Lower Platte South Natural Resources District

What Lower Platte South Natural Resources District does

Lower Platte South Natural Resources District (LPSNRD) is a local government agency and one of Nebraska's 23 Natural Resources Districts, statutorily established under Nebraska Revised Statute Chapter 2, Article 32, to conserve land, water, and wildlife across a six-county service area of southeastern Nebraska covering nearly one million acres and home to more than 350,000 residents. The District operates and maintains approximately 200 flood control dams, 13.5 miles of federally constructed levees (the Salt Creek Levee), 12 miles of urban stream channels, 50 miles of recreational trails, 9 wildlife management areas, and 11 public wetlands; it also conducts groundwater quantity and quality monitoring across the district.

Its core technology is built on an Esri ArcGIS platform hosting interactive subdistrict lookup, drought monitoring dashboards, and spatial data layers; operational technology includes the Salt Creek Levee System-Wide Improvement Framework (SWIF) approved in 2016 to maintain USACE PL 84-99 rehabilitation eligibility, a System-Wide Improvement Framework for risk communication and remediation, specialized saline wetland hydrology with saltwater irrigation systems (Marsh Wren, Little Salt Fork Marsh), and an in-house IS/IT network architecture administered by an IS Administrator. Programs include landowner cost-share (over $1M annually matched by ~250 landowners), groundwater management, environmental education, community assistance (typically 50% cost-share), tree/pollinator programs, and drought management, all governed by a locally elected 21-member Board of Directors representing 10 subdistricts plus one at-large seat under the Nebraska Open Meetings Act.

LPSNRD's revenue model is fundamentally a public-sector taxing authority: a recurring property tax levy on residents and businesses in the six-county district forms the primary revenue base, supplemented by state and federal grants (USDA NRCS, Nebraska Department of Water Energy and Environment, FEMA, USACE), cost-share program contributions from landowners, and voluntary PayPal donations for trail support. Pricing for recreation and conservation services is effectively free at the point of use; only certain cost-share programs (Landscape Tree at 75%/up to $115, Community Assistance typically at 50%) carry defined pricing tiers. Distribution is direct via the Lincoln headquarters, joint field offices co-located with NRCS offices in Lancaster and Cass counties, free public access to lakes/wetlands/trails, public board meetings, and open houses for major capital projects.

Name

Lower Platte South Natural Resources District

Legal name

Lower Platte South Natural Resources District

Website

https://lpsnrd.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1972

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Lower Platte South Natural Resources District (LPSNRD) is a local government Natural Resources District that conserves land, water, and wildlife across a six-county area of southeastern Nebraska (~1 million acres, 350,000+ residents), operating ~200 flood control dams, levees, trails, wetlands, and cost-share programs funded primarily by a property tax levy.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Natural Resources Management

NAICS

Water, Sewage and Other Systems (2213), Administration of Environmental Quality Programs (9241)

SIC

Water Supply (4941), Water, Sewer, Pipeline, Comm & Power Line Construction (1623)

akta.pro primary industry

Treated Water Storage & Pressure Management (Reservoirs, Tanks, Booster Stations) (EUANAAAD)

akta.pro secondary industry

Drainage & Field Water Control Services (Tile Installation, Ditching) (AFACAAAK)

Keywords

• Natural resources management
• Flood control services
• Water quality monitoring
• Soil conservation programs
• Public recreation areas

Headquarters

HQ city

Lincoln

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices3 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Infrastructure, Operations, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales

Revenue model

1. Property tax levy: Primary funding source for LPSNRD, derived from a local property tax levy on residents and businesses within the six-county district. Recurring and stable public revenue base.
2. State and federal grants: Funding received from state and federal agencies (e.g., USDA NRCS, Nebraska Department of Water, Energy, and Environment, FEMA, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers) for conservation, flood mitigation, and infrastructure projects.
3. Cost-share program contributions from landowners: LPSNRD invests over $1 million annually in cost-share programs in which landowners contribute matching funds for conservation practices such as terracing, buffer strips, meters, and well decommissioning. Approximately 250 landowners participate each year.
4. Trail donations via PayPal: Voluntary public donations to support trail maintenance and operations, accepted through a PayPal donation link.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels6 records

Marketing channels10 records

Core offering

Lower Platte South Natural Resources District (LPSNRD) is a local government Natural Resources District that operates and maintains approximately 200 flood control dams, 13.5 miles of levees, 12 miles of urban stream channels, 50 miles of trails, 9 wildlife management areas, and 11 public wetlands across a six-county area of southeastern Nebraska. It administers landowner cost-share programs, groundwater monitoring, and a portfolio of public recreation areas, and delivers classroom and field-based environmental education.

Product overview

Lower Platte South Natural Resources District (LPSNRD) is a local government agency — not a unified software product — that delivers a portfolio of conservation programs, infrastructure projects, public recreation areas, and educational services across a six-county area of southeastern Nebraska. Its offering is organized as a set of named programs (Groundwater Management, Landowner Cost-Share, Environmental Education, Pollinator Programs, Community Assistance Program, Trees Program, and Drought Management) supported by major infrastructure projects (Deadmans Run Flood Reduction Project, Salt Creek Levee System, Section 408 Permit Program), a public-access recreation portfolio (MoPac East Trail, Oak Creek Trail, Homestead Trail, Lied Bridge — Platte River Connection, Prairie Corridor on Haines Branch, and lakes such as Red Cedar, Wildwood, Wild Plum, Merganser, Meadowlark, Cottontail, Tanglewood, and Timber Point), and wildlife management areas (Bobcat Prairie, Lincoln Saline Wetlands Nature Center, Little Salt Fork Marsh Preserve, Little Salt Springs, Marsh Wren Saline Wetland, and Whitehead Saline Wetland). These programs and projects are tied together by the district's GIS-based public map applications (ArcGIS), a quarterly Know Your NRD newsletter, and Board of Directors oversight.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Prairie Corridor on Haines Branch: A major conservation and recreation corridor stretching from Pioneers Park in Lincoln to the Spring Creek Prairie Audubon Center, led by LPSNRD, Spring Creek Prairie Audubon Center, and the City of Lincoln.
• MoPac East Trail
• Oak Creek Trail
• Homestead Trail

Products and services

• Groundwater Management Program

Quantifiable outcome

• Nearly 1 million acres and 350,000+ residents served across a six-county region
• +5 more outcomes

Named customers4 records

Segments6 records

Ideal customer profiles5 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration4 records

Feature5 records

Partnerships

22 partnerships are on record, tiered flagship, major, core and minor.

• U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE)flagshipStrategic or Co-development PartnerUSACE is the federal partner for the Salt Creek Levee (13.5 miles in Lincoln) and the Antelope Creek Flood Protection Project (Antelope Valley Project). LPSNRD serves as the local sponsor and operator of the Salt Creek Levee under the Section 408 program, with USACE conducting periodic inspections (most recently March 2026) and oversight.
• City of Lincoln (Lincoln Transportation and Utilities Department)flagshipStrategic or Co-development PartnerCo-sponsor of the Deadmans Run Flood Reduction Project; jointly split design and construction costs with LPSNRD after the USACE project was indefinitely postponed. Co-hosts public open houses (e.g., April 23, 2026) and partners on stormwater management, trail development, and flood control.
• Railroad Transportation Safety District (RTSD)majorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCo-host of the April 23, 2026 public open house on the North 33rd Street and Cornhusker Highway Viaduct Improvement Project and the Deadmans Run Flood Reduction Project, providing transportation/rail safety coordination.
• University of Nebraska-LincolnmajorImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerPartner on the Deadmans Run Flood Reduction Project and on saline wetland restoration research (with The Flatwater Group, providing geological baseline data including soil scanning and time-lapse photography). Also partners on educational programming in classrooms.
• The Flatwater GroupcoreImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerConsultant to LPSNRD and the University of Nebraska on saline wetland restoration at the 150-acre Marsh Wren site, completed in 2017 with a salt water irrigation system and hydrological improvements.
• Nebraska Trails Foundation and Great Plains Trails NetworkcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerRaised the funds to purchase the MoPac East Trail property, which was then deeded to the Lower Platte South NRD on July 3, 1991, creating the 22-mile MoPac East Recreational Trail.
• Spring Creek Prairie Audubon Center (Audubon Nebraska)flagshipStrategic or Co-development PartnerCo-leads the Prairie Corridor on Haines Branch with LPSNRD and the City of Lincoln, stretching from Pioneers Park in Lincoln to the Spring Creek Prairie Audubon Center. Partners on habitat restoration, signage, and public access sites.
• Lincoln Parks & Recreation / Pioneers Park Nature CentercoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCollaborates on the Prairie Corridor on Haines Branch and other trail development, conservation easements, and educational programming in the Lincoln area.
• USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS)coreImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerProvides technical assistance to help landowners design, plan, and install conservation practices; co-locates joint field offices in Lancaster and Cass County NRCS offices with LPSNRD resources technicians and field office secretaries.
• Nebraska Department of Water, Energy, and Environment (DWEE / NeDWEE)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerState agency that allocates state funds to each NRD for cost-share on conservation practices; LPSNRD forwards some cost-sharing claims to NeDWEE for payment. Co-leads drought planning with the Platte Basin Coalition, Lower Platte River Drought Consortium, and Republican River Basin NRDs.
• Nebraska Game & Parks CommissioncoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartners on wetland restorations, fish and wildlife management, and fishing/hunting permits for recreation areas (Largemouth Bass, Walleye/Saugeye size limits enforced at Red Cedar, Wildwood, Meadowlark, etc.). Also provides funding and technical expertise for major projects.
• FEMAcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerFederal agency providing funding, technical expertise, and regulatory guidance for major flood and emergency projects within the district.
• The Nature ConservancycoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner on habitat restoration, wildlife protection, and saline wetland conservation; previously owned the 180-acre Little Salt Fork Marsh Preserve and began its restoration in 1995.
• Pheasants ForevercoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerNonprofit partner on habitat restoration, wildlife protection, and wetland conservation across the district.
• Audubon NebraskacoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerConservation partner on habitat restoration, wildlife protection, and wetland conservation; Audubon Nebraska operates the Spring Creek Prairie Audubon Center on the Prairie Corridor.
• Houston EngineeringcoreImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerEngineering firm hired by LPSNRD to complete a value engineering study of the Deadmans Run Flood Reduction Project, reducing estimated cost from $60M to $25M, and to develop the updated design plans.
• Eastern Nebraska Water Resources Assessment (ENWRA)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerMulti-NRD partnership (Lower Platte South, Lower Platte North, Lower Elkhorn, Papio-Missouri River, Nemaha) for which LPSNRD hosts a Project Coordinator (Katie Cameron) who plans, manages, and administers the technical and hydrogeologic assessment work.
• Lower Platte River Corridor AlliancecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerRegional alliance for which LPSNRD paid $1,000 in FY26 dues and through which it holds a Society of Outdoor Recreation Professionals membership. Co-coordinates Lower Platte River corridor conservation, recreation, and outreach.
• Saline Wetlands Conservation PartnershipcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership that LPSNRD participates in for saline wetland conservation; LPSNRD dedicates a joint partnership employee (Tom Malmstrom) to coordinate shared interests between partnership entities, and a liaison role is performed by the Resources Coordinator (Will Inselman).
• Platte Basin Coalition and Lower Platte River Drought ConsortiumcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerMulti-agency drought planning coalitions that co-published the Lower Platte River Drought Contingency Plan and coordinate regional drought monitoring and public conservation messaging. Partners include Republican River Basin NRDs and DWEE.
• Mueller Robak, LLCminorOthersGovernment relations / lobbying firm. LPSNRD paid $26,000 to Mueller Robak, LLC in FY26 (disclosed under LB304).
• Water Strategies, LLCminorOthersGovernment relations / lobbying firm. LPSNRD paid $28,800 to Water Strategies, LLC in FY26 (disclosed under LB304).

Scale indicators14 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Regional players

• Upper Big Blue Natural Resources District: South-central Nebraska NRD operating under the same statewide NRD system with comparable groundwater management, cost-share, recreation, and education functions but serving a different river basin and geography.
• Twin Platte Natural Resources District: West-central Nebraska NRD with comparable statutory responsibilities for groundwater, flood control, recreation, and education, serving a different geographic portion of the Platte basin than LPSNRD.
• Central Platte Natural Resources District: Nebraska NRD in the central Platte basin performing the same statutory natural resource management functions under Chapter 2, Article 32 but operating further west on the Platte and not directly competing with LPSNRD.
• Middle Republican Natural Resources District: South-central Nebraska NRD operating under the same Chapter 2, Article 32 mandate with parallel integrated water management, recreation, and cost-share programs, but serving a separate basin and geography.

Direct peers

• Lower Elkhorn Natural Resources District: Northeast Nebraska NRD with the same statutory mandate under Nebraska law, providing comparable groundwater management, flood control, recreation, and cost-share programs and partnering with LPSNRD through ENWRA.
• Papio-Missouri River Natural Resources District: Eastern Nebraska NRD serving a similar-sized, urbanizing population around the Omaha metro; delivers comparable flood control, water quality, recreation, and education programs and is an ENWRA partner with LPSNRD.
• Nemaha Natural Resources District: Southeast Nebraska NRD with the same Chapter 2, Article 32 mandate, performing parallel groundwater, conservation, recreation, and education work and partnering with LPSNRD through ENWRA.
• Lower Platte North Natural Resources District: Adjacent Nebraska NRD covering the lower Platte basin north of LPSNRD; performs the same portfolio of flood control, groundwater management, landowner cost-share, recreation, and conservation programs under the same Chapter 2, Article 32 statute and is an ENWRA partner with LPSNRD.

Emerging players

• Kansas Equus Beds Groundwater Management District No. 2: Kansas groundwater management district with a comparable water quantity/quality and conservation mandate; serves as a useful functional analog to LPSNRD's groundwater management program outside the Nebraska NRD system.

Others

• City of Lincoln Transportation and Utilities Department: Primary municipal partner of LPSNRD on stormwater, flood reduction (Deadmans Run), and trail projects; comparable in flood-control and urban water-quality mandate but jurisdictional rather than district-based, and a customer/partner rather than direct competitor.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks7 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/lpsnrd

Compliance1 record

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles7 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Lower Platte South Natural Resources District