Benefits:
- No more federal disaster assistance (taxpayer money) will be paid out for these properties ever again
- Open space for development which is compatible with open space use (ballparks, trails, etc.)
- Reduction of flood clean-up, fire department/law enforcement overtime for flood duty and rescue
- Increased public safety
- Increased natural habitat for wetlands/wildlife
- Creation of a natural buffer strip (riparian corridor) which increases water quality
- Planning initiative led to Beatrice being selected as Nebraska's first Project Impact community
- Others???

Other pictures of acquired land in Beatrice

Superior - 1998
Lost Creek has caused significant flooding on the average of about every five years. It also flows through town from north-to-south in such a way that it separates the City's high school and park from the rest of the town when flooding is occurring. Adding to the potential risk is a gas main which is attached to the upstream side of the 8th Street bridge as it crosses Lost Creek. When starting this plan, it was determined that it would be necessary to update Superior's Flood Insurance Rate Map (FIRM). This greatly increased the cost of the plan because engineering work (cross-sections, surveying, and modeling) is expensive. Through the planning process, it was determined that Lost Creek needed to be cleared of vegetation because trees were falling in and backing up floodwater at constrictions (bridges mostly) downstream where the trees were deposited. Along with the clearing, the community decided to stabilize the banks by excavating a stable slope. FMA money funded the clearing and bank stabilization work for one of the City's identified target areas. The pictures below are of the FMA-funded Lost Creek stabilized section shortly after completion in the summer of 2000. The left picture shows the rock riprap and channel bank germination mats; the right picture shows the bank and grass seed germination mats.

Benefits:
- A more accurate FIRM
- Reduced flood impacts to important stretches of Lost Creek's banks
- Plans to remove and replace 8th Street bridge
- Planning initiative led to Superior being selected as Nebraska's second Project Impact community

Fort Calhoun - 1999
Washington County was declared a Disaster Area by President Clinton in August of 1999 after intense rainfall fell (measuring over 10 inches in places) in less than 24 hours. Fort Calhoun is situated in between the Missouri River bluffs and the flat floodplain. As a result, drainageways were transformed from small creeks and tributaries to major stormwater runoff rivers as water cascaded down the bluffs and through town. As a direct result of this runoff, one residence in Fort Calhoun was substantially damaged after its foundation collapsed. Since this structure was situated in a mapped floodplain, FMA project funds were used to acquire and demolish this residence. The City will maintain this area as open space since it was already adjacent to an existing park. Through the planning process of the mitigation plan, the City was also able to address increasing drainage capability. As a result, the City is looking into a detention basin on the north side of town which will hold stormwater and reduce recurring basement flooding in the area.

{pictures coming}