Cedar Creek Omaha (F&W)

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Cedar Creek Omaha (F&W) Restoration Information

Background: The Cedar Creek (Omaha F&W) – Platte River Right Bank Levee System was damaged during the 2019 Flood Event, leading to the Project Sponsor submitting a Public Law (PL) 84-99 Rehabilitation Assistance request to the US Army Corps of Engineers – Omaha District.

Current Action: Close out the construction contract.

Restoration Activities:

	Full Repair Contract
Contractor	Midwest Construction from Nebraska City, NE
Contract Amount	$1,343,000
Contract Award	October 4, 2019
Construction Start	Late October 2019
Completion	December 12, 2019

Status Updates:

10 January 2020 - Work on the Cedar Creek levee repair contract is complete.

18 December 2019 - Work on the Cedar Creek levee repair contract is complete with final inspection occurring on 12 December 2019. The team is currently working on closing out the contract.

06 December 2019 - The contractor is currently 97 percent complete with levee repair work. The pre-final inspection was conducted on 25 November 2019 with final inspection tentatively scheduled for the week of 09 December 2019.

22 November 2019 - The contractor is placing riprap and bedding materials at two of the three damage locations, seeding the third damage location and is expected to be substantially complete with repairs by the end of the month.

08 November 2019 - The contractor mobilized to the site on 30 October 2019 and has begun work on repairing the levee.

24 October 2019 - The pre-construction team meeting was held on 16 October 2019 with notice to proceed issued on the same day. The contractor is scheduled to mobilize to the site to begin repairs on 28 October 2019.

13 October 2019 - Pre-construction team meeting is scheduled for the week of 14 October 2019, at which time it is anticipated notice to proceed with repairs will be issued and the contractor can begin the repair work.

04 October 2019 – The levee repair contract was awarded to Midwest Construction of Nebraska City, NE in the amount of $1,343,000 on 04 October 2019. The repair is estimated to be complete in mid April 2020.

27 September 2019 – Funds to repair the Cedar Creek levee system have been received. The construction contract is scheduled to be awarded by 04 October 2019.

13 September 2019 – The bid opening occurred on 04 Sep 2019. It is anticipated that this project will be awarded within a few weeks, pending receipt of project funding from USACE HQ.

04 September 2019 – Correction. The bid opening was conducted on 04 Sep 2019 and the team is anticipating awarding the construction contract by mid-to-late September.

29 August 2019 – A construction contract to repair the Cedar Creek levee system was advertised to pre-qualified contractors on 21 August 2019 with award anticipated around 04 September 2019. The pre-qualified contractors conducted a site visit on 29 August 2019 to view the scope of work on site in order to make an accurate bid.

23 August 2019 – The team is on scheduled to be done with the E&D process late summer. The project was advertised to the pre-qualified Contractor Pool on 21 August 2019 with award anticipated around 04 September 2019.

05 August 2019 – Engineering and Design (E&D) work continues for rehabilitating the Cedar Creek levee system. The team is still anticipating to be done with the E&D process by late summer.

16 July 2019 – An initial site damage assessment and economic analysis has been completed. From this initial assessment the USACE team has determined that there are damages to the levee system that are eligible for PL 84-99 Rehabilitation Assistance. Engineering and Design (E&D) work is on-going for rehabilitating the Cedar Creek Levee System. The team is anticipating to be done with the E&D process for repairing the damage identified by the late-summer 2019.

NOAA River Level Observations & Forecasts

NOAA Water Gauge Levels

Cedar Creek Omaha (F&W) Levee Imagery

Final inspection of Cedar Creek levee repair, Dec. 12, 2019

Cedar Creek Plan In-hand Review Aug. 7, 2019

USACE Engineering and Construction Team and the Local Levee Sponsor conducting the Plan In-Hand Review on the Cedar Creek Levee Aug. 7, 2019.

Cedar Creek levee May 16, 2019

Erosion and scour along the riverside channel bank extending into the levee section at Cedar Creek levee May 16, 2019.

Cedar Creek levee May 16, 2019

Minor damage to the levee crest due to high water overtopping the Cedar Creek levee May 16, 2019.

Cedar Creek Site Visit Aug. 29, 2019

Pre-qualified contractors conduct a site visit at the Cedar Creek levee on Aug. 29, 2019 to view the scope of work on site in order to make an accurate bid.

Video Gallery

Video by Capt. Jennifer French

Sky Soldier Pioneers Female Mentorship for Aspiring Ranger School Candidates

173rd Airborne Brigade

Dec. 20, 2024 | 6:54

VICENZA, Italy — For 1st Lt. Elle Bennett, the decision to attend Ranger School was a chance to push her limits and prove her capabilities—not just to others, but to herself. Now, the Sky Soldier is giving back by helping other women prepare for the rigorous program through a new female mentorship initiative.

Bennett, who graduated from Ranger School in February 2024, is among the few officers to earn the coveted Ranger tab on her first attempt. She described her experience as both grueling and transformative.

“First of all, I shaved my head, and I was bald—and that was fun,” Bennett said, reflecting on the moment many Ranger candidates face at the start of their journey. “I saw it as an opportunity to prove what I could do to myself.”

The 61-day course, known as one of the U.S. Army’s toughest leadership schools, challenges candidates to their physical, mental, and emotional limits. For Bennett, the initial phase was a critical test of her readiness.

“It took a lot of grit,” she said. “The first week is just testing your physical fitness. Can you make it through? Do you have the basic soldier skills?”

Ranger School goes beyond fitness assessments. It tests the candidate’s ability to lead and perform under some of the harshest conditions imaginable.

“The rest of it to me was like, are you a good teammate when you’re wet, tired, cold, hungry?” Bennett said.
“Can you still do your job under those conditions? How much can you just suck for two months?”

Bennett’s determination and resilience earned her the tab and a newfound perspective on leadership. Inspired by her journey, she established a mentorship program for female soldiers aiming to follow in her footsteps. The program provides guidance, training advice, and morale support tailored to the unique challenges women face in the traditionally male-dominated course.

Bennett hopes her efforts will lead to more women earning the Ranger tab and breaking barriers in the Army.
“It’s about proving to yourself and your team that you can lead under pressure,” Bennett said.

The 173rd Airborne Brigade serves as the U.S. Army's Contingency Response Force in Europe, providing rapidly deployable forces to U.S. European, African, and Central Command areas of responsibility. Forward deployed in Italy and Germany, the brigade routinely trains with NATO allies and partners to build relationships and strengthen the alliance.

(U.S. Army video by Capt. Jennifer French)