OMAHA, Nebraska – Approximately 75 directors and staff from Nebraska’s Natural Resources Districts convened in Omaha for the annual NRD Basin Tour hosted by the Papio-Missouri River Natural Resources District (Papio NRD) June 7-8, 2021.

“It was a pleasure hosting the Basin Tour this year to demonstrate the natural resource management opportunities and challenges facing the only metropolitan class city in the state,” said John Winkler, Papio NRD general manager. “We are an extremely active and diverse district with a great deal of flood control, recreation, conservation, and resource management projects and programs, so this was a great opportunity to highlight our efforts.”

Winkler, along with Marlin Petermann, assistant general manager, and Paul Woodward, groundwater management engineer, led the two-day tour showcasing several projects that protect lives and property in the Omaha Metropolitan area including unique flood control projects that provide multi-purpose benefits to local communities. 

Traditionally, the educational tour includes NRD directors and staff, state agency personnel and political representatives. Sen. Robert Clements joined the first day of the tour and was able to learn more about the unique natural resources challenges that face Legislative District 2.

“I enjoyed the very informative Papio NRD tour,” said Nebraska Sen. Robert Clements. “I learned much about flood control projects, which I had not known before.”

The tour included several stops and tours of conservation projects underway that protect both urban and rural natural resources. Some of the 2021 tour highlights included:

• 2019 Flooding Impacts
• Glacier Creek Preserve
• Groundwater Management Projects
• Multi-Purpose Flood Control Reservoirs
• Missouri and Platte Rivers Levee Systems
• Combined Sewer Overflow (CSO) Project Sites
• Bob Kerrey Pedestrian Bridge & Omaha Floodwall
• Offutt Air Force Base and U.S. Strategic Command (STRATCOM)

“Basin tours give NRD directors a unique look at the conservation challenges that are being faced around the state,” said Jim Eschliman, Nebraska Association of Resources Districts president and Lower Loup NRD director. “I enjoy seeing partnerships in action like Papio NRD’s work to protect critical infrastructure around Offutt Air Force Base.”

The NRD Basin Tour explores a different water basin each year. The hosting NRD showcases conservation projects, partnerships and the local communities in which they live and work. For more information on NRD events and activities, visit www.nrdnet.org.

The Papio-Missouri River Natural Resources District (Papio NRD) is a government entity that works to conserve, protect, and enhance natural resources within a six-county area of eastern Nebraska, which includes Sarpy, Douglas, Washington and Dakota counties and portions of Burt and Thurston counties. The Papio NRD is governed by a 11-member elected Board. Learn more about the Papio NRD at www.papionrd.org.

The Nebraska Association of Resources Districts (NARD), the trade association for Nebraska's 23 Natural Resources Districts (NRD), works with individual districts to protect lives, property and the future of Nebraska’s natural resources. NRDs are unique to Nebraska, and act as local government entities with broad responsibilities to protect Nebraska’s natural resources. Major Nebraska river basins form the boundaries of the 23 NRDs, enabling districts to respond to local conservation and resource management needs. Learn more about Nebraska’s NRDs at www.nrdnet.org.