Outdoor enthusiasts flock to Harlan County Lake in south-central Nebraska for nearly 30,000 acres of public land and water. While they may not always pull a trophy from the lake, they never fail to leave some treasure in the nearby communities.

Each year, several hundred thousand visitors make their way to the state’s second-largest lake in a county of just 3,045 year-round residents. While camping, boating, hunting, fishing, and wildlife watching in 2023, visitors spent an estimated $75 million within a 30-mile radius of the lake, according to the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) Institute for Water Resources.

“(The project is) large scale, bold, and will lead to incredible environmental outcomes and recreational opportunities.”

So, when the Kansas City District, USACE authorized a $9.25 million aquatic ecosystem restoration project at Harlan County Lake, we understood the big picture. Olsson was selected as the prime consultant for the project through our joint venture with Mead & Hunt.

Work began in early 2024 and is expected to be complete in 2025, according a USACE news release.

“The construction we’re seeing now is the result of years of planning and design efforts by USACE, the Nebraska Game and Parks Commission (NGPC), and Olsson,” said Leigh Mitchell, continuing authorities program manager with Kansas City District, USACE. “(The project is) large scale, bold, and will lead to incredible environmental outcomes and recreational opportunities.”

Wind, rain, and the passage of time have exacted a toll on the lake, built in the 1950s in response to a devasting flood on the Republican River. Over the decades, layers of fine sediment have been deposited in the lake’s basin from stormwater runoff and shoreline erosion.

The sedimentation has significantly degraded some coves. In a healthy ecosystem, coves provide optimal habitat for adult fish to spawn and for larval fish to survive the critical hours and days after they hatch.

Sediment accumulation near the mouth of coves worsens the problem by blocking spawning fish (and boats) from entering these areas during all but the highest water periods. Silt buildup also reduces beneficial aquatic vegetation, and the deeper water areas fish need to survive the winter.

USACE, in partnership with NGPC, is seeking to address these challenges at Methodist Cove, one of the lake’s most popular camping and public access areas. Key elements of the project design include the following:

• Excavation and removal of a ridge of sediment from the cove opening to restore the connection between the cove and the main lake.

• Excavation of deeper water zones in the cove to increase overwintering habitat and fish survival.

• Installation of rock breakwater structures such as underwater baffles, groins, and jetties in key locations to reduce wave energy and resedimentation of excavated areas.

• Installation of rock riprap to stabilize shorelines most vulnerable to erosion; and installation of similar structures to protect the area’s cultural resources.

• Placement of natural and engineered aquatic habitat features.

The services we’ve provided include survey, geotechnical investigation, soil testing, hydrologic analysis, sediment analysis, and civil design. We also worked with a subconsultant on a cultural heritage survey.

The restoration is designed to increase aquatic vegetation, spawning success, and overall fish populations. The project also will restore easy access to the cove for both fish and boaters. And the improvements will slow new sedimentation for decades to come.

"On this project, Olsson got exceptional ratings – the top.”

The project received funding from the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act and was authorized and administered through the USACE’s Section 1135 program. State matching funds equaling 25% of the project cost were provided through the NGPC’s Aquatic Habitat Program.

Though a project of this complexity typically requires a year or more for design, we met an aggressive schedule of nine months that was dictated by funding deadlines. Meeting the deadline required extra coordination and communication, said Paige Anderson, a senior team leader at Olsson who served as the project manager.

“It allowed us to showcase our ability to work with the Corps of Engineers and the Game and Parks Commission to make sure this project got bid and awarded on time,” Anderson said.

Our performance was reviewed by USACE through the Contractor Performance Assessment Reporting System (CPARS).

“Our teams are trained to do good work,” said John Bertino, client relationship manager for the Federal market. “With the Federal market, that is especially important. On this project, Olsson got exceptional ratings – the top.”

Others with key roles on the project include Brad Schleeter, a group leader for the Water market; and Zeb Swink, design associate for Rail Water Resources.

Zeb and his family also happen to live in Alma, a community that borders the western end of the lake. They regularly spend time on the water, often with a fishing pole or two in hand.

“A lot of people say this is the middle of nowhere,” Swink said. “Of course, I don’t think of it as the middle of nowhere. It’s a great community. Good schools, good people, just a good place to live. And the lake is a big part of it.”