December 11, 2018
Their worries have a long history.
For nearly 50 years, rural residents outside Omaha have battled governments intent on damming creeks on the residents’ land for reservoirs that would help reduce urban flood risks.
First it was the Army Corps of Engineers, beginning in the late 1960s. Then it was the Papio-Missouri River Natural Resources District, beginning in 2004.
Now, the two government agencies are collaborating on a $3 million, three-year study of flood risks in the greater Omaha metro area. Both government agencies have the authority to use eminent domain, and the return of the corps brings into play the federal government’s deep pockets.
