Flood Resilience Through Working-land Conservation: Assessment of Wetland Inundation Dynamics Across WRP, WMA, WPA, PADUS and CRP Lands in Nebraska (2018–2024)

Authors

Pranjay Joshi, University of Nebraska-LincolnFollow

First Advisor

Zhenghong Tang

Committee Members

Yunwoo Nam, Tian Li

Date of this Version

12-2025

Document Type

Thesis

Citation

A thesis presented to the faculty of the Graduate College at the University of Nebraska In Partial fulfillment of requirements for the degree of Master of Community and Regional Planning

Major: Community and Regional Planning

Under the supervision of Professor Zhenghong Tang

Lincoln, Nebraska, December 2025

Comments

Copyright 2025, Pranjay Joshi. Used by permission

Abstract

This study first confirms whether Nebraska’s wetlands are still functioning hydrologically in ways that reduce flood impacts. Wetlands are known to lessen flood damage by storing water, slowing runoff, and moderating peak flows, but these benefits depend on the wetlands’ ability to maintain inundation and saturation through time. Many wetlands across the state have undergone drainage, hydrologic alteration, or isolation from surrounding watersheds, raising uncertainty about their present-day functioning. Using seven years of Sentinel-2 imagery processed in Google Earth Engine, this research establishes a clear, long-term record of inundation patterns across thousands of wetland parcels. This analysis verifies which wetlands continue to retain water regularly and which have become intermittent or largely dry, providing an objective baseline of wetland hydrologic performance. After confirming the hydrologic condition of wetlands themselves, the study evaluates how different conservation programs influence these patterns. Nebraska’s wetland related conservation programs, including the Wetlands Reserve Program (WRP), Wildlife Management Areas (WMA), Waterfowl Production Areas (WPA), the Conservation Reserve Program (CRP) that are wetland related and lands listed within the Protected Areas Database of the United States (PADUS) without including WRP sites vary in restoration intensity, management objectives, landowner involvement, and ecological expectations. By comparing inundation percentages across these programs, the study identifies which conservation strategies currently support strong wetland functioning. Overall, the study confirms that wetlands remain essential natural assets for flood resilience in Nebraska, but their effectiveness varies substantially depending on the conservation program under which they are managed. By linking hydrologic performance with conservation strategies, this research provides a foundation for prioritizing restoration, strengthening program implementation, and ensuring that Nebraska’s working landscapes continue to benefit from the natural flood-mitigation services that healthy wetlands provide.

Advisor: Zhenghong Tang