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News Update: Upper Missouri River Boat Ramps

Life in the Great Plains is one of extremes.  In recent years we have seen water levels on rivers like the Missouri higher than anything any of us have seen before.

Now, they are the opposite of that.  Water levels are low.

This may affect waterfowl hunters more than anyone right now, but there may still be some fishing happening out there.  Either way, you need to know this:

Missouri River boat ramps affected upstream of Lewis and Clark Lake

LINCOLN, Neb. – Low and fluctuating water levels have created boat access issues along the Missouri River in northeastern Nebraska.

Average releases from Fort Randall Dam in South Dakota have dipped below 11,000 cfs for the winter, with minimal nighttime releases.

Current boat ramp conditions:

Santee – usable, use caution

Bazile Creek Wildlife Management Area – poor access, use extreme caution

Niobrara Townsite – usable, use caution

Niobrara Confluence – unusable

Verdel Landing WMA – concrete boat ramp unusable; use primitive launch area immediately upstream of ramp at your own risk

Sunshine Bottoms WMA – unusable

Boat operators should use caution loading, unloading and navigating the river as daily water level fluctuations occur. These conditions likely will exist through the winter.

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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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