LINCOLN, Nebraska – The Lower Platte South Natural Resources District (LPSNRD) Board of Directors has approved a $33.8 million Fiscal Year 2022 Budget.  The approval on Thursday, followed public hearings and other opportunities for public input since June. The budget’s property tax requirement is the same as in the last two fiscal years, $10,156,870, despite a slight increase (less than 1 percent) in the total budget amount. With increased property valuations across the district’s six-county area, the tax levy of $0.027224 per $100 of actual valuation, is 9.33 percent lower than in Fiscal Year 2021. LPSNRD Treasurer Bob Andersen said, “The Board approved a budget that continues our commitment to flood management, conservation, recreation, and education, without a property tax increase.”   

The budget includes $2.3 million for streambank repairs along Antelope Creek, from 40th Street to Scott Avenue. Another $700,000 is in the budget for replacement of aging drainage pipes on Antelope Creek. The budget also continues LPSNRD’s partnership in the Deadmans Run Flood Reduction Project from 48th Street to Cornhusker Highway ($1.6 million). The multi-year project will remove about 500 homes and businesses from the 100-year floodplain. LPSNRD is a partner in the $25 million project, along with the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers and the City of Lincoln.

The budget supports many other programs and projects through next June to manage and protect natural resources. Funding to continue updating Lincoln’s Salt Creek Levee, which protects many Lincoln businesses and neighborhoods from flooding, totals approximately $1.3 million.  Approximately $790,000 will fund completion of the rehabilitation of a flood control dam near Sprague, Upper Salt 3-A. The project included the realignment of Southwest 2nd Street.

The budget also assures maintenance of LPSNRD’s Homestead Trail ($900,000) and continued development of the Prairie Corridor on Haines Branch ($650,000), a ten-mile prairie preservation corridor between Lincoln’s Pioneers Park and Spring Creek Prairie, south of Denton, with future access to Conestoga Lake. Approximately $1.9 million is in the budget for landowner cost-share assistance for surface water quality practices (terrace systems, buffer strips, cover crops, etc.) and $415,000 is available to cost-share with communities on various projects through our Community Assistance Program.

In other action the Board:

• Approved an agreement with the City of Lincoln Parks & Recreation Department to support the Pioneers Park Nature Center’s Prairie Immersion and School Tour programs (not to exceed $40,000/year)
• Approved support for the Prairie Immersion Program at Spring Creek Audubon Center (not to exceed $10,000/year)
• Approved 72 cost-share applications for fall conservation projects by landowners ($886,278)
• Approved a professional services agreement for the repair of a slide gate flood control structure along Salt Creek, near South Street ($31,000)
• Authorized the filming of a television commercial by Ameritas along the MoPac East Trail
• Approved the purchase of GPS survey equipment ($30,000)
• Extended the terms of a vadose zone agreement with the University of Nebraska-Lincoln
• Approved a construction contract with Husker Grading, of Burwell, for the repair of Wilson Dam, east of Avoca ($50,000)
• Approved a construction contract with Subsurface Inc., of Moorhead, MN for the repair of  Upper Salt Dam 4-A, east of Sprague ($56,400)
• Approved a professional services agreement for engineering services for repairs at Upper Salt Dam 5-7, near Hallam ($27,500)

The annual Tax Request Public Hearing on the FY 2022 Budget will be Tuesday, Sept. 7, starting at 7 PM at the district office, 3125 Portia Street, in Lincoln. The next regular meeting of the LPSNRD Board of Directors will be Wednesday, Sept. 15, 2021, beginning at 7 PM at the district office. The public is encouraged to attend both meetings.