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NGPC Northwest District details Sandhills access projects; Carter P. Johnson work paused pending bill
Summary
Nebraska Game and Parks Commission Northwest District staff described plans to improve angler access at several Sandhill lakes, outlined a Smith Lake WMA design favoring riprap jetties and 10-foot target depths, and said work on the Carter P. Johnson dam removal is on hold pending Legislative Bill 261.
Joe Bridal, the new district manager for the Nebraska Game and Parks Commission(NGPC) Northwest District, described a slate of access and shoreline projects for Sandhill lakes and nearby reservoirs and said one high-profile dam project is on hold pending legislative action.
"This project's been kind of put on hold a few times. Our biggest challenge right now has to do with some legislative wording," Bridal said of the Carter P. Johnson dam decommissioning at Fort Robinson, adding the agency selected decommissioning rather than upgrading the structure when it was reclassified as a high-hazard dam.
Why it matters: the district said the Carter P. Johnson decision and related Soldier Creek work require authority to spend funds tied to Legislative Bill 261. That pause freed staff to focus on a separate Sandhill-lake access priority, Smith Lake WMA, where officials say shoreline vegetation and a failing outlet structure constrain angler access.
Bridal said Smith Lake is about 30% through design and that the district plans multiple riprap-style jetties, excavation to create vegetation-free fishing nodes and reinforced shorelines. "We're kinda shooting for at least a 10 foot depth around those structures," he said, noting deeper tapering can reduce vegetation encroachment and provide more reliable fishing depth year to year.
The district reported survey feedback favored rock-style structures: "I was surprised to hear that, 74 of you responded saying you like the rip rap style versus the floating piers," Bridal said. Designers plan a majority of riprap jetties while also exploring at least one ADA-accessible element adapted from examples used in South Dakota.
Staff said two other projects are imminent. Bridal said preconstruction meetings for Avocet and Fry (Frye) lakes were held and construction could begin as soon as next week; he warned there will be temporary closures and traffic/launch changes during work. For Fry Lake, plans shown to the public include a narrow peninsula-style ramp, parking upgrades and a pit toilet; Avocet work will reuse some haul material from Fry to build a reinforced access peninsula.
The district emphasized that Sandhill lakes present special design challenges because water levels can vary widely between years. "This might not fluctuate a lot within a year, but from year to year, it can fluctuate a lot," Bridal said, explaining designers must choose ramp geometry that functions across high and low conditions.
Smaller access efforts and in-house fixes also were described. Bridal said staff replaced cattle guards, rocked parking approaches and installed a floating pier at Giller Baker Pond, and that the Valentine fish hatchery staff support statewide production and local management needs.
Whatcomes next: the Smith Lake WMA project remains in preliminary design; the Carter P. Johnson dam removal will wait on Legislative Bill 261 before spending occurs; Avocet and Fry(e) sites are entering construction, and the district will issue local news releases with closures and timing.
Bridal closed by saying district staff will post the recorded presentation and remain available for questions and updates.
