Background

At Standing Bear Lake in Omaha, Nebraska, the existing boat ramp had one dock that the Nebraska Game and Parks Commission (NGPC) wanted renovated into two boat ramps. The NGPC retained FYRA Engineering, now part of Houston Engineering, Inc. (HEI) to help with this project.

The Project

The team designed the removal and replacement of the existing boat ramp. They also performed a wind fetch analysis to design two fishing jetties that will help protect the boat ramp while providing fishing access to deeper parts of the lake. This project also included the design of a kayak launch, in-lake dredging, parking lot renovations, an ADA-compliant trail leading to the boat dock, and a borrow site that produces an earth work balance so that no additional fill was added to the US Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) flood storage zone. Additionally, a trail closure plan and tree mitigation plan were developed.

Additional services were added to the project that included the design of nine fishing bump outs, three sets of concrete stairs, ADA-compliant trail access to a new fishing pier, shoreline protection, and in-lake fish habitat structures. A borrow site was also designed that provided earth fill material for the structures. HEI made sure that the earthwork balance within the flood storage zones met the US Army Corps of Engineers’ 408 requirements, so as not to compromise the reservoir capacity and flood control provided by the dam.

Furthermore, 3D renderings were produced as well as project posters for the client to use at public meetings and display around the park while the lake is closed. A bathymetric survey, a topographic survey, and a wetland delineation were completed as part of this project. Final construction documents and bid were developed in January of 2023. Our team began construction observation in February 2023, and construction was completed by May 2024.