OMAHA, Neb. -- Five public scoping meetings are scheduled along the Lower Missouri River Basin to provide an update on the ongoing Lower Missouri River Basin Flood Risk and Resiliency Study, also called the system plan, in July. The meetings will be co-hosted by the Omaha District and the Kansas City District, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers.
The historic 2019 flood on the Missouri River caused billions of dollars in damages to agriculture and infrastructure in communities in the states of Iowa, Nebraska, Kansas and Missouri. During the 2019 flood, these states formed a four-state coalition called the Flood Recovery Advisory Working Group. The goal was to develop actions in the aftermath of the 2019 flood to reduce system risk and recurring damages, improve system resiliency for the future and improve interagency collaboration.
After receiving authorization through Section 216 of the Water Resources Development Act of 2020, the initial feasibility study was expanded to a broader lower basin effort. In partnership with Iowa, Nebraska, Kansas and Missouri, the system plan will coordinate with basin states, Tribes, stakeholders, levee districts, other agencies and the public to create a vision for a more resilient future for the Lower Missouri River Basin, with a focus on flood risk management.
The same WRDA 2020 authorization allows for site-specific feasibility studies, or spin-off studies, in priority flood risk areas to begin the feasibility study prior to completion of the system plan. Initial sites selected for spin-off studies include Holt County, Brunswick and Jefferson City in Missouri.
Outcomes of the system plan will include system analysis providing context to the initial spin-off studies, identify and recommend any additional spin-off feasibility studies and their locations, identify potential policy recommendations that would support the system and potential actions for local stakeholders.
The public is encouraged to attend the scoping meetings, provide comments and ask questions. Information for the upcoming meetings is below:
July 11: Virtual Public Scoping Meeting - 12:00 p.m. - 1:00 p.m. CST - https://usace1.webex.com/meet/lomoriverstudy
July 17: Meeting Room B, Council Bluffs Public Library, 400 Willow Ave, Council Bluffs, Iowa, 51503; 5:30 p.m. - 7:30 p.m. CST
July 18: Morton-James Public Library, 923 1st Corso Road, Nebraska City, Nebraska; 5:30 p.m. - 7:30 p.m. CST
July 19: Missouri Department of Natural Resources, 1730 E. Elm Street, Jefferson City, Missouri, 65101; 5:30 p.m. - 7:30 p.m. CST
July 20: Benedictine College, Ferrell Academic Center, 1020 N 2nd St, Atchison, Kansas, 66002; 5:30 p.m. - 7:30 p.m. CST
For more information about the public scoping meetings or the system plan, in general, please visit Lower Missouri River Basin (army.mil).