One thing you learn as a fisheries manager is that there are a lot of things out of your control.  Take, for example, water levels, either due to “Mother Nature”, power and irrigation districts, or other entities, we have no control over water levels in many Nebraska fisheries.

In recent years, we have completed some rehabilitation work at Twin Lakes in the Nebraska sandhills.  Access improvements to both north and south Twin lakes were an important part of that project.  However, water levels in the sandhills went through the roof as soon as that work was done.  They have been higher than any of use have ever seen!  That resulted in flooded roads and access improvements that ended up being under water.

Recently, our fisheries and wildlife staff got the North Twin boat ramp back in action.  Here is what it looked like:

before repairs pict

closeup before repairs pict 2

closeup before repairs pict 3

After a load or two of rock, some work with a track skid loader and shovels, here is what it looks like now!

large rock placement pict

overtop fines pict

completed pict

completed pict 2

That ramp is operational now, but a 4-WD is still recommended.  There will be some more gravel dumped on the approach to make it even better.

For now this will remain as the only access to Twin Lakes.  The south ramp is still flooded as well as the road to get there.

Our northeast region fisheries supervisor Jeff Schuckman sent me the photos.  Thanks, Jeff, and thank all of you for the work you got done on this!

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