28 Nebraskaland • April 2020
Shuttling vehicles between Schramm and Louisville is a
quick, 7-mile trip along Highways 31 and 50. The Platte River
Water Trail had continued beyond Louisville to Schilling
Wildlife Management Area at Plattsmouth, but fl ooding
in 2019 washed out the access point and roads leading to
it. Another option for an extended daytrip exists, however.
Paddlers can launch at Catfi sh Run WMA on Highway 6 east
of Ashland and fl oat 2 miles down Salt Creek to its mouth at
the Platte, which is 3.8 miles above the launch at Schramm.
Other upstream access points include Two Rivers SRA near
Venice and Platte River Landing near Valley.
Paddling the river can be a challenge, however, if you
don't know how to read a river and stay in the main channel,
especially when fl ows are low. Choose the wrong course and
your fl oat trip will become much longer as you drag your boat
back to deep water.
On this reach, however, staying in deep water isn't diffi cult.
While the main channel can shift at any time, it typically
follows the left bank south from Schramm, moves to the
center of the river above the Lied Bridge, and, after the river
turns to the northeast, follows the right bank to Platte River
State Park. From there to Louisville, the channel may cross to
the north bank and back a time or two, but it is typically deep
enough to fl oat along the south bank.
The amount of water in the river varies widely throughout
the year, a factor that can also aff ect fl oat times. Numerous
dams have changed the historic fl ows in the river. Today, it is
typically highest in May and June, but runoff from heavy rains
can push fl ows to dangerous levels during any month. From
July until the irrigation season ends in September, fl ows are
lower when the diversion of surface water and groundwater
pumping, for agriculture and municipal use, is at its peak. In
dry years, the river may be too low to fl oat (see page 26).
But on a summer day, a trip down this section of the Platte
River is well worth the eff ort. And when conditions are right,
there is little eff ort required at all, leaving plenty of time to
soak in the scenery and some sun.
N
Be sure to pick up next month's issue to learn about big plans
for the Kearney Water Trail.
Morgan Zurek of Louisville (front) and Jenny Nguyen-Wheatley of Omaha carry a kayak at the Louisville State Recreation Area
canoe and kayak launch.
