Bill introduced to allow lakeside cabins to remain at two southwest Nebraska reservoirs

Congressional delegation comes to the rescue of mobile homes in this area at Swanson Reservoir near Trenton, on land currently owned by the U.S. Bureau of Reclamation, which manages the lake. (Courtesy of Jason Frederick/Hitchcock County News)

LINCOLN — Nebraska’s congressional delegation is coming to the rescue of a group of cabin owners at two reservoirs near McCook.

On Wednesday, U.S. Sens. Deb Fischer and Pete Ricketts, along with U.S. Rep. Adrian Smith, introduced legislation to allow the transfer of cabin areas at Swanson and Red Willow Reservoirs to Hitchcock County and Frontier County, respectively.

Controversy had erupted after the current owner of the cabin areas, the U.S. Bureau of Reclamation, had sought to remove the privately owned cabins and trailers by November 2024 to make way for a proposed slate of campground improvements.

The order didn’t sit well with the cabin owners, who had enjoyed a lakeside retreat for decades, and with concessionaires who operated at the two lakes. There are 110 cabins on Swanson Reservoir near Trenton and 71 cabins at Red Willow north of McCook, and concession businesses at both lakes.

Under the bills introduced in Congress, Hitchcock and Frontier Counties would have three years to purchase the two cabin sites. Then they would manage the two areas and benefit from the lease payments and concession fees paid.

Local leaders had expressed concern that losing the two summertime communities would hurt local businesses and tax revenue in a section of southwest Nebraska that has seen a decline in permanent residents.

Fischer said the legislation “charts a better path forward for the local community and the federal government.”

“I encourage both the House and Senate to move quickly on our legislation,” Fischer said in a press release.

Both Ricketts and Smith echoed those sentiments.

Paul Nichols, chairman of the Hitchcock County Board, said local residents heavily supported the land transfer.

“These areas have been in place and operating for decades allowing residents to build businesses and support families, not to mention the tax dollars Hitchcock County relies on for this small community,” Nichols said.

The cabin owners and concessionaires, he said, have pledged to raise the funds to purchase the two plots so there will be no cost to local taxpayers.

Nichols added that once the land is transferred, both counties will reap yearly lease income from the cabins along with a percentage of sales at the two concession businesses.

“It’s not a big amount of money. But you have to have a penny before you have a dollar,” he said.

Steven Hall of the Frontier County Board thanked the Nebraska politicians for working out an agreement to facilitate a transfer to the local counties, which will assume all responsibilities and liabilities. Over the past year, the three officials worked with the Bureau of Reclamation and the local counties to craft a bill all could agree with.

“Frontier County does not want to lose tax base by losing the concessions or the privately owned cabins,” Hall said.

The post Bill introduced to allow lakeside cabins to remain at two southwest Nebraska reservoirs appeared first on Nebraska Examiner.