West Papillion Creek Flood Control Project

A levee and channel widening project on the West Papillion Creek in Sarpy County, from approximately 36th Street to 90th Street, was completed in 2001, and has already provided flood protection to the City of Papillion. A new channel improvement is planned to reduce flooding from 90th Street to Giles Road and is currently being constructed by the NRD.

Big Papio Creek Flood Control Channel Project

Completed from West Center Road downstream to "L" St. at a cost of $13 million, this cooperative project with the Corps has greatly reduced the flood potential through one of Omaha's most flood-prone areas. In addition, the NRD has extended this project upstream by improving the section of the Big Papio Creek from West Center Street north to Blondo Street. Completion of this flood control improvement and adjacent hiking/biking trail was accomplished in 2002 at a total cost near $6 million.

Platte River Levees

The 9.5-mile Union Dike was rehabilitated by the NRD and completed in 1991. Increased protection from ice jam and open-water floods was achieved for the City of Valley and thousands of acres of prime farmland along the river in western Douglas County. Downstream, the 2.5-mile No-Name Dike was completed in 1993. Both projects included wetland mitigation/wildlife enhancement.

After the 1993 floods, the river reach upstream of Highway 6 in Sarpy and Saunders County was identified for a levee improvement project by the Corps of Engineers and the adjoining NRDs. This 22 million dollar Western Sarpy-Clear Creek Levee project includes the construction or improvement of nearly 16 miles of levees on both sides of the river, as well as the elevating or removal of impacted cabins. Environmental and wildlife enhancements are also being made as part of this project.

Western Sarpy/ Clear Creek Project

Frequent Platte River flooding in western Sarpy County and the Clear Creek area of eastern Saunders County threaten critical communications and transportation corridors, including Interstate 80 and NE Highway 6. After extensive flooding in 1993, the river reach upstream of Highway 6 in Sarpy and Saunders County was identified for a levee improvement project by the Corps of Engineers and the adjoining NRDs. The project will receive $9.36 million of stimulus funding through the Corps of Engineers to complete the final phases of this nearly $30 million project. About 20 miles of levees will be improved along this stretch of the Platte River, one of the most ice jam flood-prone areas of the state. The elevation or removal of impacted cabins plus environmental and wildlife enhancements are also being made as part of this project. Construction is slated to begin this summer.

Perhaps the most significant benefit of the Western Sarpy/Clear Creek Flood Reduction Project is the security of Omaha and Lincoln well fields, supplying water to nearly 50% of Nebraska’s population. Three NRDs, the Papio-Missouri River, Lower Platte South and Lower Platte North, have been working diligently with the US Army Corps of Engineers, the State of Nebraska, other government agencies and the Congressional delegation for over 10 years to see this project through to completion. The Western Sarpy-Clear Creek Project was authorized in the Water Resources Development Act of 2000.

Click here to view a map of the Western Sarpy Clear Creek Levees.

Operation and Maintenance

All flood control structures require continuing maintenance to remain safe and effective. Unbridled flood waters possess a destructive power unmatched by other forces in nature. Containing high water flows can best be accomplished with often-inspected, well maintained flood control structures. Our crews now inspect and maintain over 80 miles of flood control improvements.

Dams And Reservoirs

Flood control reservoirs typically store flood waters in the upper reaches of a watershed and then release them slowly to reduce runoff and change the timing of peak flood flows. These dams and reservoirs provide multiple benefits; including water quality protection, wildlife habitat, and recreational opportunities.

Structural Flood Control dams and reservoirs are used throughout the Papio-Missouri River NRD. The District currently maintains over 80 structures in six counties, and more and more dams are proposed and built each year. Below are examples of ongoing NRD dam and reservoir projects.

Papillion Creek Watershed

The Corps of Engineers devised a plan for flood control reservoirs in the Omaha Metro Area’s Papillion Creek Watershed after devastating floods in 1964 and 1965. The plan included 21 proposed dams throughout the 400 square mile watershed. Of these 21 dams, 5 were built by the Corps before the project was deauthorized due to economic justification considerations and heavy landowner opposition in the mid-1980s. These 5 dams are known today as Cunningham, Zorinsky, Standing Bear, Candlewood, and Wehrspann Lakes. In addition, 2 other dams were completed by the Papio-Missouri River NRD, one with public cost-share and one with private development cost-share. Today, these projects are known as Walnut Creek just south of Papillion and Newport Landing just west of Bennington.

The remaining 14 dams were reevaluated in a 2004 report titled "Multi-Reservoir Analysis Papillion Creek Watershed". Click here to download the report and detailed maps of each potential dam and reservoir.

Time is running out for flood control improvements within this densely-populated watershed. Increased urbanization has added to already serious flood and water quality concerns. The NRD is an active participant in the Papillion Creek Watershed Partnership (add link to papiopartnership.org). This group of eight cities, Sarpy and Douglas Counties and the NRD are working to find cost-effective, tax-saving solutions to EPA-mandated water quality issues and the ever-increasing threat of disastrous flooding. Cities included in the partnership include Omaha, Papillion, Bellevue, LaVista, Bennington, Gretna, Ralston, and Boys Town.

The District worked with a developer and the City of Omaha through a public/private partnership to construct Dam Site 13, located just west of 192nd Street between West Dodge Rd and the new Blondo St. Construction of this $8.2 million project was completed in 2006 and has been renamed Youngman Lake by the City of Omaha, who has incorporated it into a large regional park at the northwest corner of 192^nd and West Dodge.

Another effort to detain flood waters in the Papillion Creek Watershed involved working with two developers, the USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service and the City of Papillion to construct the Shadow Lake and Midlands Lake project just south of Highway 370 in Papillion, between 72^nd and 84^th Streets. By working in unison, these two reservoirs will reduce flooding on Midlands Creek and improve water quality. This project was completed in 2007 at a cost of $8.0 million and will ultimately be incorporated into the City of Papillion’s park system.

Another flood control structure in the Papillion Creek Watershed is presently in the planning/design stages for the area near 126^th and Cornhusker Road in Sarpy County. This structure will primarily provide benefits to the West Papillion Creek through Papillion’s and Bellevue’s jurisdiction. Construction may begin as early as sometime in 2010.

Pigeon Jones Creek Watershed

Located entirely in Dakota County, the Pigeon-Jones Creek Watershed flows out of the bluffs near Hubbard, Nebraska and then across the floodplain into the Missouri River. Controlling floodwaters and sediment from these steep and erosive bluffs is an important conservation effort. Currently,five structures have been completed. One of the dams remaining is only a mile southeast of Hubbard and is being planned as a multi-purpose reservoir to control flooding, detain sediment, and provide recreation.

Click here to view location details of the Pigeon Jones Creek Watershed.

Keeping People Away from Flood Waters

Nonstructural Flood Control

Historically, our nation's floodplains have been places for commerce and settlement. These broad, flat areas of land adjacent to our rivers and streams were naturally suited for building and travel. However, these same areas are also naturally prone to flooding - nature's way of reclaiming the river's or stream's total environment. There are numerous Nonstructural Flood Control programs utilized by the NRD. Read the information below for details.

Floodplain Management

Technical Assistance is available through our NRD to cities, counties, other zoning jurisdictions, developers, insurance agents and individuals seeking flood hazard information and recommendations on proper uses of our floodplains. More information on floodplain management throughout Nebraska can be found at www.dnr.ne.gov.

Flood Insurance Rate Maps

New Flood Insurance Rate Maps were issued in December of 2005 for Douglas and Sarpy County. View the links below for details.

• Sarpy County GIS Viewer
• Douglas County GIS Viewer
• NRD Map Maker
• FEMA Flood Map Viewer

Review the links below for details on other Insurance Rate Maps.

• FEMA Map Service Center

Electronic Flood Warning System

As part of the Big Papio Channel Project, a Flood Warning System for the Papio Creek Watershed was installed in 1994 to better monitor rainfall and high water in the Big, Little and West Papio Creeks. Now, up to the minute readings along streams are monitored by the National Weather Service and aid in flood detection and early warning.

Ice Jam Monitoring and Removal

Every winter, Papio NRD staff joins several other agencies across the state to monitor ice jam conditions along the Platte and Elkhorn Rivers at key locations. This produces weekly reports during the months from December to March which can be viewed online.

Floodway Purchase

The Floodway Purchase program, begun in 1990, reduces future flood damage through the purchase of land and property from willing sellers. This effort has already been highly successful in removing flood-prone buildings along the Missouri River south of Bellevue, NE. Once structures have been removed, the area is allowed to return to its natural floodplain functions. Over 100 structures along the Missouri River in Sarpy County have been removed.

In addition, the City of Omaha in cooperation with the NRD has acquired several flood-prone properties in South Omaha and also along Cole Creek.  The District has also begun acquiring flood prone properties along the Elkhorn River in the King Lake area of western Douglas County.  Two properties have been purchased to date.

Flood Mitigation Planning And Mapping Assistance

Being prepared for floods also means taking precautions ahead of time to prevent flood damage. However, most communities today don't have plans for such precautions. That is why the NRD has cost-shared with several communities throughout the District to study and prepare plans which will help them improve drainage-ways, remove flood-prone properties, or simply educate their citizens.

In 2006 the NRD worked with the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers and the State Department of Natural Resources to prepare a comprehensive All-Hazards plan for the entire District, including separate reports for each community and county. An update to this All-Hazards plan is scheduled for 2010.

In addition to these plans, the NRD has assisted Tekamah and Blair to update their floodplain studies and maps. Most recently, the USGS and NRD are working together with Homer to determine updated flood hazards.

Flood Map Modernization

The Papio NRD has also been working with FEMA as part of their Map Modernization Program to update Flood Insurance Studies using federal grant funds. This partnership combines local knowledge and experience with current national standards to produce highly accurate floodplain maps.

Updating floodplain maps for the West Papillion Creek and its tributaries is the NRD's first project due to the need for updated maps to manage the intense development occurring in northern Sarpy County and western Omaha.

For more Information on FLOOD CONTROL PROJECTS contact

Amanda Grint
Water Resources Engineer
402-444-6222
agrint@papionrd.org

or

Martin Cleveland
Construction Engineer
402-444-6222
mcleveland@papionrd.org