South Sidney Drainage Project Ready for Ground Breaking

A project to protect Sidney homes and businesses in the general area of Western Nebraska Community College and the Case dealership is soon going to be a reality.

Galen Wittrock, assistant manager with the South Platte Natural Resources District, has announced that the Joint East Sidney Watershed Authority Project (JESWA) is expected to break ground this week after years of planning.

Since 1999, SPNRD, City of Sidney and other officials have been working on the project after severe rains flooded homes and business properties in the area of Parkland Dr. and Old Post Road. The flooding resulted from runoff of a storm that dumped several inches of rain in a short period of time and came down the drainages from the south.

The city and SPNRD formed JESWA, a joint authority board that has worked with engineers to form a plan to deal with the flooding. The board also formed agreements or made land purchases for the areas that would hold the flooding structures.

The project came together recently when JESWA approved the construction bids for the $1,034,498 plan. Under the plan, a series of bioswales and retention ponds will hold flood waters and release them in a more controlled manner.

Wittrock said initial work will begin this week between the soccer fields and the area east of Jennifer Lane near the bridge where Pole Creek Crossing goes over Lodgepole Creek. Work will then continue east of the soccer fields, then southwest to the area south of the old Bomgaars store and the outdoor storage area in that vicinity.

Work is expected to be done by mid-November.