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Levee Completion Marks New Era of Flood Protection for Schuyler Residents

US Army Corps of Engineers Omaha District
Published June 3, 2015
Posing at the ribbon cutting are (from the left): USACE Civil Engineer Mark Nelson, Schuyler City Council Member Ted Marxsen, Omaha District Commander Col. Cross Joel Cross, City of Schuyler Mayor David Reinecke, and Mike Murren from the Lower Platte North Natural Resources District.
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Posing at the ribbon cutting are (from the left): USACE Civil Engineer Mark Nelson, Schuyler City Council Member Ted Marxsen, Omaha District Commander Col. Cross Joel Cross, City of Schuyler Mayor David Reinecke, and Mike Murren from the Lower Platte North Natural Resources District.

A panoramic view atop of the newly constructed levee shows the difference in elevation from the farmland beside the levee.
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A panoramic view atop of the newly constructed levee shows the difference in elevation from the farmland beside the levee.

City of Schuyler Mayor David Reinecke basks in the glory of his city's new levee, while USACE Omaha District Commander Col. Joel Cross shakes hands with Mike Murren from the Lower Platte North Natural Resources District.
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City of Schuyler Mayor David Reinecke basks in the glory of his city's new levee, while USACE Omaha District Commander Col. Joel Cross shakes hands with Mike Murren from the Lower Platte North Natural Resources District.

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The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Omaha District, in partnership with the city of Schuyler and the Lower Platte North Natural Resources District, has completed construction of a 2.2-mile levee along Shell Creek north and east of Schuyler, Neb.

Schuyler, the county seat for Colfax County, was subject to flooding from Shell Creek, a tributary to the Platte River that lies north and east of Schuyler. In May 2008, a major flood from Shell Creek caused extensive property damage in the northeastern part of the city. Just as residents were finishing repairs to their homes, they were hit again in 2010 with flooding in the north from Shell Creek and in the south from Lost Creek.

In 2011, the Omaha District completed a flood risk management feasibility study which identified an economically feasible project consisting of a levee system along shell creek. A construction contract for the Shell Creek levee was awarded in September 2013 to TJC Engineering, Inc. of Louisville, KY for $3 million with ground breaking on the project in March 2014.

A public ribbon-cutting ceremony took place at the site of the new levee on the morning of May 21st. Dignitaries included Mayor of Schuyler Dave Reinecke, State of Nebraska’s Lower Platte-North Natural Resources District Board Member Clint Johannes, and Omaha District Commander Col. Joel R. Cross.

The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Omaha District, would like to thank the project sponsors (the City of Schuyler and Nebraska’s Lower Platte-North Natural Resources District) and Schuyler residents for their continued support and cooperation on this project.