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Ft. Robinson Aquatic Habitat Rehabilitation Project

One of the biggest Aquatic Habitat rehabilitation projects we are working on right now is out at Ft. Robinson.  Yes, that is way out in northwest Nebraska, and yes, you should make a trip there sometime!  There are a lot of fishing opportunities in and near Ft. Robinson, as well as a ton of other things to see and do.  Oh, and it is some of the purdiest country in the state!

Some of the fishing my family and I have enjoyed out there over the years has been on the variety of small ponds that are on the fort area.  Those ponds have been there for a lot longer than I have been around and needed a variety of rehabilitation work–outlet structure repairs, sediment removal, access improvements, etc.

Whenever we start an Aquatic Habitat rehabilitation project, it seems like it takes forever to complete all the planning, permits, funding, and then finally get to work.  Then “mother nature” trumps everything, and well, it seems like projects never get done.  But, they do.  Let me show you a few photos from this spring:

Grabel Ponds

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My co-worker out in the panhandle, Justin Haag took some great photos of the work done at the Grabel Ponds.  You may have seen some of these photos already, Justin shared them on FaceBook.  I asked him if I could steal some.  Thanks, Justin!

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Justin Haag photo, Nebraskaland Magazine.
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Justin Haag photo, Nebraskaland Magazine.
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Justin Haag photo, Nebraskaland Magazine.
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Justin Haag photo, Nebraskaland Magazine.

Cherry Creek Pond

Near the Grabel Ponds is the Cherry Creek Pond.  Last fall after draining, here is what it looked like.  This shot is looking across the dam:

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You can see a lot of siltation over the years and not much depth.

Work is not as far along on the Cherry Creek Pond, but you can see progress!

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Work on the Grabel Ponds will be finished in the coming weeks.  Then re-filling will take place and fish will be re-stocked soon after.  Bass, bluegill and trout will be stocked into those small ponds.

There are actually two phases to the Ft. Robinson Aquatic Habitat rehabilitation project, and this is just phase I.  Work will shift to Lake Carter P. Johnson and the Crazy Horse Dam, as work on the Grabel and Cherry Creek ponds is completed, .  That work may start later this year.

About daryl bauer

Daryl is a lifelong resident of Nebraska (except for a couple of years spent going to graduate school in South Dakota). He has been employed as a fisheries biologist for the Nebraska Game and Parks Commission for 25 years, and his current tour of duty is as the fisheries outreach program manager. Daryl loves to share his educational knowledge and is an avid multi-species angler. He holds more than 120 Nebraska Master Angler Awards for 14 different species and holds more than 30 In-Fisherman Master Angler Awards for eight different species. He loves to talk fishing and answer questions about fishing in Nebraska, be sure to check out his blog at outdoornebraska.org.

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