Irrigators in the Republican River basin part of the Tri-Basin Natural Resources District pumped twice as much groundwater during last year's drought-ridden growing season as they did the year before.

Tri-Basin general manager John Thorburn said during his board meeting on Tuesday that the pumping illustrates the difference between a wet year and record-setting drought.

Thorburn says the numbers certainly could have been higher if not for the conservation measures implemented by our producers the last 10 to 15 years."

The Holdrege-based district includes Gosper, Phelps and Kearney counties in south-central Nebraska.