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Lori Laster – Employee Spotlight

Today we shine the spotlight on Lori Laster, our stormwater management engineer. She plays a crucial role in helping our communities, individuals, and businesses reduce the risk of flood damages.

Where did you grow up?

We moved a lot when I was a kid, but mostly a small town called Winnemucca, Nevada. It’s about two days’ drive on I-80 from here.

What does your job entail (job duties and how does your work impact the public)?

My job is to manage projects that reduce the risk of damages from flooding and rain and to help communities in the District review plans for new developments to make them as safe as possible. I also can help individuals and businesses with their floodplain management issues.

How long have you worked for the District?

15 years

What’s the most unique thing in your office or on your desk right now?

This one is hard because I have accumulated a lot of weird little things. But my favorite is my flood plane.

 

What do you enjoy doing outside of work (hobbies, volunteering, etc.)?

I enjoy live music, historical dramas and documentaries, traveling, and taking pictures of stormwater/flood mitigation projects while travelling.

What educational background or experience do you bring to your role (degree(s), coursework, skills learned, etc.)?

I have a Bachelor of Science degree in Geological Engineering with a focus in hydrology. I am a registered Professional Engineer (Civil) and a Certified Floodplain Manager. I also spent the early part of my career doing stormwater management for large industrial facilities. I’ve done everything from a small detention basin design up to managing multimillion-dollar projects such as Flanagan Lake.

What project(s) are you most proud of and why?

Flanagan Lake has been my biggest and most notable project. But my favorite project is our Multi-Jurisdictional Multi-Hazard Mitigation Plan. This plan identifies which natural hazards are a concern and how we might prevent damage from disasters. We regularly update the plan, and it gives me an opportunity to work with all of the communities in the District and many of our citizens.

What is the funniest/craziest thing that’s happened to you at work (that you can share, of course)?

Once while inspecting a flood-damaged home I walked in and out of the garage several times. After the last time walking out I turned around in time to see a snake drop off the overhead door I had just walked under. I’m not sure I would have survived the shock if the snake had fallen on me!

What is your favorite band(s)?

Foo Fighters is my #1 but I listen to a lot of different types of music depending on the day. If I have my ear buds in it could be Chopin or Mozart if I really need to concentrate or grunge/punk if I need an energy boost.

 

 

 

 

New Papio NRD Board Members Sworn In

The Papio-Missouri River Natural Resources District Board of Directors welcomed three new members and three returning incumbents at last night’s board meeting.

Left to right: Rodney Storm, Brian Adams, Larry Bradley, Anne Hubbard, Phil Davidson, and Rich Tesar

New Directors include:

Subdistrict 1: Rodney Storm, former City Manager of Blair
Subdistrict 7: Brian Adams, senior leader at OPPD
Subdistrict 9: Anne Hubbard, Omaha physician

Re-elected Directors include:

Subdistrict 3: Larry Bradley, Vice-Chairperson
Subdistrict 5: Rich Tesar, Secretary & NARD Director
Subdistrict 11: Phil Davidson

Additional members of the Papio NRD Board of Directors include, Fred Conley (Subdistrict 2), Tim McCormick (Subdistrict 4), Jim Thompson (Subdistrict 6), Tim Fowler (Subdistrict 8), and Zachary Irvine (Subdistrict 10).

Board members are elected from a subdistrict to serve a four-year term. The 11-member board sets policy for Papio NRD programs and projects and oversees a $118 million annual operating budget.

 

 

70 Collective Years of Service to Our Constituents

THIS is 70 collective years of service to constituents of the Papio NRD – working together to protect natural resources across the District!

Five employees and three departing board members were recognized for their service at last night’s board meeting.

With years of employment ranging from 10 to 25 years at the Papio NRD, it’s clear our team members are committed to fulfilling our mission and bring a wealth of knowledge in doing so.  We thank and congratulate our employees and outgoing Directors for their dedication to the citizens we serve.

Papio NRD Employees 

  • Tom Pleiss, Assistant Park Superintendent (25 years) – Not pictured
  • Lori Laster, Stormwater Management Engineer (15 years)
  • Eric Williams, Natural Resources Planner (10 years)
  • Joe Riebe, GIS Specialist (10 years)
  • Mark Wille, Medium Equipment Operator (10 years) – Not pictured
Left to right: Tim McCormick, board chairperson; Lori Laster; Joe Riebe; Eric Williams; John Winkler, general manager.

 

Departing Board Directors

  • Ted Japp, Subdistrict #1
  • Patrick Bonnett, Subdistrict #9
  • Josh Henningsen, Subdistrict #7, Not pictured
Left to right: Tedd Japp, Director; John Winkler, general manager; Tim McCormick, board chairperson; Patrick Bonnett, Director.

Tree & Shrub Seedlings Available to Order

Great for Windbreaks, Wildlife Habit, and Living Snow Fences

The Papio NRD is accepting orders for tree and shrub seedlings.

Through the Conservation Tree Program, homeowners, acreage owners, producers, and operators can purchase bare-root seedlings for $30/bundle plus tax. There are 25 seedlings of the same species per bundle. Multiple species are available. There are also two “variety” bundles available to order which include five different species in a bundle of 20 seedlings for $30 plus tax.

Papio NRD crews planting tree seedlings.

The seedlings are ideal for windbreaks, wildlife habitat, and living snow fences designed to reduce blowing and drifting snow. Many tree/shrub projects are eligible for Papio NRD cost share which can significantly reduce out-of-pocket costs.

Orders will be accepted through February 21st, 2025.

For more information, or to receive an order form with the species list, please contact one of our Field Office representatives in your county:

Washington, Douglas & Sarpy counties: Kalani Fortina at 402-426-4782 ext. 3
Burt County: Deb Ward at 402-374-1920 ext. 3
Thurston County: Tamara Tipton at 402-846-5655
Dakota County: Mahkenna Koinzan at 402-494-4949

 

Three New Members Elected to Papio NRD Board

The Papio-Missouri River Natural Resources District Board of Directors will see three new faces following the 2024 General Election.

Rodney Storm, former City Manager of Blair, will represent Subdistrict 1, replacing Ted Japp, who chose not to run for reelection.

Omaha physician, Anne Hubbard, defeated incumbent Patrick Bonnet, securing the Subdistrict 9 seat. Brian Adams, a senior leader at OPPD, will represent Subdistrict 7, replacing Josh Henningsen, who chose not to seek another term.

Incumbent Larry Bradley retains his seat in Subdistrict 3 after defeating challenger Grant Melotz. Incumbents Phil Davidson (Subdistrict 11) and Rich Tesar (Subdistrict 5) ran unopposed.

Additional members of the Papio NRD Board of Directors include Fred Conley (Subdistrict 2), Tim McCormick (Subdistrict 4), Jim Thompson (Subdistrict 6), Tim Fowler (Subdistrict 8), and Zachary Irvine (Subdistrict 10).

The Papio-Missouri River Natural Resources District Board of Directors is an 11-member board that sets policy for Papio NRD programs and projects and oversees a $118 million annual operating budget.

 

 

Drinking Water Notice for Thurston County Rural Water System

UPDATE: 11/7/24

The drinking water notice issued by the Village of Pender and the Papio NRD for customers of the Thurston County Rural Water System has been lifted. The Nebraska Department of Environment and Energy confirms testing for the amount of nitrates in the drinking water is below the regulatory standard and the water is safe for all customers to drink.

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UPDATE: 11/5/24

While the Nebraska Department of Environment and Energy confirmed on Friday that testing for nitrates in drinking water for the Thurston Rural Water County System indicates the amount of nitrates is now below the regulatory standard (safe to drink), the drinking water notice CANNOT be lifted until after a mandatory 7 day waiting period.

Please continue to follow the notice until the all-clear is given, which we hope will be this Friday (8th).

We will keep you posted. Thank you.

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Following a drinking water notice issued by the Village of Pender, the Papio NRD has also issued a drinking water notice for customers of the Thurston Rural Water System until testing confirms safe nitrate levels.

Adults and children older than six months can drink the tap water. Do NOT allow infants, pregnant women, or nursing mothers to drink the water. Also, do NOT boil the water.

The Papio NRD is providing bottled water for system customers at the Village of Pender Office at 614 Main Street.

Customers can find more detailed information here regarding what they should and shouldn’t do until the notice is lifted.

The Papio NRD and Village of Pender are working with the Nebraska Department of Environment and Energy and will update customers on the status of the testing process and when the notice has been lifted.

For more information, please contact Lowell Roeber at 712-253-9014.

River Access Parks to Close Friday for Season

The Papio NRD will close all river access parks to the Elkhorn and Platte rivers for the season on November 1st.

The access sites include Elkhorn Crossing, Graske Crossing, West Maple Road, and Platte River Landing.

The access sites will reopen April 1st, 2025.

Papio NRD Hosts North East Land Judging Competition

More than 600 high school students from 30 area schools competed in the Northeast Area Land Judging Competition on Wednesday, October 2nd, in Blair, Nebraska, to test their knowledge of soil structure and land evaluation.

The Papio-Missouri River Natural Resources District (Papio NRD) hosted the annual competition on an acreage in Blair where students assessed physical features of the soil, such as texture, permeability, thickness, wetness, slope, erosion, depth, and organic matter.

 

 

Land judging enables participants to learn how to recognize the physical attributes of soil, determine land capability for crop production, and evaluate management practices needed for proper stewardship.

Eight teams (West Point, Norfolk, Wisner-Pilger, Lyons-Decatur Northeast, Tekamah-Herman, Pierce, Oakland Craig, and North Bend) and one individual, Aubree Schlueter of Logan View, advance to the state land judging competition in Norfolk, Nebraska, on October 16th, 2024.

The competition was sponsored by the Papio NRD in partnership with the Natural Resources Conservation Service.

New Director Fills Vacancy on Papio NRD Board

Zachary Irvine takes the oath of office.

The Papio-Missouri River Natural Resources District Board of Directors has selected a new Director to fill the board’s Subdistrict 10 vacancy.

The Board appointed Zachary Irvine, a Lead Systems Engineer at the MITRE Corporation. Irvine is also a retired lieutenant colonel with more than 22 years of military leadership.

Irvine will officially participate in his first board meeting on November 14th. He replaces Kevyn Sopinski, who resigned in August.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Residents in Eastern NE to See Increased Environmental & Safety Benefits

Papillion Creek Watershed Project
Improvement Plan Approved

Plan to provide environmental and safety benefits to eastern Nebraska communities

 

LINCOLN, Nebraska – In August 2024, the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Nebraska Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS), in partnership with the Papio-Missouri River Natural Resources District (Papio NRD), received official approval on the Papillion Creek Watershed Project Improvement Plan. The plan, an extension of an effort that began in 1966, promises to deliver significant environmental and safety benefits to residents across Washington, Douglas, and Sarpy counties.

From left, Papio NRD General Manager John Winkler, NRCS State Conservationist Robert Lawson, and Papio NRD Director Patrick Bonnett.

The original planning effort led to the construction of 30 grade control structures, which have been instrumental in reducing flooding and stream channel erosion within the watershed. Building on this foundation, a local group, the Papillion Creek Watershed Partnership (PCWP), was formed in 2001 to identify future projects to further protect and enhance the watershed.

In 2019, the Papio NRD utilized the NRCS Watershed Protection and Flood Prevention Operations (WFPO) program, which has been critical in advancing the latest supplemental plan, which identifies 40 new watershed protection projects aimed at stabilizing degrading streams, reducing erosion and sediment, mitigating flood damage, and improving public safety.

NRCS contributed $560,000 toward the completion of the plan, enabling the Papio NRD to qualify for additional NRCS financial assistance for developing detailed project designs, anticipated to begin in 2025.

“NRCS is proud to provide both technical and financial support to the Papio-Missouri River NRD,” said Nebraska State Conservationist Rob Lawson. “Our top priority is to help local sponsors identify and complete watershed projects that enhance natural resources and ensure public safety.”

The Papillion Creek Watershed, spanning 245,800 acres in eastern Nebraska, includes a large portion of Omaha and the surrounding communities of Papillion, Elkhorn, Millard, and Ralston. The projects outlined in the Supplemental Plan are designed to address the pressing environmental challenges faced by these rapidly growing areas.

“The Papio NRD appreciates our strong working relationship and strategic partnership with the NRCS,” said Papio NRD General Manager John Winkler. “This is just one more textbook example of how partnerships maximize public safety and the wise management of our natural resources while simultaneously reducing the reliance on local property taxes and other scarce local resources. Nebraska has the very best natural resource management system in the country, and arguably the world, and this type of project makes us that much better,” said Winkler.

The Natural Resources Conservation Service’s Watershed Protection and Flood Prevention Operations (WFPO) program provides technical and financial assistance to states, local governments and tribes to plan and implement authorized project plans for completing numerous watershed enhancements.

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