GRETNA - Nestled amid the cottonwoods and cedar trees along the Platte River, Riverside Acres offers a secluded refuge for a cluster of 25 homes and cabins midway between Omaha and Lincoln.

There are lakes for fishing, trails for walkers and four-wheelers, and scenic views of the river that settlers described as a mile wide and an inch deep. It’s only a short walk to prime deer-hunting spots and blinds for goose hunting. What was once paradise has recently been stricken with turbulence.

State legislators are contemplating the expansion of the Platte River floodplain, just across the road from Riverside Acres, for a massive sandpit lake. The proposed lake would be 4,000 acres and 7 miles long and is projected to attract $1 billion in private investment. At these proposed figures, it would be the same size as Lake Okoboji in Iowa. This size would allow for boating, marinas, and condos. Boosters claim it might be impressive enough to keep young people from moving away to places with more exciting landscapes. Despite increased momentum in the State Legislature, the residents of the area have a much different opinion.

“I think it’s a joke,” said Don Brudny Jr., from his home in Riverside Acres. “It’s a way for real estate developers and people with money to try and make some more money." Brudny's family farm would be mostly inundated by the proposed lake site. “I have serious doubts that they can legitimately make it work,” Bundy said. “(But) how can you be for or against anything if you don’t know anything?”

Legislative Bill 1023, the Lake Development Act, and the Water Recreation Enhancement Act, LB1023 propses a total of $200 million in recreation enhancements. Within the bill, $20 million would be spent on a study of the lake idea and $26 million would be added to a fund for the costs of the lake.

For the full article click HERE