Lower Big Blue NRD Secures $8.3 M for Flood Reduction Infrastructure

LINCOLN, Nebraska – For more than 70 years, the Little Indian Watershed in Gage County has helped protect communities and agricultural land from flooding. Now, new flood control infrastructure is planned to provide continued protection as many of the existing watershed structures reach the end of their design life.

The Lower Big Blue Natural Resources District’s Watershed and Flood Prevention Operations (WFPO) project was selected to receive $8.3 million in federal funding through the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS). The award will allow the district to move forward with final design and permitting.

“NRCS is pleased to provide financial assistance to the Lower Big Blue NRD for design of the Little Indian Creek Watershed Project,” said NRCS Nebraska State Conservationist Rob Lawson. “One of our top priorities is assisting local sponsors in identifying and completing watershed projects for natural resource enhancements and public safety.”

The Little Indian Watershed is a tributary of the Big Blue River in north-central Gage County and includes portions of Beatrice, Cortland and Pickrell. The 48,425-acre watershed is home to a network of flood control dams constructed decades ago. The original Little Indian project began in 1953 as one of the nation’s early PL-566 pilot watershed projects.

The Watershed Protection and Flood Prevention Act, often referred to as PL-566, authorizes NRCS to help local organizations and units of government plan and implement watershed projects.

That early flood protection brought a greater sense of security and confidence to communities noted Lower Big Blue NRD General Manager Scott Sobotka

“Areas that had frequently flooded could now support new development,” Sobotka said. “The investment in flood protection helped create economic growth while providing protection for people, property and agricultural land. These federal funds are a great example of NRCS’s commitment to fund new flood protection infrastructure, which will continue to reduce flood damage for decades to come.”

The new project calls for construction of 24 dams, including 21 that will utilize existing dam footprints. Together, the structures will provide flood protection across more than 25 square miles of drainage area. The estimated total construction cost is $29 million, with the local sponsor responsible for approximately $1.6 million. The design phase is estimated at three years with construction to begin in 2030.

“This investment is particularly important as many of the existing structures have exceeded their original design life,” Sobotka said. “This is one of many projects that demonstrate why continued investment in watershed infrastructure is essential.”

The Lower Big Blue Natural Resources District headquartered in Beatrice serves southeast Nebraska in the lower portion of the Big Blue River Basin. The NRD includes parts of Gage, Jefferson, Pawnee and Saline counties.

Photo Caption: From left, NRCS State Conservation Engineer Allen Gehring, Lower Big Blue NRD Chairman Chad Weichel, Lower Big Blue NRD Director Steve Kelley, NRCS State Conservationist Rob Lawson, Lower Big Blue NRD Director Larry Barta, Lower Big Blue NRD General Manager Scott Sobotka, Lower Big Blue NRD Director Bruce Weise, NRCS Assistant State Conservationist Melissa Baier, and Lower Big Blue NRD Director Robert Lorenz.