Engineers Without Borders - Nebraska Professional Chapter
Critical Dam Restoration in Zambia District, Zambia
March 10, 2026
Lunch will be served at 11:45am
Presentation will begin at noon
This meeting will be In-Person with a Virtual Option
This meeting will be held at the Scott Conference Center (6450 Pine Street in Aksarben). Free Parking in Lot 9 across street (Figure included below). Please submit any unique diet requests a week in advance.
A virtual Teams Option will also be available. Virtual meeting log-in information will be sent out the Monday prior to the club meeting.
Project Background:
Engineers Without Borders – Nebraska Professional Chapter (EWB-NE) is working in Zimba District, Zambia, on critical dam restoration projects. These dams supply water for drinking, irrigation of community gardens, and livestock. Many communities rely on the dams as their only water source and the 2024 drought highlighted how essential these structures are.
Based on the initial investigation of 48 dams during 2024, the EWB-NE team returned in August 2025 and conducted a detailed engineering assessment of five dams in Zimba District. This work included engineering inspections, topographic surveys, geotechnical sampling, community engagement, and geophysical surveys. After conducting an alternative evaluation, the top ranked dam will have engineering plans and specifications prepared. The goal is to repair a dam in the summer of 2026. Restoring the dams is essential to secure water for thousands of people, crops, and livestock.
Presenters:
Barbara Johnston, PE
Barbara has been a civil engineer with Snyder & Associates for over 10 years. As leader of the Omaha office, she oversees Nebraska projects in a variety of fields, including transportation, stormwater, wastewater, site design, and municipal engineering. Barbara earned a BS in Civil Engineering from Colorado School of Mines with and an MS from CU-Boulder in Civil Engineering, both with a focus in Sustainable Community Development. She was involved in her college chapter of Engineers without Borders and joined the Nebraska Professionals chapter in 2017, where she has served as chapter president for 5 years.
Rick Wilson, PE
Rick has been involved in Engineers Without Borders, EWB, since 2019. He serves as the Nebraska Professional Chapter Treasurer and he the EWB Nebraska Representative of the Midwest Region, with responsibilities for both the EWB Nebraska Student and Nebraska Professional Chapters. Additionally, Rick serves as the project manager for the Zambia Dam Restoration project. As an engineer registered in both Nebraska and Colorado, Rick has led large- to small-scale engineering, water resources, and scientific projects during a 43-year career.
Parking
