Posted on February 23, 2026
OMAHA, Neb. — The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE), Omaha District Regulatory Division is preparing an Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) in accordance with the National Environmental Policy Act for the proposed Perkins County Canal Project. The EIS will analyze the potential impacts of the proposed project on the human and natural environment.
The Nebraska Department of Water, Energy and Environment is seeking a Department of the Army standard permit under Section 404 of the Clean Water Act for the discharge of dredged or fill material to construct, operate and maintain the proposed project, which would be located along the South Platte River in Sedgwick County, Colorado and Deuel and Keith Counties, Nebraska.
The proposed project would divert water from the South Platte River near Ovid, Colorado and return it to the South Platte River near Roscoe, Nebraska. The water would be conveyed through a system of newly constructed or modified existing canals. The proposed project would include river-gated and canal-gated structures to divert and control flows into lined and unlined canal structures and two dams and storage reservoirs, one with a capacity of approximately 17,000 acre-feet, and the other with a capacity of approximately 77,000 acre-feet.
USACE invites federal and state agencies, Tribes, local governments and the public to submit comments on the proposed project by April 6, 2026. All comments should include the project name, Perkins County Canal, and permit application number NWO-2023-00518 in the subject line.
PRIVACY AND CONFIDENTIALITY: Comments and information, including the identity of the submitter, submitted in response to this Public Notice may be disclosed, reproduced, and distributed at the discretion of USACE. Information that is submitted in connection with this public notice cannot be maintained as confidential by USACE. Submissions should not include any information that the submitter seeks to preserve as confidential.
Comments on the proposed project will be accepted through April 6, 2026 and may be submitted in the following ways:
- Electronically via the Regulatory Request System at https://rrs.Corps.army.mil/rrs using the search term NWO-2023-00518
- By email: PCC.EIS@usace.army.mil
- By mail: U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Omaha District Regulatory Division, Attn: PCC, 1616 Capitol Avenue, Omaha, NE 68102
- Verbally or in writing at in-person public meetings, or verbally at the virtual public meeting.
Additionally, USACE will host four public meetings to provide opportunities to learn more about the proposed project and to submit comments. The meetings will be held at the following locations:
Denver: Monday, March 9, 2026, 5:30 – 7:30 p.m. MDT; Welcome Remarks 6:00 p.m. MDT; Denver Airport Marriott at Gateway Park, 16455 E. 40th Circle, Aurora, CO 80011
Julesburg: Tuesday, March 10, 2026, 5:30 – 7:30 p.m. MDT; Welcome Remarks 6:00 p.m. MDT; Sedgwick County Community Center Events Room, 102 W 6th St, Julesburg, CO 80737
Kearney: Wednesday, March 11, 2026, 5:30 – 7:30 p.m. CDT; Welcome Remarks 6:00 p.m. CDT; Harmon Park Activity Center, 3100 5th Ave, Kearney, NE 68845
Virtual: Wednesday, March 18, 2026, 1:00 – 3:00 p.m. MDT/ 2:00 – 4:00 p.m. CDT
Those wishing to join the virtual meeting can do so by clicking on the link: Join the PCC Virtual Scoping Meeting
For further information, contact:
U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Omaha District Regulatory Division
Attention: PCC
1616 Capitol Avenue
Omaha, NE 68102
PCC.EIS@usace.army.mil
(720) 922-3851
