Dan Smith outlined the goals in Cambridge at the Nebraska Republican River Management District Association, which includes the NRDs and surface water irrigation districts in Nebraska's part of the basin.

Smith said the voluntary program has a goal of retiring about 1,500 irrigated acres annually. Funds will come from using 2 cents of the NRD's levy authority, which will raise about $350,000 a year.

Ag producers will identify certified acres they're willing to retire from irrigation and tell the NRD how much they need per acre. Smith said the acres offered will be prioritized based on the water source, alluvium, other quick response or upland well.

A district map prepared by the Nebraska Department of Natural Resources shows which acres would have the greatest effect on reducing consumptive water use. "We will balance out the cost of paying what the producer says he wants for the acres with those factors," Smith said.

Program applications will be accepted through the end of the year.

"This is just a pilot program this year," Smith said. "We'll give it a try and see what happens. There is a lot of experimenting in this."

In other business Wednesday, Roy Patterson of the Frenchman Cambridge Irrigation District retired last week after 46 years as manager. There will be a retirement party from 1 to 5 p.m. Dec. 4 at the Cambridge Community Center.