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A new federal initiative helps fast-track projects for the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, including several based in the Heartland and along the Missouri River.The Omaha District of the Corps of Engineers serves to help civil projects like levee and dam building, in addition to drafting plans to design and construct military projects like updates to Offutt Airbase. Col. Robert Newbauer, Commander of the USACE Omaha District, says the initiative supports their ongoing projects to mitigate flood risks.”From down here, Omaha, down to even Kansas City, we have a system of federal and nonfederal levees that protect the communities on both,” Newbauer said. New initiative fast-tracks Army Corps of Engineers Omaha projectsNewbauer said the Corps of Engineers helps build and operate a system of levees and dams along the Missouri River. In total, the office estimates that over $15 billion in damage costs have been prevented since construction.”We use the term called flood risk mitigation,” Newbauer said. “I talked about being able to store water upstream. Well, what happens, at some point, it’s like a bathtub. You don’t want that to overflow. You have to let the water out in a controlled manner.”He said this includes a current project to add new infrastructure in Peru, Nebraska, after the 2019 floods.”By putting this new infrastructure right along the river that gives them some level of certainty that should we get a large rain event, should we get a large water event downstream, that it’s going to protect that land they’ve harvested,” Newbauer said.The initiative will also support ongoing projects outside of flood mitigation. The USACE Omaha District currently works with Nebraska cities to harness hydropower, and also engineers and drafts plans for military bases like Offutt Air Base. Make sure you can always see the latest news, weather, sports and more from KETV NewsWatch 7 on Google search.NAVIGATE: Home | Weather | Local News | National | Sports | Newscasts on demand |
A new federal initiative helps fast-track projects for the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, including several based in the Heartland and along the Missouri River.
The Omaha District of the Corps of Engineers serves to help civil projects like levee and dam building, in addition to drafting plans to design and construct military projects like updates to Offutt Airbase. Col. Robert Newbauer, Commander of the USACE Omaha District, says the initiative supports their ongoing projects to mitigate flood risks.
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“From down here, Omaha, down to even Kansas City, we have a system of federal and nonfederal levees that protect the communities on both,” Newbauer said.
New initiative fast-tracks Army Corps of Engineers Omaha projects
Newbauer said the Corps of Engineers helps build and operate a system of levees and dams along the Missouri River. In total, the office estimates that over $15 billion in damage costs have been prevented since construction.
“We use the term called flood risk mitigation,” Newbauer said. “I talked about being able to store water upstream. Well, what happens, at some point, it’s like a bathtub. You don’t want that to overflow. You have to let the water out in a controlled manner.”
He said this includes a current project to add new infrastructure in Peru, Nebraska, after the 2019 floods.
“By putting this new infrastructure right along the river that gives them some level of certainty that should we get a large rain event, should we get a large water event downstream, that it’s going to protect that land they’ve harvested,” Newbauer said.
The initiative will also support ongoing projects outside of flood mitigation. The USACE Omaha District currently works with Nebraska cities to harness hydropower, and also engineers and drafts plans for military bases like Offutt Air Base.
Make sure you can always see the latest news, weather, sports and more from KETV NewsWatch 7 on Google search.
NAVIGATE: Home | Weather | Local News | National | Sports | Newscasts on demand |
