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NGPC: Sediment cleanup at Gracie Creek aims to protect Calamus Reservoir walleye fishery
Summary
Nebraska Game and Parks Commission staff described repeated sedimentation at Gracie Creek Trout Pond, a 2019 rehabilitation, and a recent excavation that removed about 1,900 cubic yards of sediment to protect Calamus Reservoir's fish habitat amid concerns about reduced gizzard shad recruitment and lower walleye catch rates.
Jeff Schuckman, fisheries manager for the Nebraska Game and Parks Commission's Northeast District, said the agency has been excavating sediment at Gracie Creek Trout Pond at the upper end of Calamus Reservoir to protect the reservoir's fishery.
The Gracie Creek site, rehabilitated in 2019, began filling with sand within a few years; Schuckman said contractors removed about "1,900 yards" of sediment and that the Nebraska Department of Transportation has already taken about "1,200 yards" for reuse. The site was designed with pausing points — three jetties and a main dike — to trap sediment and provide a nearby spoil area so future cleanouts can be done locally, Schuckman said. He characterized the plan as a revolving arrangement that will likely require excavation about every three years.
Why it matters: Calamus Reservoir is an important sport-fishing water in the Northeast District. Schuckman warned that reduced gizzard shad recruitment in recent years appears linked to lower walleye recruitment and slower growth rates for some size classes. "We continue to stock fingerlings and fry and keep those things going," Schuckman said, but added that the lake's recent low water levels and sediment plume have likely reduced spawning habitat for small gizzard shad, which are an important forage base for young walleye.
Key findings and context
- Walleye: Staff reported reduced walleye catch rates and signs of recruitment issues over the last two years; Schuckman attributed at least part of the pattern to low shad recruitment and to recent low water levels that affected sampling and habitat.
- Forage fish: Schuckman said adult gizzard shad remain present in Calamus, but "we didn't get a real good hatch of young" in recent years. He noted a documented relationship between small gizzard shad abundance and small-walleye recruitment in the reservoir.
- Other species: White bass and wipers are reported to be "strong" with average-to-good size structure; channel catfish numbers and size structure are strong and the lake supports high-dollar catfish tournaments.
- Sediment management: The 2019 Gracie Creek rehabilitation included a holding area for spoils and design features to trap sediment. The recent cleanup hauled the sediment a short distance to the designated holding area to lower future costs; Schuckman said the Department of Transportation has accepted material for reuse.
Discussion and next steps
Schuckman said the Calamus plume has advanced well past some upper ramps and that the department will continue periodic cleanouts at Gracie Creek to protect in-lake habitat. He suggested further research to identify the specific factors limiting gizzard shad recruitment at Calamus and noted that lake responses can be rapid: other local reservoirs have rebounded after one good year-class of shad.
Contact information and follow-up
Schuckman provided district staff contact details and said the department will monitor recruitment, continue stocking, and use the sediment-holding design to reduce the need for larger rehabilitation projects.
Ending: The department described the Gracie Creek cleanout as part of an ongoing maintenance strategy to preserve Calamus Reservoir's habitat and fishery; staff said they will continue monitoring and may pursue additional sediment-management or research actions if shad recruitment and walleye catch rates do not recover.
