The Elkhorn/Platte River Valley: A geographic barrier to Omaha's westward moving sprawl? Or, future low-land suburbia?

[RockHarbor]

Occasionally, I need a "breather" from Omaha, and I may take a short drive up to Fremont, or something. Every time I descend downhill on the geographic ridge just west of Elkhorn on Dodge or Maple, and drive through low, flat towns like Valley or Waterloo, I question: Will this ever be fully-developed suburban areas in Omaha's future? It's not that difficult to picture; there's already developments being built down there. Many nice homes sit on slightly elevated, mounded ground around lakes, ect. Also, the decent-sized town of Fremont also sits flat on that same flood plain.

Growing up, back in years where the city ended around 168th Street, there was still plenty of high, rolling farmland left to develop west of town. But now, new suburbia is spilling past 204th, and there is less & less of our usual land left. Not really noticing this coming limitation in my youth, my mindset was: "Omaha will always move west." But now, I'm not so sure. At first, the realization of this possible geographic block to our city's usual westward expansion slightly took me back 6 years ago. I've now accepted it, and have formed a different mindset. For example, I am no longer expecting Omaha to be out to "308th Street" in 50 years.

There are good examples of developed, flat, low metros out there -- like Chicago, Miami-Fort Lauderdale, ect. Low, flood zones of even suburban St. Louis have been developed nicely (i.e. west of Chesterfield, MO). Maybe they will develop it all someday, and we'll have this new section of Omaha suburbia resembling those areas? It might be kind of cool actually, and give the Omaha area some added variety.

Do you think Omaha suburban development will ultimately:

A) Stay all on higher farmland east of the Elkhorn/Platte River Valley. Most won't want to build down in the flood plain areas.
B) Continue west, spreading through the flood plain areas, finally continuing onward on higher farmland again on the other side by Yutan
C) Jump the valley completely and start back up again on the other side, by towns like Yutan

Thanks for your input. (Image from Google Maps)

[GRANDPASMUCKER]

I could imagine the city would someday grow all the way out to the Platte River from Bellevue to Fremont. I also believe that could take another 100 years from now to come to fruition. The wild card I see in the deal is illegal immigration. That wall that Donald Trump has so many of us praying be built will in fact never happen. Instead the politicians controlled by greedy big business will continue to welcome the illegals in. At some point there are going to be more of them then us and this will be their country and their city to run. Will the hispanics continue to build Omaha out as they take over or will Omaha become a vast ghetto wasteland like Mexico City with people packed in dense areas like rats. Like I said the illegal immigrants are a real wild card. You might even get a huge surge of white flight as the illegals come in and fill up the inner city and suburbs and the whites move out to Springfield, Gretna, Elkhorn and Valley.

[waldorf]

For the time being I would think this would be true. Omaha's growth seems slow and steady enough that geographic barriers to infrastructure expansion can really stall growth beyond them. For instance look at 680 east of 72nd street. It still looks much the same as when the interstate went through (heck it still looks much the same as it did when Florence was annexed....) The reason I've heard why that is, is because the cost to extend utilities out their is just not worth the expense and the same is probably true for the elkhorn river (I assume Waterloo either can't or won't expand their utilities.) This discussion always makes me realize that compared to other cities Omaha doesn't really sprawl out very far. Doing quick measurements on google almost all of the developed omaha would fit in a box 17 x 25 miles (17 from Florence to Offut, 25 from Iowa West CC to the Elkhorn River) Tulsa is not much bigger population wise but would need a 30 x 25 box. Des Moines is smaller and would need about the same size box (18 x 24) whats more over that 17 miles north-south is the maximum, most of the city is not nearly that far north or south as you head west.

[daveoma]

THANK YOU FOR BRINGING THIS UP! I definitely think this will happen and I think the effect will be a more densely developed Omaha. Personally, I feel the Platte river valley is stunningly gorgeous and is one of the understated natural gems of the Omaha area. I REALLY hope this area is preserved and not tainted with development. I would love to see they undeveloped portions of the valley could become a giant perimeter of parks on the south and west sides of the Omaha area. Higher property values anyone?

[iamjacobm]

I think we will continue to see the high end lake home developments in this area. A couple more in the works right now if I remember correctly.

The fastest growth is going to be in Sarpy along the I-80 corridor for the next few decades.

[RockHarbor]

Thanks for the replies. (And, moderators: Sorry you had to move this. After I posted it, it hit me that it belonged in this section, not the "Suburban Omaha" section simply because it is not an actual project. I figured it would be moved. Sorry about that...)

It is interesting hearing different ideas/perspectives on what will unfold. I never even thought about subjects like immigrants, and stuff... Maybe you're right.

Utilities: I don't know anything about that, so it is interesting hearing how much more expensive it is to install those things north of Omaha in the hilly & woodsy Ponca Hills area. Makes sense. I didn't even think of that. I wonder if it will be as costly down in that low valley?

Yes, I totally understand the desire to see it preserved as nature & farmland -- a nice break from Omaha's suburban rolling landscape of houses, big box stores, and retail. (When I was a kid, we would go to Two Rivers SP, and occasionally, I still drive out there to feel that sense of camping & relaxation and stop in the little store to get a soda.)

Development continuing down there, but most going on in Sarpy County: That probably isn't too far off... It could be that development will be slower in the valley straight west of the metro, but still happen altogether, while other areas speed-up and become the new hot spots.

Although beautiful in its own way down there, I'm not exactly a fan (myself) of living down there -- just as I'm not one to live in a Louisiana swamp. I just don't like lowlands next to a river. Like Council Bluffs' basements can flood when the Missouri starts to, I would always have that concern having a basement in that environment. Although they mound the houses up a bit, I still don't see how that will take care of that threat completely. I have to say, though, in the evening, when the sun gets lower and reflects on water, I do like those nice lake neighborhoods down there.

If it is all developed, I've decided that I'll just simply enjoy them as flat, water/canal-dotted suburbs, almost like what we see for miles around Miami and Fort Lauderdale. Who knows, maybe around here it will start sounding like Southern California. "Oh, so you live in the Valley?"

We'll have to see what happens...

P.S. It's so funny how this valley is hardly discernible on the Google Map satellite aerial, yet in person, it is definitely a low, broad dip between two distant bluff-like ridges. It feels like a different world than Omaha -- like Omaha is nowhere nearby (to me). If you're not used to it (like the people who commute from Fremont & Valley are), it almost feels strange at first -- almost like you've been transported to a different state, like Western Kansas. If you look a NW direction from Waterloo & Valley, the flat landscape looks endless. It is kind of exhilarating to me.

[jessep28]

FEMA limits what can be built in a floodplain for flood insurance purposes.

[RockHarbor]

FEMA limits what can be built in a floodplain for flood insurance purposes.

Good point. I didn't really even think of that. In one way, I'm surprised that I didn't, as I know homes in a FEMA-designated flood area need flood insurance -- which annoy some, because those FEMA boundaries can sometimes change, and suddenly put somebody in a Flood Zone. In another way, I'm not surprised it didn't come to mind, as I see those nice developments down there already, and entire towns (like Fremont) sitting on that same low plain, so I just assume others can built there if they want. Now that you've mentioned this, I'm wondering what kind of limit may be in place. (?) Again, good point.

The rhythm here has always been to build west, move west. So, it is difficult for me to imagine that aspect of Omaha completely fading and be snuffed-out by this geographic barrier to our west. I'm sure it will at least shift things a bit, though.

[BRoss]

The rhythm here has always been to build west, move west. So, it is difficult for me to imagine that aspect of Omaha completely fading and be snuffed-out by this geographic barrier to our west. I'm sure it will at least shift things a bit, though.

I'm sure the westward growth will stop for a long time until Omaha expands further north. Past Valley, it can grow up beyond 312th St.

[RockHarbor]

The rhythm here has always been to build west, move west. So, it is difficult for me to imagine that aspect of Omaha completely fading and be snuffed-out by this geographic barrier to our west. I'm sure it will at least shift things a bit, though.

I'm sure the westward growth will stop for a long time until Omaha expands further north. Past Valley, it can grow up beyond 312th St.

Yeah, I'm sure you're right. It still almost hits me weird that this "marching west" aspect of Omaha, that has been there from the start of our town, is possibly changing, although my mind is adjusted by now. To me, that is a huge change in Omaha, although nobody seems to really care this is changing (but me).

Maybe it is best we have that geographic barrier, so our city doesn't get out of hand. If it weren't there, I would bet we would keep moving west as usual, and the Douglas/Sarpy line would keep playing a part helping to funnel it west, as it has, and Omaha would eventually become this unbalanced, very rectangle-shaped, built-up urban area.

Still, I admit: I still want us to keep moving west. That's always been an aspect of Omaha I have loved. One main direction desired to grow is not found in all towns, although most towns have their most popular edge to continue to put-in new housing.

[cdub]

There are a lot of reasons for development to stay out of the valley. As has been pointed out, federal guidelines are more strict than ever about developing in a flood plain. In addition, I would expect the provision of sewer will continue to be addressed in areas that flow naturally into our existing system. There is enough such ground to last a good long time. Once we get to that point, who knows. The system will likely be near capacity, so expansion AND pumping from the valley should still be a healthy dissuasion.

[RockHarbor]

There are a lot of reasons for development to stay out of the valley. As has been pointed out, federal guidelines are more strict than ever about developing in a flood plain. In addition, I would expect the provision of sewer will continue to be addressed in areas that flow naturally into our existing system. There is enough such ground to last a good long time. Once we get to that point, who knows. The system will likely be near capacity, so expansion AND pumping from the valley should still be a healthy dissuasion.

Interesting. Part of me doesn't care if it is, or isn't, developed. Part of me wants a suburban flatland west of Omaha (that looks like the flat suburban Chicago area or something), and part of me wants it just left alone. However, I can't imagine places like Fremont & Valley & Waterloo not continuing to grow at least some. So, I'm sure some development will continue to occur -- it is just a matter of how much, imo.

[MTO]

With a flood plane to our west, hills to our north and east, a ridge to our south west I think (I hope) the metro puts more effort into infill. Although I'm sure parts of Sarpy and north west Omaha will have an uptick of sprawl it beats the race west we had for the past decades.

[RockHarbor]

With a flood plane to our west, hills to our north and east, a ridge to our south west I think (I hope) the metro puts more effort into infill. Although I'm sure parts of Sarpy and north west Omaha will have an uptick of sprawl it beats the race west we had for the past decades.

There is a lovely ridge to our SW. I've noticed it! If you drive on 114th or 120th south into Sarpy County towards the Platte River, you will see it. I do think I've noticed Omaha has put effort into infill. There are several areas around town I've noticed this.