About FCID
The Frenchman Cambridge Irrigation District is a political subdivision of the State of Nebraska organized under irrigation district laws of Nebraska on April 18, 1946. (Statutes 46-101 to 46-128) Frenchman Cambridge was created to enable the people of southwest Nebraska to develop the State’s irrigation potential.
Frenchman Cambridge delivers natural flow irrigation water to more than 45,600 acres in southwest Nebraska using four different canal systems; we hold 41 direct flow permits with priority dates ranging from December 22, 1890 to November 13, 1987, and can legally divert 531.5 cubic feet per second of natural flow. Frenchman Cambridge is the 8th largest Irrigation District in Nebraska based on acres served.
One hundred fifty-six miles of main canal and many more miles of laterals provide recharge that help stabilize groundwater supplies for municipal, industrial and irrigation uses. Irrigation return flows help maintain Harlan County Reservoir supplies.
U.S. Department of the Interior, Bureau of Reclamation holds the
storage use permits for the same 45,600 acres and has contracts with
Frenchman Cambridge to deliver supplemental water when the natural flow
is inadequate to irrigate the lands. Reclamation Reservoirs also provide
flood control and recreation for southwest Nebraska. Frenchman Cambridge
is also responsible for a percent of the maintenance cost associated
with the Reclamation Dams.
