Project Overview

Natural infrastructure (NI) projects provide significant benefits for flood management, water quality, recreation, and wildlife habitat; however, they are often implemented opportunistically rather than strategically. Levee setbacks represent a promising NI solution, relocating levee alignments away from the river channel to decrease flood risk and enhance hydrological, ecological, and community benefits in the watershed. Our team has developed a mapping tool that identifies and ranks the optimal locations for levee setbacks along the Missouri River in the Omaha District. This tool helps decision-makers move from opportunistic project placements to a strategic approach that maximizes benefits and cost-effectiveness. 

By combining scientific data on flooding dynamics, ecological features, and community needs, our tool enables planners to compare potential sites on a common measurement scale. This evidence-based approach supports more strategic investment decisions, facilitates regional planning, and strengthens the case for natural infrastructure solutions. We recommend using this tool to develop a coordinated regional management strategy, prioritize high-benefit sites, and shift from reactive to proactive flood management.

The Challenge

Natural infrastructure (NI) —using nature to address challenges like flooding and water quality—is becoming increasingly widely adopted in practice. However, we need better tools to help decision-makers choose where to place these projects for maximum benefit to communities, economies, and the environment. 

By examining successful past projects and using mapping technology (geographic information systems – GIS), we can compare potential project sites based on multiple benefits.

The Solution

This project has created a mapping tool to identify the ideal locations for NI projects, focusing specifically on levee setbacks along the Missouri River in the Omaha District (Fig. 1). Rather than implementing projects wherever opportunities arise, our tool helps planners strategically select sites that provide the greatest suite of benefits. 

This approach allows project planners and community sponsors to: 

• Identify ideal locations before funding becomes available 
• Compare the value of different potential sites 
• Support regional planning efforts 
• Make a stronger case for implementing these solutions 

The tool will help us move from an opportunistic implementation of natural infrastructure to a more strategic approach that maximizes the benefits for communities and ecosystems. 

Recommendations

This project moves us beyond opportunistically placed natural infrastructure projects to a strategic, region-wide approach (Fig. 3). Our mapping tool provides a clear, evidence-based method for identifying the best locations for levee setbacks along the Missouri River. 

Levee setbacks—moving levees farther from rivers to create more floodplain space—offer a practical solution that combines engineering with natural processes. They reduce flood risk while reconnecting rivers to their floodplains, which provides numerous benefits. 

Our tool helps decision-makers by: 

1. Identifying the most promising locations based on practical criteria 
2. Ranking potential sites by their combined benefits 
3. Providing clear evidence to support investment decisions 

By examining natural features like soil types and land elevation, the tool helps identify sites where projects will be most sustainable and cost-effective over time. This ensures funding is invested in solutions that provide the greatest long-term value. 

We recommend using this tool to: 

• Develop a regional strategy for natural infrastructure 
• Prioritize funding for high-benefit sites 
• Build stronger cases for implementing these solutions 
• Move from reactive to proactive flood management 

This approach will help the US Army Corps of Engineers and other agencies make more informed, strategic decisions about where to implement levee setbacks for maximum benefit.