Both boat docks at Lake Ogallala State Recreation Area were removed Sept. 29 to make way for the Keystone Diversion Dam maintenance project.
Water levels at the lake are being lowered to accommodate Nebraska Public Power District’s installation of a coffer dam and to allow for maintenance work on the gates of the diversion dam.
Water levels are expected to remain too low to safety launch larger watercraft until late October when water levels will be brought back up slightly. The Nebraska Game and Parks Commission will evaluate lake levels at that time to determine whether it is safe for larger watercraft to launch; if so, the boat docks will be reinstalled.
Smaller, non-trailered watercraft, such as kayaks and paddleboats, may still launch throughout the duration of the project at the boat ramps on the lake bottom or at primitive access points around the reservoir. Game and Parks urges boaters to be extremely cautious while doing so.