Alliance Events
Lower Platte River Kayak Tour
On Tuesday July 19th, 2011 roughly 30 kayak enthusiasts joined the LPRCA and voyaged down the Lower Platte River from Hormel Park boat ramp in Fremont, to Platte River Landing near Valley. Attendees met at Platte River Landing in the morning and were shuttled upstream to Hormel Park where they "put-in". The three-hour voyage downstream covered nine miles of the scenic riparian ecosystem of the lower Platte River. See the LPRCA flyer for more details and view a map of the 2011 route.
The event was free and attendees were provided with kayaks, paddles and life jackets. The kayakers enjoyed a mid-tour break on a Platte River sandbar, where bottled water and snacks were provided during a brief presentation discussing terns and plovers. The kayak tour concluded with a free lunch and presentations at the Platte River Landing destination.
Educational opportunities throughout the day included Kayaking 101, updates on the LPRCA issues, and brief presentations by Tim Montgomery (NGPC Rec. Programs), Mary Bomberger Brown (Tern and Plover Partnership), Dave Sands (NE Land Trust), Alan Kolok (UNO research station), Matt Pillard (HDR) and well-known photographer Michael Forsberg who informed participants of his Platte River time-lapse project. Click here to view photos from the 2011 event.
We were very pleased with the huge interest of the general public this year and we were shocked that we hit our participation limit before 10am the morning of registration! For those that were unable to contact us in time, we would love to add you to our mailing list and send you a personal invitation next year.
Water Quality Open
This annual outdoor recreational activity offers educational opportunities by providing displays, demonstrations and environmental trivia throughout the course to raise awareness of conservation needs along the Lower Platte River Corridor. Participants can range from the general public to legislators to natural resources managers.
If you or your organization have an interest in donating or participating in this fabulous event please contact the Alliance.
*The 2012 Water Quality Open will be taking place August 30th!! Watch the Alliance website next spring for more information on the event.*
2011 Water Quality Open
The 14th annual LPRCA Water Quality Open Golf Tournament was held September 1st, 2011 at the Quarry Oaks Golf Course near Ashland. Thirty-six teams participated in the event, resulting in a total of 144 players. The tournament began with a presentation entitled, 'Relicensing the Loup Power District Hydroelectric Project" lead by Neal Suess, President and CEO of Loup Public Power District and Lisa Richardson, Project Manager at HDR. Teams that attended the guest presentation received a 4-stroke bonus. The presentation was followed by registration and tips on how to play Quarry Oaks. The 18-hole tournament kicked off with a "shotgun start" at 12:30pm and after a long, beautiful summer day of golf, participants were allowed to socialize, mingle and visit displays until the awards dinner at the clubhouse. We want to thank everyone that contributed to this event and helped make it a success!
2010 Lower Platte River Summit
The 2010 Lower Platte River Summit was held Thursday October 20th at the Riverview Lodge located in Mahoney State Park near Ashland. The theme for the 2010 event was "Preserving the Rural Environment: the Changing Landscape of the Lower Platte" which correlated perfectly to the keynote presentation. The keynote presenter was Bob Wagner, Senior Policy and Program Advisor for the American Farmland Trust (AFT). The topic of his address was "Protecting Farmland, Promoting Farming, Providing Options--Successful Programs and Activities from Around the Country." His keynote presentation was followed by a panel discussion with local residents and officials including Dave Sands (NE Land Trust), Rebecca Horner (Sarpy County Planner), Mary Hanson (National Park Service), & John Knapp (Sarpy County Landowner).
A bus tour of the project sites and resources of the Lower Platte River Corridor followed in the afternoon.The tour sites included Heldt Produce, MUD wellfields, Ron Patterson Farm and the Lied Pedestrian Bridge. Each site hosted a special presentation. Approximately 75 people attended the all-day event. The 2010 Summit was a great success and we want to thank members of the steering committee: Mary Hanson of the National Park Service, Matt Pillard of HDR Inc., Dave Sands of the Nebraska Land Trust, and W Don Nelson of Prairie Fire. We also want to thank our sponsors of this event: National Park Service, LPSNRD, LPNNRD and PMRNRD. Since the LPRCA Summit is held every-other year, keep an eye out for the next Summit in fall 2012!