerial photos being taken through September of the more than 1.2 million certified irrigated acres in the district. That includes Sherman, most of Custer and northern Buffalo counties in Hub Territory.

The budget also includes construction and renovation work on the LLNRD office in Ord. Some funds for the nearly $1.2 million project are borrowed and some are from the sinking fund, Koehlmoos said.

The 2.85-cent levy compares with the 4.5-cent base levy legally allowed for NRDs. They also can add another 1 cent for water management activities.

In other business Thursday, Koehlmoos said he reviewed some drainage and flooding concerns, particularly in Howard County along the Middle Loup River near St. Paul and Oak Creek near Dannebrog. The issues include flooding, bank erosion and bridges related to a buildup of trees in the streams.

LLNRD staff will look at the issues and work with Howard County officials to determine how projects could be designed that fit the LLNRD's policies and procedures for assistance. Recommendations are expected at the board's Sept. 25 meeting.

Koehlmoos said some flooding issues are the result of on-farm conservation practices such as small dams and grass waterways being "whittled away" during the recent drought years.

In other business, the directors:

- Were told that about 300 fourth-graders from schools in Howard, Sherman, Valley and Greeley counties and surrounding areas were expected to attend the Environmental Festival Oct. 14 at the Valley County Fairgrounds in Ord. "Going Green" is this year's theme.

- Heard from the two District 41 state senator candidates, Paul Eurek of Loup City and Kate Sullivan of Cedar Rapids.

- Were reminded they had selected Dean Rasmussen of North Loup in January as their voting delegate to the Nebraska Association of Resources Districts' annual conference Sept. 29-30 in Kearney. Virgil Gellermann of Columbus is the alternate.