LINCOLN, Neb. — The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS), in collaboration with the Lower Platte South Natural Resources District (LPSNRD), has received official approval for the Little Salt Creek Watershed Improvement Plan in southeastern Nebraska.
The watershed, covering over 29,000 acres in Lancaster and Saunders Counties north of Lincoln, will see the implementation of 120 ecosystem improvement projects. These projects focus on saline and freshwater wetland restoration, as well as erosion and sediment control, to protect unique habitats, including that of the federally endangered Salt Creek tiger beetle. The total construction cost is estimated at $10.3 million, with federal assistance covering approximately $7.8 million and the local sponsor responsible for about $2.5 million.
Funding for the plan was secured through NRCS’s Watershed Protection and Flood Prevention Operations Program, which offers technical and financial assistance for watershed enhancement projects. NRCS contributed $430,000 toward the completion of the Little Salt Creek Watershed Plan. With the plan now approved, LPSNRD is eligible to request further financial assistance from NRCS for developing the identified projects…