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The goal of this project is to protect water quality in a newly built reservoir, WP-1, using best management practices that reduce sediment input and excessive nutrients via construction of a sediment retention structure and shoreline protection measures. Retention basins manage watershed borne sediment and nutrients before entrainment into the reservoir prolonging the ecological function and biological health of the reservoir. The primary source of sediment, nutrients, chemicals and other pollutants often come from a reservoirs watershed (Miranda 2017). Sediment retention structures are an effective conservation measure, allowing sediment to drop out and accumulate, while creating wetland areas that further improve nutrient removal and create valuable wildlife habitat. A 2.5 acre sediment basin will be constructed by creating a 500 ft. long berm with a box drop culvert by November of 2023 (Figure 1). Within the reservoir, 2,000 ft. of shoreline protection (rip-rap) and 8 breakwater structures (modified for angler access) will be constructed by November 2023 to reduce in-lake erosion, excavation to provide a variety of depths for fish will take place, and a paddlecraft launch will be installed (Figure 1). Trails and interpretive signage will be placed to engage users on the benefits of healthy reservoir systems. Following completion of construction, this reservoir will be stocked with Largemouth Bass Micropterus salmoides, Bluegill Lepomis machrochirus, Redear Sunfish Lepomis microlphus, Black Crappie Pomoxis nigromaculatus, and Channel Catfish Ictalurus punctatus (Appendix A). Rainbow Trout Oncorhynchus mykiss will also be stocked biannually in the spring and fall to provide seasonal opportunities for harvest (Appendix A). This project will improve water quality and provide sportfish habitat within the reservoir enhancing reservoir quality and subsequently quality of life for all Americans.
Project Location
The Omaha metro area lies within the Papillion Creek watershed which covers approximately 400 square miles of drainage, extending from northern Washington County southward through Douglas and Sarpy Counties before draining into the Missouri River (Figure 2). The Papio-Missouri River NRD has developed a watershed management plan (Appendix B) that has been reviewed and approved through an interlocal agreement with the NRD and stakeholders in the watershed (Sarpy County, Boystown, Bellevue, Gretna, La Vista, Papillion, Ralston and Omaha). This reservoir, WP-1, lies within this watershed and is part of the management plan. The reservoir will be built near 180th and Fort Streets in Omaha, Nebraska (Figure 2). Once complete, the reservoir will be 20 acres with public access and have water quality protections in place (Figure 3).
Water quality protections are crucial to ensure long-term health of a new reservoir like WP-1. The Omaha metro area is the largest urban center in Nebraska (458,989 people according to 2010 census data) and is one of the fastest growing urban areas in the state. This rapid expansion is changing lands that were in agriculture use into suburban neighborhoods. The construction of roads and buildings involves removing vegetation, soil and depressions from the land surface causing alterations to flow regimes in nearby creeks, including peak discharge and frequency of floods (Konrad 2003). These alterations make the proposed water quality protection at WP-1 vital to its longevity and sustainability as a reservoir and fishery.
Aquatic Habitat Protections
Reservoirs in the temperate plains are affected by numerous impairments. The two primary impairments in this region are siltation and nutrients while lower impairments include lack of structure and depth within the reservoir. These impairments are not exclusive from one another and generally come in tandem when impairing a reservoir. For instance, siltation typically carries excess nutrients with it, and when silt enters a reservoir it reduces the structure and depth. Meanwhile, excess nutrients can cause eutrophication and is often directly linked to the occurrence of harmful algal blooms (HABs). Given the primary source of sediment and nutrients come from the watershed (Miranda 2017), sediment basins are an excellent management tool for capturing these coarse sediments before entering the reservoir, and have been proven to improve water quality in reservoirs (Kondolf et al. 2014). In-lake erosion due to wave action and ice heave can also contribute to increased turbidity thereby reduced water quality in reservoirs. At WP-1, the entire reservoir is being constructed and all the shorelines will be disturbed during construction. Therefore, strategically placed breakwater structures and shoreline stabilization will be needed to prevent shoreline erosion and sluffing which could reduce or eliminate the benefits gained from implementing the sediment basin.
Climate change is expected to change duration, frequency, and magnitude of precipitation events around the world. In the temperate plains, extreme rainfall and flooding events are expected to increase, causing erosion, declining water quality, and negative impacts on transportation, agriculture, human health and infrastructure (Pryor et al. 2014). The sediment basin, modified breakwaters and shoreline stabilization measures proposed in this project will protect this reservoir from the negative impairments of climate change.
Improving Quality of Life for Americans
When completed, WP-1 will provide public access and valuable environmental amenities for a variety of users, including fishing, kayaking, and hiking. Signs around trails will inform users about the values and benefits of healthy reservoir systems. This reservoir will be stocked with priority species for the Reservoir Fisheries Habitat Partnership including Largemouth Bass, Sunfish, and Catfish (Appendix A).

1. Build a 2.5 acre sediment basin by constructing a 500 ft long berm with a box drop culvert by November of 2023
2. Use rock rip-rap to protect 2,000 linear feet (spread across 4 locations) of shoreline by November 2023
3. Construct 8 breakwaters modified for angler access to protect shorelines from wave action by November 2023

This project will construct a sediment basin that is 2-3 surface acres by constructing a 500 ft long berm with a drop culvert. Rock rip-rap will be used to protect 2,000 linear feet (spread across 4 locations) of shoreline. Finally, 8 breakwaters that have been modified for angler access that will protect shorelines from wave action will be constructed. Structures will be built by November of 2023 and are the primary objectives of this grant.
In addition to this grant, a paddlecraft launch, a trail system, and in-lake fish habitat will be constructed. Fish habitat improvements include excavation to provide deep-water habitat (taken for fill material for dam and sediment basin), underwater shoals, and vegetation barriers.
The NRD and NGPC has also partnered with a local kayak fishing club (The Sticks, Nebraska Kayak Anglers) and The Nebraska Chapter of the American Fisheries Society Cornhusker sub-unit to construct and place up to 30 artificial habitat structures in the reservoir at the completion of construction activities.

Technical assistant with the design of this project has been provided to the project sponsor by Nebraska Game and Parks Commission (NGPC). Additionally, construction oversight will be shared by both the project sponsor and NGPC to ensure structures are built to design specifications.
Following completion of the reservoir, monitoring and management duties will be divided among Nebraska Department of Environment and Energy (NDEE), NGPC, and the City of Omaha (Omaha). NDEE will monitor surface water quality via their Ambient Lake Monitoring program which include collecting physical, chemical, and biological water quality samples. Temperature, dissolved oxygen, pH, conductivity, turbidity, total suspended solids, nitrate-nitrite nitrogen, chlorophyll a, phosphorous, and select pesticides (such as atrazine) will be sampled. NGPC will manage the fish community. Fish population monitoring will be conducted via annual or biannual fish sampling. Largemouth Bass will be sampled via electrofishing, sunfish via trap nets, and channel catfish populations assessed using gill nets. A fisheries management plan has been prepared for this reservoir (Appendix A). Omaha will operate and maintain the area as a city park. This includes maintaining the trails, parking lot, paddlecraft launch and angler access locations constructed.

The Papio-Missouri River NRD has prepared a watershed management plan (Appendix B) for the Papio Creek watershed, which WP-1 is located within. This management plan was reviewed and approved through an interlocal agreement by the NRD, Sarpy County, Boystown, Bellevue, Gretna, La Vista, Papillion, Ralston and Omaha.
Regular updates on construction progress of the reservoir will be shared on various social media outlets. Previous new reservoir projects have drawn lots of interest from the various public user groups, and sharing updates via social media platforms such as Facebook allows the project sponsor and NGPC to communicate project status and answer questions effectively.