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Flood cleanup begins at Eppley Airfield

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October 4th, 2011 by Ric Hanson

OMAHA, Neb. (AP) – Officials at Eppley Airfield in Omaha say crews have begun the cleanup of what was left behind by this summer’s flooding along the Missouri River.  Contractors have started removing the flood control infrastructure around the airport. They also say specially designed wells that kept floodwaters away from the runways will continue to operate through October. The Omaha Airport Authority says it has spent $17 million on flood control but will eventually spend $26 million to protect the airport. The flooding also left behind a 300-yard swath of sand and silt between the river and the airport’s levee system. It was a grassy mix of fields and farmland leased out by the airport and it’s not clear if the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers will restore the area.