Some see threat, others opportunity in proposed shift of management for scenic Niobrara River

The Niobrara National Scenic River. (Courtesy of the National Park Service)

VALENTINE, Nebraska – Some fans of Nebraska’s Niobrara River describe a proposal to shift management of the scenic river to state and local entities as the biggest threat to the popular paddling destination since a long-abandoned plan to dam the river.

The Norden Dam proposal – which would have flooded the now-popular stretch of the Niobrara for float trips – was eventually scrapped, and in 1991, a 76-mile stretch of the spring-fed stream was designated as a National Wild and Scenic River.

By many accounts, it’s been a success story, with an average of 75,000 people a year now paddling and visiting the river, and motels and other businesses that cater to tourists popping up in Valentine and other nearby towns.