Salt Valley Trunk Sewer and Beal Slough
Background Basics
The Beal Slough Sanitary Sewer has two main purposes:
- To provide additional sanitary sewer capacity that will allow Lincoln to continue to grow
- To reduce the potential for sewer back-ups by providing additional sewer capacity
The design and alignment were selected after taking into consideration neighborhood impacts, traffic, environment, and potential damage to Beal Slough.
Relief Trunk Sewer
A relief trunk sewer adds another pipe to the original sewer and runs parallel to the original line, providing additional capacity with the ability to balance the flow between the two pipes. The sewer is built through a process of trenching and tunneling. Due to high ground water tables, dewatering wells may be installed.
Funding and Benefits
The project is funded by the City of Lincoln Sanitary Sewer Revenue Funds.
This project not only improves the existing sewer system, but also creates many positive benefits. The relief sewer will help provide and improve sewer service for current and future customers. Potential public health and safety problems can be largely avoided as there will be less chance of sewage back-ups.
Development in Lincoln can continue to grow as lines will be in place to handle additional residential and commercial growth. Residents of the Beal Slough basin will have sewer lines of appropriate size running through their neighborhoods to help prevent sewage backups.
Proposed Beal Slough Relief Sewer Phases I & II
Timeline and Location
Beal Slough Phase I is currently scheduled to begin construction in Spring 2005. It will begin on the west at the Salt Valley Trunk Sewer at the old abandoned Union Pacific right-of-way and move to the east along the south side of Highway 2. Construction duration is anticipated to be about 16 months. Final site clearing and seeding may extend beyond this time.
Beal Slough Phase II will run roughly along Highway 2 through south Lincoln. Its benefits will reach residents and businesses on both sides of the highway as the sewer will eventually reach South 56th Street and Highway 2.
Coordination with other Utilities and City Projects
Public and private utilities are invited to planning and update meetings to provide insight into current and future projects. There is overall coordination of the Salt Valley Trunk Sewer for future water, utilities, and road projects to avoid duplication of efforts. There are also regular meetings with other utilities and progress meetings with as many City entities as possible.
Looking to the Future
As shown above, Phase V of the Salt Valley Relief Trunk Sewer will continue to extend to the south from Pioneers Boulevard to Old Cheney Road and connect to an existing trunk sewer that is appropriately sized.
Further to the south, the Upper Southeast Salt Creek Trunk Sewer will be extended from approximately South 14th Street and Yankee Hill Road, southward along the BNSF railroad track for a distance of over 7,000 feet.
Project Contacts
- Gary Brandt, Utilities Coordinator,
- City of Lincoln Wastewater System,
- Public Works and Utilities Department,
- GBrandt@lincoln.ne.gov, 441-7961
- Holly Johnson, Olsson Associates,
- hjohnson@oaconsulting.com, 474-6311
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