Nebraskaland

30 Nebraskaland • March 2020 2019 FLOOD Game and Parks Still Working to Recover BY ERIC FOWLER F or many Nebraskans, 2019 was a tough year. Historic flooding in March sent nearly every river in the eastern half of the state out of its banks, washing out highways, bridges, dams, levees, farms and homes, and killing four people and countless livestock. Flooding along the Missouri River in southeastern Nebraska continued throughout the year. More floods hit south-central Nebraska in July and the northeast in September. It is estimated that the flooding caused more than $3 billion in damage to infrastructure and property in Nebraska. Publicly owned lands managed by the Nebraska Game and Parks Commission were not spared. Of the 76 state parks and recreation areas it oversees, 28 were damaged by flooding. So were 67 of the state's 289 wildlife management areas, several segments of the Cowboy Recreation and Nature Trail, and numerous fisheries. The estimated cost to clean up and repair the damage adds up to nearly $19 million. For some outdoor enthusiasts, the flooding meant looking for different places to camp, fish or hunt, as many areas were closed for extended periods, some the entire year. For Game and Parks, it meant $1.2 million in lost revenue from Park Entry Permit sales, campsite rentals and other activity fees. The agency has worked to repair as much of the damage as possible, and has been formulating a plan to finish the work and return these resources to the condition that Nebraskans know and love. Paying for the repairs, however, remains a challenge for the agency, which is funded primarily by user fees. Those fees haven't been able to keep up with the needs the agency has, not only for expansion of services, but also for maintenance of existing facilities. With help from the Nebraska Legislature in recent years, Game and Parks was beginning to make headway on a $76 million backlog in maintenance projects. The Federal Emergency Management Agency will provide considerable assistance, covering 75 percent of the cost of eligible repairs. It is hoped the Legislature will provide assistance as well. Getting that money in hand takes time. And with a considerable share still falling on Game and Parks, it will likely put some construction and maintenance projects that had been planned on hold. But the work will be done, because the resources, and the enjoyment they provide Nebraskans and visitors to our state, are worthwhile investments. "The damage was major, but we were fortunate. No staff or visitors Flood waters pushed day-use-area picnic tables and debris into the woods at Two Rivers State Recreation Area. PHOTO BY JENNY NGUYEN-WHEATLEY PHOTO BY ERIC FOWLER

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