about us
Dr. Marian Maas became involved with Papillion Creek water quality while employed with the City of Omaha Public Works Department at the Missouri River Wastewater Treatment Plant. In the late '90s, Dr. Maas was responsible for the design, development and implementation of an extensive water quality monitoring program for the Papillion Creek. This was the first water quality survey to be conducted on the Papio that included a thorough collection of data in both dry weather and during storm events to determine the impact of stormwater runoff. She conducted the field work, collecting scientific-quality monitoring data in the streams of the Papillion Creek system nearly every week for more than 2 years. The sampling program included more than 16 different sites throughout the watershed from its northern reaches at the Douglas-Washington County line to the Capehart Road Bridge in southern Bellevue. This formidable task resulted in an extensive database of excellent quality for both dry and wet weather conditions, and provided the foundation for the work of the Papillion Creek Watershed Partnership which Dr. Maas helped found.
It was Dr. Maas’s hope to eventually build upon this database; she envisioned the benefits to the community from an in-depth study of the watershed coupled with a significant media campaign to increase public awareness and stakeholder education. The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) provided this opportunity through the Watershed Cooperative grant program and awarded Dr. Maas a grant to continue the Papillion Creek work. This EPA funded Project builds upon the original dataset, expanding it into a comprehensive study and outreach effort that should produce significant public benefit.
Dr. Maas has a Master’s Degree from UNO in biology with emphasis in ichthyology and stream ecology, and a Ph.D. from UNMC within the Department of Cell Biology & Anatomy, focusing on developmental neurobiology. She also has significant experience working for the Iowa Department of Natural Resources in state-wide water quality improvement, public and stakeholder outreach, and best management practices. Under her supervision, assessment of biological and water quality data was conducted for determination of the status of the state’s surface waters and for the identification of Iowa’s impaired waters from which Total Maximum Daily Loads (TMDLs) were developed for a number of Iowa’s rivers and lakes. Dr. Maas is committed to conservation and protection of our natural resources, wildlife, and natural habitats. She serves as Immediate Past-President of the Nebraska Wildlife Federation and is personally active in the furtherance of natural ecosystems and their restoration.
