Big Lake

[damonhynes]

This ending is quite telling. The full article in the LJS absolutely rips the idea apart

However, Darryll Pederson, a retired professor of hydrogeology with the University of Nebraska-Lincoln, recently wrote a commentary in the Lincoln Journal-Star.

Pederson wrote that the big lake should never be built because “smart people don’t build major projects in a flood plain.”

IIRC, the original raison d'être of the "Lake Daub" dam was flood control, with electricity and recreation as the syrup and sprinkles. This morphed into rec/residential, with no consideration for flooding/ice jams.

What could go wrong?

I'm here to tell you, that the last place I'd want to build a McMansion is on this Lake White Elephant.

[Damtheplatte]

Hearing this project is the next in line to not come to fruition. Knew it was a long shot but was hopeful.

[Garrett]

Honestly always felt like a Ricketts pet project that they thought would be cool but had zero actual feasibility.

[iamjacobm]

Need the room for Big Ten Crossing anyways.

[Athomsfere]

It's dead? Really great news.

[Erik]

This project was always created for the already wealthy to make more money and have additional properties - at the taxpayers expense.

All that land was getting gobbled up before the announcement, found it too obvious

[djc311]

So what, no Ricketts Land now? Perhaps it could be called Pillen Village of Pillagers?

With all that property tax money I’m saving now due to Pillen’s awesome tax reduction plan, I could have bought a lot at Ricketts Land… oh wait

[Busguy2010]

I liked the concept of this. This iteration of the Omaha-Lincoln big lake was the best of them all. A lot better than putting a dam on the Platte. Sadly, it did look like it was going to be made for the whos who of the state, or draw them in from out of state. Right lake, wrong reason.

[Garrett]

The Big Lake study came out and looks like the site isn’t feasible, as expected. Alternatives identified include another site near the Platte near Louisville, damming the Elkhorn River near Nickerson, or damming the Salt Creek between Ashland and Greenwood.

[Louie]

The Big Lake study came out and looks like the site isn’t feasible, as expected. Alternatives identified include another site near the Platte near Louisville, damming the Elkhorn River near Nickerson, or damming the Salt Creek between Ashland and Greenwood.

Do you have more specifics on the location of those possibilities?

[Garrett]

The Big Lake study came out and looks like the site isn’t feasible, as expected. Alternatives identified include another site near the Platte near Louisville, damming the Elkhorn River near Nickerson, or damming the Salt Creek between Ashland and Greenwood.

Do you have more specifics on the location of those possibilities?

Just pulling info from an OWH article that I was too lazy to link. Haven’t read the report myself and not sure where to find it

[skinzfan23]

One of them is near Louisville.

[Louie]

One of them is near Louisville.

Right, but my folks are living in Cedar Creek so Id like to know where they’d be damming.

[Brad]

One of them is near Louisville.

Right, but my folks are living in Cedar Creek so Id like to know where they’d be damming.

Damming the plat anywhere near Louisville isn't feasible either.

[Garrett]

One of them is near Louisville.

Right, but my folks are living in Cedar Creek so Id like to know where they’d be damming.

Ah yeah, the Louisville site would be a dig out like the initial site would be, while the other two would be dams

[JohnFN]

https://opportunity.nebraska.gov/wp-con ... ndices.pdf

https://opportunity.nebraska.gov/wp-con ... RESSED.pdf

First is the environmental study, but the second is a surprisingly optimistic financial study seeing if they could drum up the funding, apparently 90% through philanthropy/developers. I'm still skeptical (because some of these numbers seem a bit ambitious), and I won't get a chance to read it until later this week, but if it's true that sounds like something that should be pursued, even if the idea sounds dumb to me.

Got most of this from an examiner article: https://nebraskaexaminer.com/2024/10/28 ... d-lincoln/

[orangeboots]

So here is a idea I have been kicking around since the 2011 floods. How about building a recreation lake on the east side of I 29 north of Crescent. There are only a few homes that would need relocated. It could be recreation only no housing. I am sure there is a way to incorporate flood control into the plan. It could be bigger than anything around. Use the Honeycreek exit for access.

[Omahayngin]

Not a fan on building a big lake just to put single family homes around it. Lame!

I said before I want an entertainment district built around a lake like Disney Springs.
If you could throw in an artificial rapids course for kayaking, that would be cool too!

i agree 100% if they want to market it too as “something for nebraska - we’ll never have mountains” then it shouldn’t just be a glamorized lake community basically. it should be optimized to generate revenue that will give back to the state and an okaboji type development i think would do best with several attentions amenities developments ect

[Dusty]

Where did thread even come from? LOL!

What I was proposing is very small scale compared to the Big Lake concept. It would be a lake the size of Standing Bear or Zorinsky with a mixed-use entertainment district around it. It's small enough you can see the development on the other side. It would be a big draw right off the interstate. This would attract more development and recreational attractions near it.

There is no need to take land from people or demolish homes. Having a massive lake where we can sit on the banks and fish shows how out of touch we have become with recreation. Nebraska only seems to focus on: fishing, hunting, and camping. Nearly every state has past us up on recreational options. We have become Nebraska Boring.