Who We Are

The Papillion Creek Watershed Partnership (PCWP) was created in 2001 through an inter-local agreement to proactively deal with the demands on the Papillion Creek drainage area and to develop an implementation plan that addresses solutions to water quantity and quality problems. The agreement is renewed every five years to help the Partnership continue its planning efforts as well as implement solutions to water quantity and quality problems.

The Papillion Creek Watershed consists of the land area that conveys water to the Missouri River from rain and snowmelt within the basin. The Watershed covers 402 square miles located in Washington, Douglas and Sarpy Counties and flows in a southeasterly direction to the Missouri River. There are three main tributaries that form the Papillion Creek system – Little Papillion Creek, Big Papillion Creek and West Papillion Creek. This watershed approach was adopted by the PCWP so that surface water which flows across numerous jurisdictional boundaries can be managed in a consistent and comprehensive manner.

The PCWP is comprised of 9 local governments that are wholly or partially in the Papillion Creek Watershed. Those partnering include Omaha, Bellevue, Boys Town, Gretna, La Vista, Papillion and Ralston; Sarpy County; and the Papio-Missouri River Natural Resources District. The representatives of this Partnership meet monthly with other stakeholders, such as the Nebraska Department of Environmental Quality and the University of Nebraska, to develop a consensus regarding a variety of water quality and quantity related issues. Currently, each member of the Partnership makes a contribution to the organization based upon their respective area and population. The annual operating budget for 2014-2019 will not exceed $369,000.

The guiding principles of the Partnership are cooperation, community participation, and comprehensive watershed planning. Open meetings have and will continue to be held to gather public input. The 9 government bodies each decide independently to adopt common policies.