News
New Flood Mitigation Reservoir to be Named in Honor of Chief Big Elk of Omaha Tribe
The Papio-Missouri River Natural Resources District Board of Directors today voted unanimously to name Papillion’s new flood mitigation reservoir Big Elk Lake in honor of Chief Big Elk, a principal leader of the Omaha tribe.
Chief Big Elk was a leader of the Omaha tribe on the upper Missouri River where we live now,” said Papio NRD Director Kevyn Sopinski, who represents Subdistrict 10. “Big Elk played an important role in Sarpy County history and naming this flood mitigation reservoir after him is a meaningful way to not only commemorate the historical imprint Big Elk left, but keep it alive by educating others on this great leader’s life, death, and all he accomplished in between,” said Sopinski.
The Papio NRD Board of Directors agreed with Sopinski’s name proposal and today voted during its June board meeting to name the new Papillion reservoir (previously referred to as WP7), located near 108th and Lincoln Rd., Big Elk Lake.
Dr. Rudi Mitchell, the great-great-great grandson of Chief Big Elk, said he was very pleased when he heard the Papio NRD Board planned to recognize his ancestor.
“There is currently no tribute to Chief Big Elk in Omaha, said Mitchell. “Big Elk was admired for leading one of the most peaceful tribes through many challenges. Through his speeches, trading, and peace treaties, Big Elk had a gift for peacefully bringing settlers and the Omaha tribe together,” said Mitchell. “This says a lot about the kind of leader he was and I’m grateful he will be remembered in an area of beauty and nature.”
While the new reservoir’s primary purpose is to help protect the lives and property of citizens from floods, it will also feature recreational amenities, such as a 40-acre park, 12½-acre lake, walking/cycling trails, kayak/canoe launches, picnic shelter, and fishery enhancements.
The project is estimated to open in late spring/summer of 2021.
Camping to open at Elkhorn Crossing on Saturday
In coordination and cooperation with Nebraska Game and Parks Commission and local partner agencies, the Papio NRD will open tent and RV camping at Elkhorn Crossing on Saturday, June 6th.
All current local, state, and federal Directed Health Measures are encouraged.
Public Input Welcome on Proposed Name of New Reservoir
The public is invited to provide input on the proposed name of Big Elk Lake for a new flood mitigation reservoir (currently referred to as WP-7) at the Papio NRD Board of Directors meeting on June 11 at 4:00 p.m. Any input is accepted until formal action is taken by the Board at the June meeting.
The new reservoir is located in Papillion near 108th and Lincoln Rd. It will will feature a 12½ acre lake and recreational amenities, such as trails, kayak/canoe launches, picnic shelters, and fishery enhancements. The project is estimated to be completed September 2020.
Free Seedlings For Public in Celebration of Arbor Day
The Papio NRD is giving away FREE seedlings in celebration of Arbor Day 2020!
Now is the perfect time to plant a tree, get your hands dirty, and take part in this year’s state-wide Tree-A-Thon. The goal? Bring the community together to appreciate and positively contribute to nature by planting more than 3,200 trees.
Here’s all you have to do: PICK UP. PLANT. POSE.
I. PICK UP your bur oak seedlings at the following locations any day of the week from 6 a.m. to 10 p.m. (while supplies last):
- Papio NRD – 8901 S. 154th St., Omaha (box below flagpole outside Visitor’s Center)
- Heron Haven – 11809 Old Maple Rd, Omaha (under informational kiosk behind Nature Center)
- Papio NRD Blair Field Office – 1060 Wilbur St, Blair (outside main office doors)
II. PLANT your seedling in a yard, field, or even in a pot or bucket.
III. POSE: Take a photo while planting your tree and post it on our Facebook page with the hashtag #treeselfie for a chance to win free prizes.
Help us celebrate trees!
The Papio NRD is proud to join Beyond School Bells and other dedicated partners in this project: Arbor Day Foundation, Audubon Nebraska, Nebraska’s Natural Resources Districts, Nebraska Forest Service and University of Nebraska.
Douglas/Sarpy County Recreation Areas: What’s Open? What’s Not?
Updated June 3, 2020
In coordination and cooperation with Nebraska Game and Parks Commission and local partner agencies, the Papio NRD will open tent and RV camping at Elkhorn Crossing on Saturday, June 6th. All social distancing and Directed Health Measures must be adhered to by all park users. If an inordinate amount of violations occur, the Papio NRD will reevaluate the situation and reimpose restrictions as necessary.
Updated May 28, 2020
In consultation with the City of Omaha and other partner agencies, the Papio-Missouri River Natural Resources District will open playgrounds, picnic areas, and restrooms at Papio NRD operated and maintained recreation areas on June 1st. The Douglas and Sarpy county parks include Chalco Hills Recreation Area, Prairie View Recreation Area, and river access sites.
The status of Papio NRD recreation areas are as follows:
Douglas County
All River Access Sites along the Elkhorn & Platte Rivers
Hours – 6:00 am to 10:00 pm
OPEN:
- Playground equipment
- Picnic areas
- Restrooms
- Parking lots
- Campsites at Elkhorn Crossing (tent and RV camping)
The recommended social distancing of six feet is still required between park users.
Prairie View Recreation Area
Hours – 6:00 am to 10:00 pm
OPEN:
- Trails
- Prairie View Lake
- Boat ramps
- Parking lots
- Playground equipment
- Picnic areas
- Restrooms
The recommended social distancing of six feet is still required between park users.
Sarpy County
Since Chalco Hills Recreation Area is located in Sarpy County, the Papio NRD coordinates with all of its partners in Sarpy County to ensure it is following the same guidelines in order to protect public health while simultaneously providing its constituents a safe recreational outlet.
Chalco Hills Recreation Area
Hours – 6:00 am to 10:00 pm
OPEN:
- Trails
- Wehrspann Lake
- Boat ramps
- Parking lots
- Playground equipment
- Picnic areas
- Restrooms
The recommended social distancing of six feet is still required between park users.
The Papio NRD will update any changes to the status of these recreation areas here on its website.
How to Attend Papio NRD Virtual Board Meetings
The Papio NRD Subcommittee and Board of Directors meetings will be held virtually via Zoom. To join the meetings, simply click the links below.
Subcommittee meeting – Tuesday, April 7 at 4:00 p.m.
- To virtually attend the Subcommittee meeting, please click here.
Board of Directors meeting – Thursday, April 9 at 4:00 p.m.
- To virtually attend the Board of Directors meeting, please click here. We hope to see you there!
Papio NRD Closed to General Public
In order to further limit the spread of COVID-19 and protect the health and welfare of our employees the Papio NRD offices are closed to the general public. Only visitors that have an appointment and those involved in the normal operation of the office, such as the postal service, UPS, Fed Ex, and other deliveries, will be allowed to enter the building until further notice.
If you would like to make an appointment with a Papio NRD staff member or need more information, please call 402-444-6222 Ext. 0.
CANCELED: Open House – Papillion Creek Watershed Supplemental Plan – EA
PUBLIC INFORMATION OPEN HOUSE – CANCELED
Papillion Creek Watershed Supplemental Plan – Environmental Assessment
Due to the uncertainty involved with the COVID-19 virus and public health developments, the Papio NRD and Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) are going to cancel the scheduled open house. However, your feedback is important to us.
Beginning on March 23, the planned presentation will be available on our project website: https://trello.com/b/I2bEEIiB/papillion-creek-watershed-supplemental-plan-ea
Site locations and preliminary designs have been developed for the seven sites proposed in Douglas, Sarpy and Washington Counties and information on each site will be detailed in the presentation. The projects are intended to develop solutions for watershed issues such as erosion, floodwater and sediment damage, water quality and habitat improvements, and others.
The project team including the P-MRNRD, NRCS, FYRA Engineering, and Olsson Associates will do our best to accommodate requests for information and are willing to send information by mail, email, etc. Please reach out with any comments or questions to Amanda Grint, Project Manager. You may reach me by email at agrint@papionrd.org or phone at 402-315-1722. You may also send comments to my attention at Papio-Missouri River Natural Resources District, 8901 South 154th Street, Omaha, NE 68138. Please provide comments by April 6th.
Podcast: How the 2019 Flood Unfolded in the Papio NRD
A year has passed since the historic flood of March 2019. The Papio NRD along with the Lower Platte North, Lower Elkhorn, and Central Platte NRDs are in an agreement to monitor river conditions along the Lower Platte River. We are boots on the ground. Today we share with you a podcast that tells how events unfolded here in our District and partner Districts.
You can listen to the podcast here.
