After several years of study by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE), the City of Lincoln and LPSNRD, entered the design phase in December 2018 for the Deadmans Run Flood Reduction Project (DMR). Soon after, the Platte River Basin encountered a series of unforeseen events like record flooding, a global pandemic, and economic factors that included rising material costs and interest rates. Further, these disruptions have resulted in adjustments to the project timeline and its overall feasibility.

With the updated increase in cost to be expected around $60 million, the LPSNRD hired Houston Engineering to complete a value engineering study. This study would reduce the cost to an estimated $25 million by looking at several unique design options. The project would no longer involve the USACE but still achieve the overall goal of removing an estimated 500 homes and businesses from the 100-year floodplain.

With the USACE project being indefinitely postponed, the City and LPSNRD have moved forward and agreed to split design and construction costs evenly. Currently, the LPSNRD and City of Lincoln are working with Houston Engineering on plans which could save an estimated $35 million in additional costs while continuing to enhance the safety of the public in the Deadmans Run Watershed.

Lincoln's Deadmans Run Watershed has a long history of challenges related to flooding and soil erosion. In 1967, the creek was documented through a series of photos, detailing the watershed’s condition at that time and highlighting where improvements were needed.