Administration
Hastings, NE 68901 (402) 461-2309
2024 - City of Hastings Flood Mitigation Project
Following recent historic flooding events in Hastings, the City is seeking FEMA BRIC (Building Resilient Infrastructure and Communities) grant funds to review existing infrastructure, assess threats of flooding, develop mitigation activities to address flooding, screen alternatives to select preferred alternatives, and develop a funding plan for implementation.
As part of this project, the City is assessing flooding conditions at three primary sites:
- Central Hastings (Keystone Ave to Burlington Ave; W 2nd St. to W B St.)
- Pawnee Creek (south of Hastings Municipal Airport)
- Lake Hastings dam
Project team members have assessed existing flooding conditions at each of these three sites. The next step is to speak with community members about their experiences with flooding at these locations and what potential improvements can be made to relieve future flooding risk. An open house meeting was held on March 5, 2024. Public comment was collected at this meeting and residents are still encouraged to share their feedback and flooding experiences with the City by submitting a comment form. To complete a comment form, please complete the Comment Form document linked at the bottom of this page. Open house display boards and photos taken during the event are also linked at the bottom of this page.
PROJECT SCHEDULE
WHAT IS THE FEMA BRIC (BUILDING RESILIENT INFRASTRUCTURE AND COMMUNITIES) GRANT PROGRAM?
Building Resilient Infrastructure and Communities (BRIC) is a Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) program that supports states, local communities, tribes and territories as they undertake hazard mitigation and flood risk reduction projects, reducing the threats they face from disasters and natural hazards, including extreme flooding events.
The City of Hastings received federal grant dollars in summer 2023 which allowed them to begin the first phase of this project – Existing Conditions Review. As part of this phase, project team members analyzed past flooding events, 100- and 500-year floodplain maps and data, and potential flood mitigation improvements to these sites. Public feedback is an important part of Phase One for this project, and no final alternatives or improvements will be recommended until input is collected from the community.
Following Phase One public feedback and the open house meeting, the project team will then transition into Final Design and Development. Any final design of projects will not take place until the community and property owners located in or near the three sites have had an opportunity to review flooding conditions and potential improvements with City staff.
Project Site Evaluation
The following three locations were selected by the City of Hastings for this project to begin assessing existing flooding conditions and risks. As the City continues to evaluate these sites, public feedback will help to guide the final recommendation of flooding improvements to implement at each of these sites.
Provide your comments to the City on flooding experiences or impacts to your property in each of the three sites. If you do not own property within the three study areas, the City still encourages you to provide feedback on general flooding events you’ve experienced while visiting or using the sites.
CONTACT INFORMATION
Public input is extremely important to the project, and all residents of Hastings are encouraged to participate in upcoming public meeting to provide their input to the project team.
For more information about the project or to share your feedback with the planning team, please contact Lee Vrooman, City Engineer.
Additional Resources
Gallery
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