LINCOLN, Neb. – As part of a national effort to reduce the number of accidents and deaths related to boating under the influence (BUI), the Nebraska Game and Parks Commission will participate July 3-5 in Operation Dry Water.

While Operation Dry Water is a year-round BUI awareness and enforcement campaign, that effort will be heightened by Game and Parks’ Law Enforcement Division officers July 3-5 at waters across the state.

Alcohol use while boating is one of the leading factors in boater deaths. In Nebraska, it is unlawful to operate a motorboat with a blood alcohol level content of .08 percent or greater. Doing so constitutes BUI, which carries penalties such as vessel impoundment, fines, jail time and loss of boating privileges.

"The Commission encourages boaters to enjoy the boating season with friends and family, and we also encourage them do it in a safe and responsible way,” said Craig Stover, administrator for the Law Enforcement Division. “Drinking alcohol while boating can have serious, even deadly consequences, and our goal is to make sure everyone is enjoying their time on the water and staying safe.”

The Commission also recommends everyone have all required boating safety equipment on board, including life jackets or U.S. Coast Guard-approved floatation devices, lights, fire extinguisher, horn, bailing bucket and an orange flag if pulling skiers and tubers.

Children age 12 and younger and anyone riding or operating a personal watercraft or being pulled on a towable must wear a U.S. Coast Guard-approved life jacket. Anyone operating a motorboat or personal watercraft must be at least 14 years old. Anyone born after December 31, 1985 must complete a boater safety course, which can be taken at OutdoorNebraska.gov/boatereducation. For more information on boating rules and requirements, read the 2020 Boating Guide at OutdoorNebraska.gov/guides.

Operation Dry Water is a joint program of Game and Parks, the National Association of State Boating Law Administrators, and the U.S. Coast Guard. For more information, visit OperationDryWater.org.

Some state park service centers to reopen July 1

LINCOLN, Neb. – Select state park area service centers will reopen to the public July 1 for customer service, information and permit sales.

Amenities such as interpretive displays and gift shops will not be available. Restrooms may be open. All park service center visitors must wear a face mask. A list of service centers opening on July 1 can be found at OutdoorNebraska.gov/healthinfo.

The Nebraska Game and Parks Commission is continuing to make services and amenities available and is committed to keeping the public and its staff safe during the COVID-19 health crisis.

"We are pleased to continue to provide great opportunities for outdoor recreation at our beautiful state parks and recreation areas and further restore additional services to safely serve our patrons," Game and Parks Director Jim Douglas said.

Additional restored services and amenities include:

• RV and tent camping returned to Danish Alps State Recreation Area in Dakota County on June 26. All campsites are available on a first-come, first-served basis, and modern restrooms and showers are open.

• Guests again are able to enjoy restaurants at Platte River and Fort Robinson state parks as well as food service at the Fort Robinson Sutler’s Store and the marina at Lewis and Clark state recreation area. To ensure the safety of the public and employees, food service staff have implemented health department and Nebraska Restaurant Association recommendations. Self-serve options (salad bars, buffets, soda fountains) will not be available and menu selections may be reduced. To-go menu options will be available at some locations. For hours of operation, guests are advised to contact the park directly. Caddy’s Parkside Bar and Grille at Eugene T. Mahoney State Park opened earlier in June.

• The year-to-date reservation process will return July 1 for cabins, lodge rooms meeting rooms, group lodges, cabooses, pavilions, and picnic shelters. This does not affect RV and tent camping, which – until further notice – will continue to allow reservations no more than 30 days in advance.

• Special Occasion Permit applications for July will be considered on a case-by-case basis. Applicants may be required to include a safety protocol for maintaining social distancing, group sizing and proper hygiene.

• The outdoor shooting range at Wildcat Hills State Recreation Area will reopen July 1.

• Some limited educational and recreational programming at select state park areas will begin July 1.

For more information regarding state parks and the impacts of COVID-19, or to purchase a park entry permit, go to OutdoorNebraska.org. Find park contact information at OutdoorNebraska.gov/stateparks.

New Take ’em Fishing grand prize: Bass Tracker Classic


LINCOLN, Neb. – With a donation from the Cabela’s/Bass Pro Shop and the Nebraska Game and Parks Foundation, this year’s Take ’em Fishing Challenge just got a little more exciting: One lucky participant will win a Bass Tracker Classic XL boat.

This is the Nebraska Game and Parks Commission’s second year offering the challenge, which encourages experienced anglers to take a pledge to go fishing with a beginner or someone who hasn’t fished in several years. Anglers who take a photo of themselves taking someone new fishing can enter an online drawing for dozens of prizes, including the boat, valued at nearly $11,000; two $500 Scheels gift cards, a fishing kayak, or a two-night stay in a Nebraska state park. All participants will be featured on the agency’s Facebook page and will receive a Take ’em Fishing decal.

Though the challenge officially started in May, due to the current health situation, the contest has been extended through Oct. 31, 2020, to increase people’s chances to participate by fishing one of Nebraska’s many diverse waterbodies.

“We’re excited to offer a great grand prize Bass Tracker Boat for the second year in a row,” Director Jim Douglas said. “We give a special thanks to Cabela’s/Bass Pro Shop and the Nebraska Game and Parks Foundation, and look forward to seeing the many memories made by our Take ’em Fishing participants.”

Last year, more than 4,710 entered the Take ’em Fishing challenge, and 1,200 already have entered this year. To learn more, or to submit your entry, visit OutdoorNebraska.org/TakeEmFishing.

Fishing allows groups of friends or family to spend time together while engaged in the same activity, no matter the fitness or skill levels of the various participants. It requires only basic, inexpensive equipment that can be found at any sporting goods store. Game and Parks stocks ponds and lakes across the state with sport fish, which means that just about everyone can find a good fishing spot close by.

Fishing also is crucial to the conservation of Nebraska’s natural resources. Money generated through the sale of fishing permits and aquatic habitat stamps is used to maintain healthy fisheries in Nebraska water bodies, and to improve access for anglers. More anglers also ensure the health and vitality of Nebraska’s aquatic resources for generations to come.

Visit OutdoorNebraska.org/TakeEmFishing to take the pledge (encouraged but not required), register, view rules or get more information.

Wagon Train Lake remains on health alert

LINCOLN, Neb. – A health alert for harmful algal blooms, also known as toxic blue-green algae, remains in effect at Wagon Train Lake in Lancaster County.

Visitors to Wagon Train State Recreation Area should avoid full-body contact activities that could lead to swallowing water, such as swimming, wading, skiing, jet skiing, etc. Non-contact activities such as boating, fishing and camping are OK. Dog owners are urged to keep pets out of the water and not allow them to ingest lake water.

Samples taken by the Nebraska Department of Environment and Energy earlier this week at Wagon Train Lake were above the health alert threshold of 8 parts per billion (ppb) of total microcystin, which is a toxin released by certain strains of blue-green algae.

This is a lower threshold than previous years, based on U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) recommendations. Previously, the state had set a limit of 20 ppb, but adopted the new limits after concluding that the new EPA threshold is based on the best scientific evidence available, and is protective of public health.

Lakes with beaches and those that allow power boating are tested weekly through the summer, and sampling results will be updated every Friday. Health alerts are lifted immediately when algal toxin levels are below 8 ppb. To view weekly data for the lakes sampled, visit deq-iis.ne.gov/zs/bw/.

For more information on harmful algal blooms, read this Fact Sheet.

Several road closures on wildlife management areas

LINCOLN, Neb. – Roads on several state wildlife management areas (WMAs) remain closed, partially closed or are intermittently closed because of poor conditions. County roads leading to the areas also may be closed.

These closures are due to damage from the flood of 2019 along with continued high water table in some areas and local rainfall making roads impassable. The Nebraska Game and Parks Commission continues to work to get vehicle access open to these areas.

The impacted WMAs include: Randal W. Schilling, Cass County; Goose Lake, Holt County; Peru Bottoms and Peru Boat Ramp, Nemaha County; South Pine, Brown County; Twin Lakes, Rock County; Defair Lake, Grant County; Cottonwood/Steverson and Big Alkali, Cherry County; Bufflehead and Kea West, Buffalo County; Loup River Public Power District and Don Dworack, Nance County; Bazile Creek and Niobrara Confluence, Knox County; Parshall Bridge, Boyd County; and Spencer Dam, Holt County; Rose Creek, Jefferson County.

For more information on closures at Game and Parks properties, visit OutdoorNebraska.gov/weatherclosures.