Focusing upon Wildlife Habitat & Emerging Urban Issues in the Platte River valley

Transcription

1 Nebraska Water Conference Council s Annual Water & Natural Resources Tour Focusing upon Wildlife Habitat & Emerging Urban Issues in the Platte River valley June 7-9, 2004 Co-sponsored by: Central Nebraska Public Power & Irrigation District Gateway Farm Expo Kearney Area Chamber of Commerce Nebraska Association of Resources Districts Nebraska Water Conference Council Nebraska Public Power District School of Natural Resources, University of Nebraska - Conservation & Survey Division - Water Center Tour Coordinating Committee Tim Anderson... Central Nebraska Public Power & Irrigation District Michael Jess... Water Center, University of Nebraska Matt Joeckel... Conservation & Survey Division, University of Nebraska Sara Kopersky... Kearney Area Chamber of Commerce Steve Ress... Water Center, University of Nebraska John Shadle... Nebraska Public Power District Rodney Verhoeff... Lower Platte River Corridor Alliance

2 Nebraska Water Conference Council Tour Day One - Monday, June 7 6:00 Buses depart UNL East Campus at Lincoln; travel on I-80 to Kearney. 8:00 Buses arrive at Kearney to rendevous with tour participants waiting at Ramada Inn. 8:15 Buses depart Kearney; travel on I-80 and secondary roads to Jeffrey Island near Overton. 8:45 Arrive at Jeffrey Island to observe wildlife habitat restoration activities of Central Nebraska Public Power & Irrigation District and to observe bird capture and census activities. Mark Peyton, Senior Biologist, Central Nebraska Public Power & Irrigations District Bill Scharf, retired professor, Northwestern Michigan College Riley Anderson, student assistant, Nebraska College of Technical Agriculture 10:00 Depart Jeffrey Island; travel on I-80 and secondary roads to sandpit near Lexington. 10:30 Arrive at sandpit managed as nesting habitat for Interior Least Terns and Piping Plovers. Observe terns & plovers and observe wildlife habitat restoration activities of Nebraska Public Power District. Jim Jenniges, Biologist, Nebraska Public Power District Coffee & pastries complements of Farm Credit Services of America 11:30 Depart sandpit nesting site; travel on I-80 and secondary roads to Lian Nicolson Audubon Center at Rowe Sanctuary, near Gibbon. 12:30 Arrive at Rowe Sanctuary for catered lunch served by Country Catering. Paul Tebbel, Sanctuary Manager, Audubon Nebraska 2:00 Depart Rowe Sanctuary; travel on I-80, US-281 and secondary roads to Central Platte Natural Resources District in Grand Island. 2:45 Arrive at Central Platte NRD offices for discussions of recent hydrological research in the Platte River valley and ground water contamination in southwestern Grand Island. The ongoing drought and increased demand for water has prompted intensive efforts to investigate all elements of the hydrological cycle. Ground water level changes and related ground water/surface water interaction research will be outlined by Ginny McGuire, hydrologist with the U.S. Geological Survey.

3 Within the aquifer tapped by the Grand Island municipal water works are industrial solvents moving rapidly toward several city-owned water wells. Cleanup and remediation efforts will be discussed by Gary Mader, Utilities Director, City of Grand Island. Coffee & iced tea compliments of Central Platte NRD 3:45 Depart Central Platte NRD offices; travel on city streets past Grand Island municipal wells potentially impacted by ground water contamination described earlier by Gary Mader. Travel easterly on US-30 (unavoidable traffic delays are likely); while enroute to Columbus. 5:30 Arrive at Columbus for overnight lodging at New World Inn (800/ ). 6:15 Depart New World Inn for Duster s Brew Pub, located in downtown Columbus.

4 Nebraska Water Conference Council Tour Day Two - Tuesday, June 8 7:00 Buffet breakfast at New World Inn. 7:45 Rodney Verhoeff will discuss origins and objectives of Lower Platte Corridor Alliance. 8:30 Depart New World Inn; travel on US-30 and Neb. 15 to Oak Ball Room in Schuyler. 9:00 Arrive at Oak Ballroom for discussion of community ethnic diversity resulting from employment of foreign minorities in nearby packing plant and other industries. Rebecca Rayman, Executive Director, East-Central District Health Department Coffee & pastries compliments of Lower Platte Corridor Alliance 10:00 Depart Schuyler; travel on US-30 (unavoidable traffic delays are likely) and secondary roads to Fremont Lakes State Recreation Area. 10:45 Arrive at Fremont Lakes Recreation Area; briefing to focus upon algae control research conduced in Lake Number 2. Kyle Hoagland, professor, University of Nebraska 11:30 Catered lunch served under nearby picnic shelter by Taste of Elegance. Roger Stine, Park Superintendent to introduce key staff members and discuss recreation activities at Fremont Lakes Recreation Area. 1:00 Depart Fremont Lakes Recreation Area; travel on secondary roads to Platte River public access facility on Big Island near Fremont. 1:15 Arrive at Platte River public access facility for discussion of geological exposures & building site hazards. Matt Joeckel, professor, University of Nebraska Brian Dunnigan, flood plain engineer, Department of Natural Resources, State of Nebr. 2:15 Depart access facility; travel on US-275, Neb-64 and city streets to Joslyn Castle in Omaha. 3:30 Arrive Joslyn Castle for house tour and Ice Cream Social. Refreshments compliments of HDR, Inc. 4:00 60-Mile Radius research project discussion led by:

5 Prof. Cecil Steward, Dean emeritus, University of Nebraska 5:00 Depart Joslyn Castle; travel city streets for overnight lodging in Omaha. 5:30 Arrive Double Tree Hotel (402/ ) Dining on your own at nearby restaurants, gambling on the boats in Council Bluffs, etc. [Omaha Royals on the road playing in Colorado Springs]

6 Nebraska Water Conference Council Tour Day Three - Wednesday, June 9 6:30 Buffet breakfast at Double Tree Hotel (vouchers given to hotel guests). 7:30 Depart hotel; travel I-80 and city streets to Papio-Missouri River Natural Resources District offices adjacent to Wehrspann Lake. 8:00 Arrive at Papio-Missouri NRD offices, briefing to focus upon lower Platte valley water and sewerage study supported by Lower Platte Corridor Alliance. Greg MacLean, consultant, HDR, Inc. Randy Stahmer, consultant, HDR, Inc. 8:45 Depart Papio-Missouri NRD; travel on Neb-50 and Neb-31 to Schramm State Rec. Area. 9:15 Arrive at Schramm State Recreation Area to observe fish trapping & tagging research. Ed Peters, professor, University of Nebraska 10:00 Depart Schramm State Rec. Area; travel on Neb-31 and secondary roads to active sand & gravel mining operation near Ashland. 10:15 Arrive at recently opened sand & gravel mining operation. Carl Roberts, real estate broker, Lyman-Richey Corp. Coffee & pastries compliments of Lyman-Richey Corp. 11:00 Travel on secondary roads to sand & gravel pit reclamation site. Carl Roberts, Lyman-Richey Corp. Renae Held, Tern & Plover Partnership Chris Thody, Tern & Plover Partnership 12:15 Depart reclamation site; travel secondary roads to concluding mid-day lunch stop. 12:30 Arrive at Linoma Beach Lobster Inn for concluding lunch. Installation of large-capacity water wells for condenser cooling at Gerald Gentlemen Power Station presented by Frank Kwapnioski, Nebraska Public Power District 1:30 Tour concludes Buses depart for UNL East Campus in Lincoln and Ramada Inn at Kearney.