N95 MASK. IF YOU ARE OUTSIDE. AFTER MONDAY NIGHT’S HEAVY STORMS, PAPILLION RECREATIONAL AREAS CLOSED YESTERDAY AND REMAINED CLOSED INTO THIS MORNING. SEVERAL HAVE BEEN REOPENED, BUT OTHERS HAVEN’T AND PAPILLION SAYS IT’S DOING ITS BEST TO OPEN ALL PARKS IN TIME FOR THE 4TH OF JULY. THE PARKS ARE. THE PARKS ARE NORMALLY USED FOR RECREATION, BUT NOW THEY NEED SOME RECREATION, PRIMARILY BECAUSE WE HAD WATER OVER THE TRAIL IN A LOT OF PLACES, WATER OVER SOME OF THE FEATURES, UH, AND SOME OF THE BOAT RAMPS WERE, WERE A LITTLE IFFY. PAPILLION CLOSED ALL FOUR OF ITS RECREATION AREAS AFTER MONDAY NIGHT’S STORMS, WHICH FLOODED THE TRAILS AND THREW BRANCHES INTO THE WATER. BIG ELK PORTAL AND PRAIRIE QUEEN ALL REOPENED TODAY. WALNUT CREEK REMAINS CLOSED, BUT THE CITY SAYS IT HOPES TO OPEN FOR THE 4TH OF JULY. THE WATER STILL A LITTLE TOO HIGH TO OPEN IT TODAY. BUT YOU KNOW, IF IF CONDITIONS ALLOW US, WE’LL DO, UH, WE’LL DO WHAT WE CAN TO TO GET THAT OPEN AS LONG AS IT’S ABLE TO DRAIN OFF TO A GOOD, GOOD LEVEL. EVERY LAKE IS A FLOOD CONTROL RESERVOIR CREATED BY THE PAPILLION NATURAL RESOURCES DISTRICT. WHILE THE PARK’S FLOODED, THE PAPIO CREEK DID NOT, MEANING THE FLOOD CONTROL IS WORKING. THE FIRST FUNCTION, FIRST AND FOREMOST IS TO RETAIN THAT INITIAL SURGE WHEN YOU’VE GOT HEAVY RAINS, AND THEN TO TO TRICKLE THAT OUT INTO PAPIO CREEK. DESPITE THE CLOSURES AND THE FLOODING, THE RAIN IS GOOD NEWS. THE BRIGHT SIDE IS YOU KNOW, WE’RE HERE AT PORTAL RECREATION AREA, AND THIS IS THE FIRST TIME THAT PORTAL HAS BEEN 100% FULL. THE PARK OPENED IN 2021, BUT THE PAST TWO YEARS OF DROUGHT TURNED IT INTO NOTHING MORE THAN A PUDDLE. NOW THAT IT’S FULL, PEOPLE CAN BOAT AND FISH ON THE LAKE, ALBERS SAID. PAPILLION WILL ANNOUNCE ON SOCIAL MEDIA TOMORROW IF WALNUT CREEK
Papillion reopens recreation areas after flooding
Updated: 5:18 PM CDT Jul 3, 2024
The parks are normally used for recreation, but now they need some re-creation.”Primarily because we had water over the trail in a lot of places, water over some of the features and some of the boat ramps were a little iffy,” Trenton Albers, communications director for Papillion, said.Papillion closed all four of its recreation areas after Monday night’s storms, which flooded the trails and threw branches into the water. Big Elk, Portal and Prairie Queen all reopened today. Walnut Creek remains closed, but the city says it hopes to open for the Fourth of July.”The water is still a little too high to open today, but, if conditions will allow us, we’ll do what we can to get that open as long as it’s able to drain off to a good level,” Albers said.Every lake is a flood control reservoir created by the Papillion Natural Resources District. While the parks flooded, the Papio Creek did not mean the flood control was working.”The first function, first and foremost, is to retain that initial surge when you’ve got heavy rains and then to trickle that out into Papio Creek,” Albers said.Despite the closures and the flooding, the rain is good news. “The bright side is, we’re here at Portal Recreation Area, and this is the first time that Portal has been 100% full,” Albers said.The park opened in 2021, but the past two years of drought turned it into nothing more than a puddle. Now that it’s full, people can boat and fish on the lake. Currently, there is not too much fish in the lake because of the low water levels, but Albers said they are talking with Nebraska Game and Parks to hopefully get the water stocked soon.Papillion will announce on social media tomorrow if Walnut Creek is open.Click here for the latest headlines from KETV NewsWatch 7
The parks are normally used for recreation, but now they need some re-creation.
“Primarily because we had water over the trail in a lot of places, water over some of the features and some of the boat ramps were a little iffy,” Trenton Albers, communications director for Papillion, said.
Papillion closed all four of its recreation areas after Monday night’s storms, which flooded the trails and threw branches into the water. Big Elk, Portal and Prairie Queen all reopened today. Walnut Creek remains closed, but the city says it hopes to open for the Fourth of July.
“The water is still a little too high to open today, but, if conditions will allow us, we’ll do what we can to get that open as long as it’s able to drain off to a good level,” Albers said.
Every lake is a flood control reservoir created by the Papillion Natural Resources District. While the parks flooded, the Papio Creek did not mean the flood control was working.
“The first function, first and foremost, is to retain that initial surge when you’ve got heavy rains and then to trickle that out into Papio Creek,” Albers said.
Despite the closures and the flooding, the rain is good news.
“The bright side is, we’re here at Portal Recreation Area, and this is the first time that Portal has been 100% full,” Albers said.
The park opened in 2021, but the past two years of drought turned it into nothing more than a puddle. Now that it’s full, people can boat and fish on the lake. Currently, there is not too much fish in the lake because of the low water levels, but Albers said they are talking with Nebraska Game and Parks to hopefully get the water stocked soon.
Papillion will announce on social media tomorrow if Walnut Creek is open.
Click here for the latest headlines from KETV NewsWatch 7
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