Omaha, NE. – The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers’ (USACE) draft programmatic environmental assessment (PEA) for Public Law (PL) 84-99 levee rehabilitation following 2024 flooding in Iowa, Missouri, Nebraska, and South Dakota within the Omaha District is currently available for public review. The PEA evaluates the environmental impacts of structural levee repairs that will occur to address damages to levee systems eligible for PL 84-99 assistance, following the flooding events in May and June 2024. Damages to levee systems following these flood events compromise the level of flood protection the levees provide and pose a risk to property and life safety. Repairs to these levee systems are needed to address this risk to property and life safety by restoring a level of protection to the leveed area.
This draft PEA is consistent with the NEPA Environmental Policy Act (NEPA), as amended; the Corps’ regulations for implementing NEPA (33 CFR 230 and Engineering Regulation 200-2-2); the Army Regulation 500-60, Disaster Relief; Engineer Regulation 1130-2-530, Flood Control Operations and Maintenance Policies; and other applicable environmental laws and regulations.
Background: During the spring months of 2024, specifically late March through June, east central Nebraska, west central Iowa, northwest Iowa, southeast South Dakota, and southwest Minnesota saw generally wet conditions with numerous weather systems resulting in above normal precipitation. In the USACE Omaha District, widespread damage to levees largely in the form of scouring and sand boil under seepage occurred along the Missouri River and its tributaries as a result of this flood event, resulting in damage to over 30 levee systems within Iowa, Missouri, Nebraska and South Dakota.
The public is encouraged to provide comments on the draft PEA. The draft PEA is available for viewing at: https://usace.contentdm.oclc.org/utils/getfile/collection/p16021coll7/id/27747
Comments can be mailed to:
To submit a comment, please email: CENWO-CW-PlanningOutreach@usace.army.mil
Or mail to:
U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Omaha District
ATTN: CENWO-PMA-C (2024 Flooding PEA)
1616 Capitol Ave
Omaha, NE 68102