Some See Threat, Others Opportunity In Proposed Shift Of Management For Scenic Niobrara River

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.

But now State Sen. Tanya Storer, whose district includes the scenic river are