Daryl Bauer, Fisheries Outreach Program Manager
It is Monday and again I have some news about boating, and therefore fishing access, that I want to note:
Remember, work at Weigand Marina on Lewis & Clark Reservoir continues.
Boaters: Weigand Marina is closed
Nebraska Game and Parks reminds boaters that Weigand Marina at Lewis and Clark State Recreation Area will remain closed throughout 2026 while crews complete the marina upgrade project.
Boaters should not enter the marina area, which is marked with “No Boats” buoys. They also must stay at least 100 yards from barges removing silt from the marina.
One dredging barge is operating in the marina and the area immediately outside it. A second barge is stationed near the cabins just west of Burbach Area campground, and a third refuels and services the other two. Barges have limited maneuverability.
Crews are pumping dredged material through a submerged pipeline from the marina to the Bloomfield Area, about 4 miles west. Buoys also mark the pipeline. Boaters crossing the pipeline should travel at less than 5 mph.
Nebraska Game and Parks conservation officers will patrol the area and cite boaters who enter the closed marina area beyond the “No Boats” buoys. Parks staff also will monitor the marina and record registration numbers of violators to protect public safety, barge operators and equipment.
Boaters in search of restrooms may visit Miller Creek, Bloomfield and South Shore areas, where mooring docks have been added. These locations also offer boat ramps to access the lake.
Crews have been working on the Weigand Marina upgrade since September 2025. The construction zone is closed to the public. The marina store and the park’s main office are Weigand are open, but only accessible from land. Weigand or Burbach campgrounds, park lodging, the fish-cleaning station, the dump station or other related amenities also remain open and unaffected.
Situation at Ft. Robinson has improved.
Whitney Lake boat ramp reopens
The boat ramp at Whitney Lake Wildlife Management Area has reopened following a temporary closure to support the battle against the South Fork Fire.
Conservation officers closed the ramp Sunday when scoopers, amphibious airplanes that can pick up 1,600 gallons of water by skimming a lake’s surface, began using Dawes County reservoir to refill.
As the fire grew to more than 39,000 acres in the Pine Ridge, the scoopers were among various aerial resources used to attack the blaze. With containment of the fire growing, they have been released from the scene.
Whitney is the only lake that has been closed to boats for aerial support during the fire.