WASHINGTON, D.C.- A group of trailer owners faced with the removal of their summer cabins from alongside two Nebraska reservoirs may soon find reprieve as a Congressional delegation seeks to stop the U.S. Bureau of Reclamation, which owns the reservoirs, from going forward with their plans. This month, U.S. Sens. Fischer and Ricketts, as well as U.S. Rep. Adrian Smith, met with 20 of the trailer owners, and vowed to introduce legislation that would transfer management of the two concession areas away from the U.S. Bureau of Reclamation, and instead place that power into the hands of Hitchcock and Frontier Counties, where the reservoirs are located.

"Local, as opposed to federal control, is best," said Nathaniel Sizemore, a spokesman for Sen. Fischer, "and community members have indicated they support transferring the land to the relevant county entities." Fischer and Ricketts, after hearing from the two trailer communities, agreed that their removal would hurt local businesses and end traditions. The Bureau, in a new improvement plan, sought to remove 110 trailer sites at Swanson and 71 at Red Willow Reservoirs by November 2024. In doing so, the federal organization sought to make way for the construction of new campgrounds, rental cabins, playgrounds, and walking trails.

Hitchcock County Commissioner Paul Nichols, who was among those who traveled to Washington, argued that the two trailer communities, during the summer, pump substantial amounts of funding into the local economy. Nichols went on to state that Hitchcock is ready to assume management of the land, and would be able to handle road maintenance, gross sales, and trailer leasing. If the legislation passes, the Nebraska Game and Parks Commission would continue to operate the campgrounds at both reservoirs, and, according to Nichols, the Bureau of Reclamation would still have the power to build new facilities, should it want to.

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