JUNE 2018 • NEBRASKAland 11
Duck Creek
Now Open
By Eric Fowler
Duck Creek Recreation Area and its
new 62-acre reservoir near Peru opened
to the public in April.
The recreation area, built and
managed by the Nemaha Natural
Resources District, encompasses 200
acres and will offer fishing, no-wake
boating, RV and tent camping, a nature
trail, picnic areas, swim beach and
playgrounds.
The Nebraska Game and Parks
Commission was one of several
partners in the project, providing design
and funding assistance to enhance
aquatic habitat for fish and access for
anglers with a $500,000 grant from the
U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service's Sport
Fish and Wildlife Restoration program,
which is funded through excise taxes
boaters and anglers pay on equipment.
The work included excavating parts of
the lake and building underwater shoals
to provide depth diversity, anchoring
tree piles for fish habitat to compliment
the abundant standing timber that
was flooded, building breakwaters
and sediment traps to maintain water
quality, and a boat ramp and fishing
pads for anglers.
The Commission stocked the lake
with bluegill, black crappie, largemouth
bass and channel catfish starting in
2016. Bass and bluegills also found
their way into the lake from upstream
ponds. Duck Creek currently has a high
density of small bass and bluegills,
with a few keeper-sized fish.
A grand opening and dedication
is planned for June 2 at 11 a.m. The
event includes lunch, kayaking, boat
and facility tours and a fishing clinic.
A Nemaha NRD access permit ($15
annual, $5 daily), which provides entry
to four other areas, is required and
can be purchased on site. For more
information, go to NemahaNRD.org.
■
Duck Creek Recreation Area, located 5 miles northwest of Peru, was built for flood
control and recreation.
PHOTO
BY
ERIC
FOWLER
