Omaha Forums

Andrew wrote: If you want an example of where the land is telling people "Don't build here" then look no further than the city of New Orleans.

Omaha World Herald wrote:The ruling turned back an appeal by five Washington County landowners, including William Japp, president of a group fighting larger dams proposed in that county. Japp, who heads the Papio Valley Preservation Association, also is among 10 landowners who sued over a 58-acre lake built to accompany a planned "signature" Omaha city park at 192nd Street and West Dodge Road. One of the largest dams, in Washington County, would flood land owned by Japp and some of the other landowners.

Omaha World Herald wrote:Marlin Petermann, assistant general manager for the NRD, said five of those dams currently are priorities: a 215-acre reservoir near 180th and Ida Streets; a 47-acre reservoir near 168th Street and Military Avenue; a 75-acre reservoir near 144th Street and Highway 36; an 88-acre reservoir near 126th Street and Cornhusker Road; and a sediment control basin upstream of Lake Zorinksy.

The NRD has lobbied the Legislature in past years for bonding authority, which is the right to incur substantial long-term debt. Winkler told the legislators that the district needs to be able to incur debt to get the work done. A "pay as you go" approach won't work, he said. Douglas and Washington Counties oppose the dam construction plan and bonding authority for the NRD. They are working on a competing plan they say will cost less.

If the study concludes that dams are a bad investment, Douglas County will be in a stronger position to argue for alternative methods of cleaning up waterways and controlling flood waters, he said.

If the study finds that dams are a good idea but developers need to pay more for waterfront land, the public needs to know that, he said.

The study also will analyze the flood-damage estimates that the Papio-Missouri River Natural Resources District is using to justify its proposal to build up to 29 dams in the metro area. Duda said he thinks the NRD is overestimating the potential damage to property, but wants more than his hunch to take to the public.

The NRD has proposed spending up to $380 million to build up to 29 dams in the Omaha-metro area. Douglas County owes it to taxpayers to seek a second opinion before they are asked to ante up the money, Duda said.

LINCOLN - State lawmakers killed a bill today that would have allowed the Papio-Missouri River Natural Resources District to issue bonds to pay for dams and other water projects.

Senators voted 25-8 to table Legislative Bill 880 until the last day of the session. That would not leave enough time for the bill to be passed this year.

The vote ends the NRD's fourth attempt to gain bonding authority

Brad wrote:
We are playing with fire if we don't get these things built!  I bet we see a major flood within in the next decade.

almighty_tuna wrote:More dam plans

eomaha wrote:
From the World Herald...

The crown jewel would be a 1,900-acre lake northwest of Bennington - more than four times larger than Cunningham Lake and similar in size to Branched Oak Lake near Lincoln. The lake would stretch four miles from Washington to Kennard.