Lower Elkhorn NRD hosts open house event for Flood Risk Reduction Plan

BATTLE CREEK, Neb. - The Lower Elkhorn NRD held an open house event at Battle Creek High School for people to ask questions about their Flood Risk Reduction Plan on Thursday.

The goal is to combat the flood events that have been happening in Battle Creek the past few decades. If passed by the Board of Directors, a dam and levy would be built southwest of Battle Creek.

Construction wouldn't begin until 2028 and the NRD predicts it would be done in 2032. The project is expected to cost $58 million and is eligible for federal funding. The board passed the first step of the plan in 2020.

"In 2020, we restarted the process to evaluate the watershed, to identify options that would be technically feasible, technically could be built," General Manager Brian Bruckner said. "And then also identify an option that could leverage federal funds to help pay the bill."

The Battle Creek Watershed has approximately 58,000 acres and the City of Battle Creek is the only community within that watershed.

Plans are developed through the Watershed Flood Prevention Operations program. The board expects to vote on the item by the end of the calendar year.

Editor's Note: This article was corrected to correctly list the size of the project and the expected time of the vote.