Little Salt Creek Watershed Project

• Project Introduction
• Provide project overview/background
• Describe federal funding from U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA)-Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS)
• Outline problems identified to-date by past planning projects
• Project Purpose and Need
• Existing conditions
• Potential project alternative development
• Opportunity to provide feedback about project

An online Public Scoping meeting was held on March 24, 2021. A recording of the online meeting is included at link below:

 Public Scoping Meeting Video Link from 3/24/2021 

This webpage was created to present online meeting information through text and interactive maps. At the bottom of the webpage, you have the opportunity to submit questions or comments and to select locations on the interactive map to share feedback. Team member contact information is also included if you would like to request a meeting with the project team.

The LSC Plan-EA will develop a watershed-scale plan for saline and freshwater wetland habitat enhancement and protection, erosion and sediment control projects, and stream stabilization in the watershed. NRCS is funding the plan development, which will adhere to federal guidelines and is scheduled to be completed by April 2022. The Lower Platte South Natural Resources District (LPSNRD) is the local sponsor agency. Once the plan is completed and authorization action is taken, federal funding for approved projects may be available.

In July 2019, the LPSNRD submitted a grant application to the USDA-NRCS through the Watershed and Flood Protection Operation (WFPO) program to address habitat enhancement and protection. Traditionally, the WFPO has funded flood prevention projects but has recently expanded toward other authorized uses including habitat improvements. In June 2020, WFPO funding was awarded to LPSNRD as local sponsor for development of a watershed plan environmental assessment.

The LSC Plan-EA will be prepared to meet National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) requirements related to federal funding for the plan through the WFPO Program.

• NRCS technical assistance in planning, design and construction
• Up to 100% federal funding support for planning, engineering design and construction, dependent on project type

To date, there have been two master planning efforts in the Little Salt Creek watershed. Both planning efforts were sponsored and led by the City of Lincoln and LPSNRD. The Little Salt Creek (LSC) Watershed Master Plan was completed in June 2009. The purpose of the plan was to outline long-term planning tools and improvement projects to address water quality, flood management, and stream stability to provide guidance for sustainable urban growth in the watershed. The planning process included two public open houses, input from a 16-member Citizen Advisory Committee, and input from a 14-member Technical Advisory Committee to address technical water resource issues in the watershed.

In December 2015, the Upper Little Salt Creek (ULSC) Saline Wetlands Master Plan was completed and outlined various saline wetland improvement projects (SWIPs) in the upper portion of the LSC watershed focused on six public properties. 

The map below shows the LSC Plan-EA planning area (watershed boundary), wetland management area boundaries, Eastern Nebraska saline wetlands, Salt Creek tiger beetle critical habitat (federally endangered species), Lincoln city limits, and stream lines within watershed.

The overall project goal is to support saline and freshwater wetland habitat enhancement and protection, wetland rehabilitation and erosion and sediment control projects in Little Salt Creek. The flexibility of project design components, specifically hydrologic control structures, will also provide site managers expanded flexibility to promote the natural flood buffering effects of wetlands.

This project is needed to minimize future degradation and loss of rare wetland habitats, preserve wetland functions and values, protect habitat of unique flora and fauna in the watershed and promote natural flood buffering effects of wetlands.

Potential rehabilitation and construction measures may include:

• Streambank protection
• Headcut protection
• Straightened channel realignment to historic meander
• Conservation buffers
• Instream grade controls
• Water level control structure installations and repairs
• Low-hazard berm construction and repairs
• Sediment detention traps
• Low-water crossings for manager access
• Streamside habitat creation
• Mainstem Little Salt Creek grade control

To help evaluate reasonable alternatives and their impacts, it is important to review the existing conditions in the watershed. The interactive map includes a number of layers that show saline and freshwater wetlands, Little Salt Creek and tributaries, critical habitat, potential interventions, etc. Zoom in and out of the map with (+) or (-). Zooming in will activate more map details. The layer menu button is in bottom left corner of map.

A no action alternative would not include wetland enhancement and protection projects. As required by NEPA, the no action alternative will be evaluated as a baseline comparison. The no action alternative could lead to:

• Saline and freshwater wetland degradation and loss
• Loss of threatened and endangered species habitat
• Ongoing failure of degraded existing wetland infrastructure
• Streambed incision and adjacent wetland water table declines
• Headcutting and lowered wetland water table
• Wetland sedimentation
• Water quality degradation

The project benefits and costs analysis will quantify benefits such as but not limited to:

• Saline and freshwater wetland functions and values
• Flora and fauna habitat
• Stream stability
• Sediment and erosion control
• Recreation
• Flood buffering
• Access improvements to grazing areas for private lease on public lands

The LSC Plan-EA process will include two opportunities for public comment. The first is the online public scoping meeting (3/24/2021) which is the focus of this webpage. There will be another public meeting once the Draft LSC Plan-EA is completed and that is planned to occur in October-November 2021.

To provide Public Comment on this webpage, click the "New Feature" icon and move cursor over the map to add comment, your name, email, and address. Public comments can also be submitted to contact information below.

You can also provide comments directly to:

402-476-2729 or dschulz@lpsnnrd.org

or

402-435-5441 or gcoke@flatwatergroup.com