Project to improve Lincoln drainageway approved

Deadmans Run is one of Lincoln’s major drainage ways.

The Lower Platte South Natural Resources District said it floods from time to time.

“Flooding’s not a common occurrence but if you get, like in 2015, there was some street flooding,” General Manager Paul Zillig said.

Earlier this week, the NRD Board of Directors approved the Deadmans Run Flood Reduction Project.

“The project will essentially come in and make some improvements and widen the channel some and allow the water to flow through without flooding out the floodplain area,” Zillig said.

Officials said around 500 businesses and homes north of UNL’s East Campus would benefit from it because it would remove them from the 100–year floodplain.  In which case, they wouldn’t be required to buy flood insurance if they took out a loan.

“We pay flood insurance currently,” said Dave Coleman, owner of Blum’s Auto Repair.  “It’s expensive, so we would certainly like to be taken out of the floodplain and not have to carry flood insurance.”

“It’d be a great asset for homeowners because they wouldn’t have to worry about being in a flood zone or having to pay that flood zone insurance,” Judy Sinkler said.

Another homeowner told Channel 8 he thinks it’s a bad idea because if homes are taken out of the flood plain, people will drop their flood insurance, making them vulnerable to catastrophes if it does flood.

The costs will be divided between the federal government, the city and the Lower Platte South NRD.

Zillig said they hope to complete the project by 2022.