Lincoln Planning to Add New Well to Prep for Extended Drought - KHGI-TV/KWNB-TV/KHGI-CD-Grand Island, Kearney, Hastings

In the wake of last summer's intense drought, Lincoln is looking to build a new, horizontal well in its Platte River well field.

Officials worry the drought will extend well beyond this year prompting plans to construct a new well to jump forward by several years.

The new well should have water flowing by summer of 2014. It should provide about 17.5 million gallons of water a day or 8 to 10 million gallons a day during drought conditions.

Last summer the city imposed mandatory outdoor water restrictions on homes and businesses, trying to restrict usage to about 60 million gallons a day. Similar restrictions are expected this summer as well as more than 87 percent of Nebraska remains in extreme or exceptional drought.