Prairie Queen Recreation Area

Coyote · Post by **Coyote** » Fri Oct 10, 2008 4:10 pm

Plans for lake near Papillion advance

NANCY GAARDER WORLD-HERALD STAFF WRITER wrote:The proposed lake at 126th Street and Cornhusker Road would control runoff from about five square miles of the Papillion Creek watershed. It would reduce the West Papio Creek's flow by about 10 percent at downtown Papillion during a 100-year flood, NRD Assistant General Manager Marlin Petermann said.

The 88-acre lake would be open to the public for fishing and have a hiking and biking trail, NRD officials said. However, most of the rest of the land around the lake likely would be private and thus open to housing and commercial development.

Steven Shultz, director of the University of Nebraska at Omaha Real Estate Research Center, told the board that an adequate cost-benefit analysis had not been done — a problem he said exists with other NRD projects. It might be less expensive, he said, to buy out affected properties.

Coyote · Post by **Coyote** » Fri Oct 10, 2008 6:11 pm

I am guessing it will be something like this (middle lake)

Post by **BRoss** » Thu Jun 28, 2012 7:02 pm

http://www.omaha.com/article/20120628/N ... erner-park

Mike Bell, Times Staff Writer wrote:The Papillion area will eventually be home to another lake similar to Walnut Creek where residents and visitors can boat, fish and picnic.

The lake, to be created near 132nd Street and Cornhusker Road, will be about 135 acres in size and will be located just north of Werner Park.

Cornhusker Road will be split, and a bridge will be built over the lake to leave Lincoln Road in place.

The new lake will be bigger than Walnut Creek by about 35 acres of water.

...

[T]he current transfer date for Papillion to take control of the lake is 2025, but it will probably happen much sooner. Plans are in place to construct two picnic shelters, a walking trail, bathrooms and a boat ramp at the lake.

Post by **Brad** » Fri Nov 09, 2012 5:15 pm

Aerial Photo Update:

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omadweller · Post by **omadweller** » Tue Nov 20, 2012 9:59 pm

Rendering of the lake between Cornhusker and 370 by Papillion:

http://www.omahatrails.com/index.php/ar ... tes-trails

Coyote · Post by **Coyote** » Wed Nov 27, 2013 12:44 am

Project Description:
The West Papillion Regional Basin Number 5 (WP-5) is the first flood control structure proposed as part of the Papillion Creek Watershed Partnership’s Watershed Management Plan. The reservoir is located on Westmont Creek, which is a tributary within the West Papillion Creek Watershed. The project will:

Address the immediate need for flood control in areas surrounding and including the City of Papillion
Create a 135 acre lake with an additional 335 acres of park land
Provide recreational opportunities such as “no wake” boating, fishing, 4 miles of hiking and biking trails, and picnic areas
Protect highly erodible stream banks from further deterioration
Improve water quality
Create an aquatic ecosystem on the site
Enhance and create wildlife habitat

Project Cost Estimates:
Estimated Project Costs Dollars
Land Rights $18,200,000
Engineering $3,100,000
WP-5 Construction $14,500,000
Estimated Total Cost $35,800,000

Project Partners Amount
Papio-Missouri River NRD $33,650,000
Nebraska Game & Parks Commission $750,000
Sarpy County $450,000
City of Papillion $450,000
Nebraska Department of Environmental
Quality (anticipated) $500,000
Total $35,800,000

Project Schedule:

Initial feasibility study began in 2009
Design completed in August 2012
Construction of main dam, sanitary sewer relocation, Lincoln Road extension, water quality basins, and recreational features to begin October 2012
Anticipated completion is June 2014

Coyote · Post by **Coyote** » Wed Nov 27, 2013 1:11 am

Lake may spur growth near Werner Park

Mike Bell: Times Staff Writer wrote:Plans are in place to construct two picnic shelters, a walking trail, bathrooms and a boat ramp at the lake. Future recreational developments are a near-certain possibility, like soccer fields or a horse trail, Grint said. However, those improvements will be up to the City of Papillion to develop and maintain.

Coyote · Post by **Coyote** » Wed Nov 27, 2013 1:23 am

Construction Well Underway For Our Area’s Newest Flood Control Reservoir and Outdoor Recreation Site

Papio NRD wrote:Construction is continuing on the Papio-Missouri River NRD’s WP-5 (West Branch Papio Creek Site 5) Flood Control Reservoir and related outdoor recreational features. The new 135 acre reservoir, surrounded by an additional 335 acres of public parkland, will be near 132nd St and Cornhusker Rd in Sarpy County, just northwest of the Werner Park Stadium.

The reservoir project will help protect lives and property downstream along the West Branch Papillion Creek, including the cities of Papillion and Bellevue. Studies have shown that this area of Sarpy County is in dire need of additional flood protection. In addition to the construction of the flood control reservoir, the project also calls for the construction of a hiking/biking trail, boat ramp, picnic shelters, upstream water quality structures and a Lincoln Rd. extension and bridge.

This multi-purpose flood control and outdoor recreation project is the first to be implemented under the Papillion Creek Watershed Partnership’s watershed management plan. The partnership, established in 2001, includes representatives from Omaha, Papillion, Bellevue, Gretna, Boys Town, Ralston, LaVista, Sarpy County and the Natural Resources District. The organization has a mission to address issues related to flooding and water quality in the Papillion Creek watershed in Douglas and Sarpy Counties.

Opening of the recreation area is planned for 2015.

Coyote · Post by **Coyote** » Wed Nov 27, 2013 2:10 am

Looking East along Lincoln St.

Looking North towards Southport

Looking North towards Westmont

Coyote · Post by **Coyote** » Wed Nov 27, 2013 11:56 pm

Spillway north of 370 and west of 132nd

Pedestrian Bridge north of 370 and east of 132nd

RNcyanide · Post by **RNcyanide** » Thu Nov 28, 2013 12:07 am

What is the big concrete thing in the second to last picture.

Coyote · Post by **Coyote** » Thu Nov 28, 2013 12:12 am

RNcyanide wrote:What is the big concrete thing in the second to last picture.

You mean the spillway?

RNcyanide · Post by **RNcyanide** » Thu Nov 28, 2013 12:14 am

Coyote wrote:
RNcyanide wrote:What is the big concrete thing in the second to last picture.
You mean the spillway?

Yeah. I guess I've never seen one that looks like that before outside of a large concrete dam.

Coyote · Post by **Coyote** » Thu Nov 28, 2013 12:21 am

There is also one on the north end, west side.
This one is for the Westmont Creek...

bigredmed · Post by **bigredmed** » Sat Nov 30, 2013 10:45 pm

The spillway structure looks like the one designed by New Mexico State. It was designed to disrupt sudden large flows like they get off the mountains. Probably using it to block silt.

Post by **Brad** » Sun Dec 01, 2013 1:12 am

Nice pics.

Didn't we already have a thread for this? I thought I posted aerials if this lake last fall?

Coyote · Post by **Coyote** » Sun Dec 01, 2013 1:16 am

Brad wrote:Nice pics.

Didn't we already have a thread for this? I thought I posted aerials if this lake last fall?

you may have posted them in the stadium thread, but I started a new one for this and North Shore, as Pennant Place was separated a while ago also...

Post by **Brad** » Sun Dec 01, 2013 1:36 am

Found it. It was in the NRD thread...

http://eomahaforums.com/phpBB/viewtopic ... 0&start=80

Post by **Brad** » Sun Feb 23, 2014 6:13 am

Water still a long ways from full...

bigredmed · Post by **bigredmed** » Sun Feb 23, 2014 11:53 am

RNcyanide wrote:What is the big concrete thing in the second to last picture.

Spillway for flood gate feature of dam. Water flows over the hump and is obstructed by the pieces of concrete. The effect is to slow the flow of the surging water by forcing it to bounce off and between the concrete and the water itself.

When I lived in New Mexico, New Mexico State developed these for arroyo flood control. Arroyos are dry Creek beds that flood much like the Papio does with sudden surges. By controlling the speed of the water, you control the scour and the debris.

Post by **Brad** » Sun Feb 23, 2014 4:20 pm

I would like to point out that those smaller concrete spillways are not part of the main dam structure. There are smaller sediment basins (look like small reservoirs) where the water enters the lake. These smaller reservoirs collect silt and other derbies and protect the main lake. There is also something similar to this on the south end of Wehrspann Lake. Just south of highway 370.

The other two spillways on the main lake should look similar to what you would see at Lake Zornski or Wehrspann Lake. The Main Spillway will be large concrete box. The Auxiliary (or Emergency) spillway will be long flat grass area. At both Zornski and Wehrspann, both Auxiliary spillways are the soccer fields.

NOTE: I also merged in several posts from the other "Dam Building Thread" that were about this lake.

nosracesahc · Post by **nosracesahc** » Sun Mar 02, 2014 2:38 pm

WP-5 GETS A NAME

http://www.omaha.com/article/20140227/SNI02/140228959" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

The Papillion City Council voted to name the largest lake and the surrounding space Prairie Queen Recreation Area on Feb. 18.

The name commemorates a one-room country schoolhouse that stood on the site from 1884 to 1957. The building remained in use and served as Papillion Grange Hall until 2002 when Highway 370 was expanded.

bigredmed · Post by **bigredmed** » Sun Mar 02, 2014 5:08 pm

nosracesahc wrote:WP-5 GETS A NAME

http://www.omaha.com/article/20140227/SNI02/140228959" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

The Papillion City Council voted to name the largest lake and the surrounding space Prairie Queen Recreation Area on Feb. 18.

The name commemorates a one-room country schoolhouse that stood on the site from 1884 to 1957. The building remained in use and served as Papillion Grange Hall until 2002 when Highway 370 was expanded.

Yea for the respect of local history! Nice choice.

TitosBuritoBarn · Post by **TitosBuritoBarn** » Sun Mar 02, 2014 6:18 pm

Sounds like Dairy Queen.

Post by **BRoss** » Sun Mar 02, 2014 6:31 pm

I noticed this in the article:

Two more lakes on the site, one west of 114th Street and the other north and east of 108th Street, will be named at a later date.

I don't think I've seen anything about two more lakes.

Coyote · Post by **Coyote** » Sun Mar 02, 2014 6:56 pm

HR Paperstacks wrote:I noticed this in the article:
Two more lakes on the site, one west of 114th Street and the other north and east of 108th Street, will be named at a later date.
I don't think I've seen anything about two more lakes.

I believe these 'lakes' are just small ponds north of 370.

nosracesahc · Post by **nosracesahc** » Sun Mar 02, 2014 7:35 pm

This is what is on the City of Papillion website Looks to be in the area of NW Corner of 114th and Cornhusker and the second smaller one looks like the area around 108th and W Lincoln Road both area not anywhere close in size to Praire Queen or Walnut

Here is Park Plan

http://www.papillion.org/planning_compr ... e_plan.cfm

Coyote · Post by **Coyote** » Sun Mar 02, 2014 8:16 pm

Nice find, thanks nosracesahc!

Post by **Brad** » Mon Mar 03, 2014 4:09 pm

One of the two lakes has been talked about for a long time, It was in all the initial Werner park renderings and I think is also in the "NRD Dam Building" Thread.

Trips · Post by **Trips** » Fri Apr 11, 2014 6:55 pm

Is there an opening day for the trails? I saw that they were finishing up the southern part yesterday. I am going to try it out tomorrow morning with my fingers crossed that it is done.

Coyote · Post by **Coyote** » Fri Apr 11, 2014 9:42 pm

Trips wrote:Is there an opening day for the trails? I saw that they were finishing up the southern part yesterday. I am going to try it out tomorrow morning with my fingers crossed that it is done.

They were still grooving the sidewalks today, and none of the sidewalks are really completed, plus the parking area is blocked off...

Trips · Post by **Trips** » Mon Apr 14, 2014 7:33 pm

It looks like they still have 10+ dry days of work. It looks like every .1 miles they skipped a piece of concrete. I am guessing they did not have the distance markers. On a side note it looks like they should have cleaned up the grounds where the lake is going to be.

Post by **Brad** » Mon Apr 14, 2014 7:43 pm

Trips wrote:On a side note it looks like they should have cleaned up the grounds where the lake is going to be.

What wasn't cleaned up?

They usually throw a bunch of concrete blocks and tires in there to create fish habitat.

The the water rise a lot yesterday?

Trips · Post by **Trips** » Wed Apr 16, 2014 3:53 pm

The water was up a little but then again that is a huge area that will be filled. I did discover that there is not a whole lot of parking out there unless they have some lots still in the works. As for the junk most of it was concrete, hay bales, tree stumps and construction equipment.

The pictures are from Lincoln Road looking north and south and then 132nd looking east.

Post by **Brad** » Wed Apr 16, 2014 4:13 pm

Thanks for the update photos!

Coyote wrote:They were still grooving the sidewalks today

Nice auto correct! Were they jamming to the 70's while they were getting their grove on?

.

Post by **Brad** » Sun May 11, 2014 4:52 am

Photo Update

1. Still not much water.

2. Restrooms and picnic areas going in.

Post by **Brad** » Tue Jun 17, 2014 4:29 pm

Aerial Photo Update

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Coyote · Post by **Coyote** » Tue Jun 17, 2014 4:36 pm

Nice! That is filling in better than I thought.

Post by **Brad** » Tue Jun 17, 2014 4:39 pm

Coyote wrote:Nice! That is filling in better than I thought.

That big rain a couple weeks ago really helped out. Looking at the outlet structure on the dam, its getting close, but still has a ways to go.

Coyote · Post by **Coyote** » Tue Jun 17, 2014 4:50 pm

I also like that new road that leads to the dam. When I get back home tonight I'll have to check a map to see that... 126th St..? Looks like Cornhusker will be piers?