Whitewater in Norfolk, Nebraska?

In our last post, we talked about a different type of trail. Water trails are growing in popularity, but so are whitewater parks. This is not some part of a theme park with a wave pool and lazy river. It’s also not something that can just be found in the rivers coming out of the Rockies or the Appalachians. Whitewater parks can also be found in the rivers that flow through the plains of the Midwest. They may not provide the thrills that an afternoon on the Colorado River might, but these stretches of river can be quite fun for those on kayaks and tubes.

What is a Whitewater Park?

As defined by American Whitewater, “Whitewater Parks are venues that have been partially or wholly augmented to facilitate whitewater recreation. Whitewater parks have been constructed at a wide range of sites including natural, modified, and artificial stream channels.” For those who have seen naturally occurring whitewater areas, these man-made whitewater parks are short sections of a reconstructed river that allow for whitewater characteristics to exist in parts of the country where they are rarely seen. This provides a new recreational amenity to a community as people in kayaks, tubes, and other approved floating vestals are able to enjoy the rushing waters.

Here’s a video compiled by a whitewater park designer that provides a good description of these fun recreational amenities.

Norfolk Making Whitewater from the North Fork

Norfolk is a city of roughly 25,000 in northeastern Nebraska. Pioneers first settled where the Elkhorn River meets its North Fork in 1865. The original name of the settlement started off with the name of the tributary of the Elkhorn, but it eventually evolved into the current name of Norfolk.

Since then, the community’s fate has been tied to the river. Mills sprouted up along the banks of these watercourses and numerous floods impacted the city over the years. However, the community continued to grow as a regional hub. A major flood control project in the 1960s tamed the rivers’ waters and protected the community from future flooding.

Yet, it is human nature to be drawn to the water and various groups have worked over the years to re-integrate the river into the community. Planning efforts in the ’70s, ’90s, and early 2000s increased interest in getting back to the river in a recreational way. But activity started really flowing in 2011 when the National Park Service awarded Norfolk a developmental assistance grant for their vision. Through this grant, the research, development, and planning were completed to develop the area for whitewater kayaking and tubing. This is where the idea to use the river itself as a recreational trail came from.

Planning Transitions into Implementation

A Riverfront Development Board was developed and they started having regular meetings. Norfolk also landed a grant worth over $500,000 from the Nebraska Game & Parks Commission for the Johnson Park Trail. The grant assisted in connecting the park in this stretch of the river to the water’s edge.

In 2018 Norfolk was able to obtain support from the Lower Elkhorn Natural Resources District. The District provided $1,032,000 over four years to cover one-third of Norfolk’s next phase of the North Fork River Restoration. The private sector also put their money into the project at this point as well, contributing to the $3 million total cost.

Constructing Whitewater

To create the whitewater, an existing 6-foot drop structure and a six-foot spillway were removed first. Then, the construction of eight separate 18″ drop points were constructed between a railroad bridge at the north end, to the constructed take-out point south of the recently reconstructed Norfolk Avenue bridge. These drop points create the white water aspects within the river. By removing the 6-foot drop structure and constructing the smaller drop points, the aquatic habitat is improved as well as it will allow for fish to move upstream.

Further improvements are planned in the area as well. An abandoned railroad bridge just upstream of Johnson Park will be moved and incorporated into the trail system that’s part of the park redevelopment project. Johnson Park itself will see a number of improvements as part of its renovations. Water features, ice skating, a nature playground, and an amphitheater will all be incorporated into the park.

Worth Consideration

Whitewater parks are growing in popularity. They are becoming a tourism-related draw for a number of towns across the country. However, it is not an easy project to undertake. As you see above, it took many years of hard work for the park to come to fruition in Norfolk. Whitewater parks are also not cheap to create. Thankfully those leading the project were able to obtain funding from a wide range of sources. They drew from the full gambit of sources from the City of Norfolk, the State, and federal sources. These funds were leveraged to draw funding from local private donors as well.

Just like any other major project featured on Rural Resurrection, the North Fork Whitewater Park took a significant commitment from residents with a passion for the project. The project was led by community leaders who didn’t flinch at the sizeable scope and obstacles they had to overcome. But the resulting whitewater park, as well as the improvements to Johnson Park, will become a centerpiece of their riverfront redevelopment project.

But the importance of this project isn’t only within the bounds of the watercourse and Johnson Park. The riverfront redevelopment is integral to the community’s marketing of the River Point District of downtown Norfolk. Linking recreation with downtown redevelopment has been highly successful. It is an aspect we’ve seen successfully implemented in other communities like Niles and Charles City. Good things are happening in Norfolk and the community is making them happen.