May 2020 • Nebraskaland 47
work to be done before it could be
opened to the general public. "The first
couple of times I floated it I [capsized]
because there were so many trees and
log jams," Karnatz said.
Members of the group did some
cleanup on their own. That same
year, the city and the Central Platte
Natural Resources District teamed
up to do more, clearing downed and
overhanging trees and old car bodies.
Nebraska Public Power District,
which operates the canal, granted
permission to use the canal. Through
memberships and fundraisers, KWA
was able to split with the city the
cost of constructing a put-in at Yanney
Park and a take-out at Central Avenue.
And in 2016, the trail opened to the
public. It operates from April through
October when NPPD is diverting water
from the Platte River into the canal for
irrigation and hydropower generation.
A leisurely float down the Kearney
Water Trail begins with a straight shot
south down the Kearney Canal from
Yanney Park. In this half-mile stretch,
the high banks of the canal are lined
on the east by a crop field and on the
west by the park and bike trail. At
the canal's confluence with Turkey
Creek, the trail turns east and the
stream starts to meander through the
countryside, which isn't really country
at all. While there are industrial and
housing developments north of the
creek and numerous hotels on the
south, you rarely see them through
the trees, grass, phragmites and high
banks that line it.
You might see wood ducks and
turtles, or fish jumping. Your paddle
will bump bottom on many occasions,
but your kayak won't often, especially
if you stay on the outside of the bends.
You can occasionally set your paddle
down, but keep it handy, as you will
need it to navigate the many turns.
While you could float the creek in
a tube, the brush and riprap on the
banks are not kind to tubes, and it is
not recommended.
When you re-emerge in civilization
at Second Avenue, the creek narrows
and pours through a short rapid. Less
than two city blocks later you will
reach the take-out point on the right
Michaela Lewis, Betty Warren and Lori Gartner round a bend on Turkey Creek, part of the Kearney Water Trail.
