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Protecting lives. Protecting property. Protecting the future.

Since 1972... That’s when the Nebraska Legislature first charged Natural Resources Districts with a broad range of conservation based responsibilities. However, each NRD is unique with its own specific priorities. The Nemaha NRD encompasses all or parts of the eight southeastern counties in Nebraska, and 21 locally elected directors make local decisions to serve you.

Duck Creek Recreation Area

Opened in the spring of 2018, Duck Creek Recreation Area is the District’s fifth public recreation area featuring a 62-acre lake approximately 5 miles northwest of Peru, Nebraska, in Nemaha County. The park encompasses about 200 acres.
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Iron Horse Trail Lake

Located ½ mile north and 2 miles west of DuBois, Nebraska, in Pawnee County, this was the first public recreation area opened by the NRD in 1985. It’s dam was built as a flood control structure in the South Fork Watershed. The lake and park facilities were renovated and completed in 2011.
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Kirkman's Cove

This 511-acre park is located 2 ½ miles west and ½ mile north of Humboldt, Nebraska, in Richardson County. Opened in 1988, it was designed to be a multipurpose flood control recreation area as part of the Long Branch Watershed project.
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Wirth Brothers Lake

Opened in 1996 as part of the South Branch Watershed flood control project, this 89-acre park is five miles north and 1 mile west of Tecumseh, Nebraska, in Johnson County. This park was named for brothers John, Paul, & Anton Wirth from Nebraska City who donated their land and many of the improvements for use as a public recreation area.
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Prairie Owl

The land around this lake was purchased in 1975 for construction of a flood control dam in the Wilson Creek Watershed. For many years local community organizations maintained the area for public recreation. In ­­­the late 1980s the NRD accepted responsibility for the 39-acre park located 2 ½ miles south and 1 mile west of Dunbar, Nebraska, in Otoe County.
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Steamboat Trace Trail

This scenic, 22-mile abandoned railroad corridor parallels the Missouri River from about six miles south of Nebraska City to just south of Brownville, Nebraska. The trail winds through sandstone bluffs, cuts across open farm fields, and hugs the river in spots. A crushed limestone surface provides an avenue for hikers and bicyclists alike.
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Duck Creek Recreation Area
Iron Horse Trail Lake
Kirkman's Cove
Wirth Brothers Lake
Prairie Owl
Steamboat Trace Trail

NNRD News

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October 6, 2026

Nemaha NRD Employees and Director Recognized for Years of Service

Nemaha NRD employees Mark McDonald and Kathy Harlow, along with Director J. Duane Sugden, were recognized for 45, 20, and 35 years of service, respectively, at the 2026 NARD Annual Conference. The district celebrates their years of dedication to the Nemaha NRD and conservation in southeast Nebraska.
Read More about Nemaha NRD Employees and Director Recognized for Years of Service
Nemaha NRD Employees and Director Recognized for Years of Service

October 5, 2026

Nemaha NRD Assistant Manager Jane Kuhl Inducted into NRD Hall of Fame

Nemaha Natural Resources District (NNRD) Assistant Manager Jane Kuhl has been named the recipient of the 2026 Nebraska Association of Resources Districts (NARD) NRD Hall of Fame Employee Award. Kuhl was honored as a 2026 NRD Hall of Fame inductee during the NARD Annual Conference in Kearney on Sept. 28 after being nominated for the award by the NNRD. The NRD Hall of Fame recognizes individuals whose contributions have strengthened Nebraska’s Natural Resources District system, with recognition given in the employee, director and NRD supporter categories.
Read More about Nemaha NRD Assistant Manager Jane Kuhl Inducted into NRD Hall of Fame
Nemaha NRD Assistant Manager Jane Kuhl Inducted into NRD Hall of Fame

September 23, 2026

Annual NARD Conference Focuses on Resource Management, Partnerships

The 2026 NARD Conference will bring more than 400 natural resources stakeholders to Kearney Sept. 28-29. The conference will feature conservation programs, resource management topics and awards recognizing individuals for their commitment to Nebraska’s natural resources, including Nemaha NRD’s Jane Kuhl as a 2026 Hall of Fame inductee.
Read More about Annual NARD Conference Focuses on Resource Management, Partnerships
Annual NARD Conference Focuses on Resource Management, Partnerships