LENRD board votes to help West Point with flood control levee

At their July meeting, the Lower Elkhorn Natural Resources District (LENRD) Board of Directors voted to help the city of West Point with their levee certification project.  The city’s current levee along the Elkhorn River is not designed to exceed the current 100-year flood standard.  This project will allow West Point to bring its levee into compliance.  The project is expected to be finished by 2021 with an estimated cost of $3.5 million.  The board voted to provide 50% cost-share with the city for the project.

The board also voted to start a sinking fund for the levee project.  LENRD General Manager, Mike Sousek, said, “We’re looking at $1.7 million over the next four years, so the board has voted to start a savings account now for the project to protect the future of this community.”

LENRD Projects Manager, Curt Becker, said, “This levee project will prevent hundreds of homes and businesses from being placed in the flood plain.  We are not only working to protect the community from future flood events, but also to prevent the required annual flood insurance costs.”

In other action, the board directed staff to secure suitable locations for two Automated Data Weather Network (ADWN) stations.  The LENRD has the opportunity to obtain equipment for the establishment of additional monitoring locations with no up-front costs.  Staff will cooperate with the Nebraska State Climate Office to provide funds to cover the annual maintenance fees as necessary.

The next monthly board meeting will be held on Thursday, August 24th at 7:30 p.m., beginning with the public hearing on the proposed fiscal year 2018 budget.