Informational Meeting Held at Spring Lake Park

With completion in sight, neighborhood residents and others are looking forward to a community setting of park green spaces, improved public access, woodland, wetlands and especially a new 1.5 acre pond at Spring Lake Park in south Omaha.

"This effort is a monument to the people that have worked on this project through the years," said Janet Bonet, president of the Spring Lake Neighborhood Association. She noted that initial efforts began in the 1980s, and that many people involved during those first years are no longer alive. The park will be a place for new generations, she said.

Work on CSO! project features will begin within Spring Lake Park in the next week or two. The biggest project will be excavation of about 25,000 cubic yards of dirt to create the pond, which will be 15-20 deep and stocked for fishing. A 21-vehicle parking lot with a bioretention garden will be placed west of the north end of the pond. The old combined line through the lowland north of F Street will either be removed or suitably abandoned.

Work is already underway on provided the drainage tube under F Street for the pond. Progress of the boring has been hindered some by a historically constructed structure which was buried within the embankment.

Other attendees asked questions and made suggestions. One idea was to get project participants to cooperate on a "final cleanup" to remove all the tires and trash before the park reopens, following the completion of the current construction phase.

Once the public can reuse the park, we "need to have a community effort to keep trash and tires out," Bonet said, and "build ownership of being good stewards of the park and its neighbor."

Soon, the Omaha Parks and Recreation Department and the project construction company will be posting regulatory signs to indicate it is illegal to enter portions of the park where work is underway. Rather than closing the entire park, a suggestion was made to mark only particular areas (i.e., with something like "Construction Area - Keep Out" rather than the more exclusive "Park Closed" signage as was mentioned by officials), so other sections of the park can continue to be visited. The second option was affirmed by members of the audience.

Officials associated with the project provided these details and others - including an update on street closures including the status of now closed southern extent of Spring Lake Drive - at an informational meeting at the clubhouse of the park golf course on Saturday morning, March 28th. Besides about twenty community members, also present were representatives from the community outreach organization, the contractor Roloff Construction, the project design company (HDR) and Omaha Public Works. Following the inside gathering, about a dozen people took advantage of an outside view of the project from F Street, south of where the pond will be built.

Work is beginning in the park since sanitary line construction has been mostly completed in the adjacent neighborhoods, construction officials said. This work included the construction of five below-street features that will capture grit, trash and other debris from the streets, before it can wash into the park. These containment structures will be periodically cleared out by Public Works.

As part of the project, about 4300 pounds of illegally discarded tires were hauled away within the past couple of weeks, after having been gathered during the previous months. Several other sites which have been long-term piles of discarded material on private property at the park's western fringe have also been cleaned up.

A bid for the initial landscaping efforts is expected to be selected in later April by the city of Omaha. Plans are to plant a variety of trees, perennials and ground cover, and wetland plants at outlying parks and a southern portion of Spring Lake Park. The majority of plantings within the park will occur in 2016.

Construction of this Phase One portion of the CSO! project will be completed by autumn 2015, or early in 2016. Phase Two is expected to then begin in 2018, with an initial public meeting in the autumn of 2015.

Tree Plantings 2015

These are the deciduous (14 species), understory (four species) and coniferous (four species) trees to be planted in 2015, according to the preliminary plan issued by Public Works:

• Spring Lake Drive in the southern extent of Spring Lake Park (34 deciduous trees): northern red oak, American sentry linden, shingle oak, accolade elm, prairie pride hackberry, triumph elm, bur oak, kentucky coffeetree and thornless honeylocust
• Twenty-third Street and Interstate 80 right-of-way (seven trees): northern red oak, bur oak, chinkapin oak and black hills spruce
• J Street and 12th Street (one tree): bur oak
• Missouri Avenue to Gibson Road (53 trees and 32 understory on the east side of 13th Street): swamp white oak, northern red oak, tulip tree, American sentry linden, shademaster honey locust, chinkapin oak, triumph elm, shingle oak, eastern redbud, autumn brilliance serviceberry
• Rudy Novacek Memorial Garden (five deciduous trees and six understory trees): triumph elm, goldenrain tree, Japanese tree lilac, autumn brilliance serviceberry
• Bob Campos Soccer Complex at 33rd and Q Street (17 coniferous and deciduous trees and eleven understory trees): bur oak, tuliptree, accolade elm, black hills spruce, autumn brilliance serviceberry, eastern redbud
• James F. Lynch Park at 21st and Martha Street (53 deciduous and coniferous trees and six understory trees): northern catalpa, swamp white oak, tulip tree, northern red oak, prairie titan kentucky coffeetree, American sentry linden, shademaster honeylocust, concolor fir, norway spruce, douglas fir, black hills spruce, eastern redbud, autumn brilliance serviceberry, Japanese tree lilac
• Spring Lake Park golf course (31 total trees): shademaster honeylocust, tulip tree, American sycamore (five), American sentry linden, norway spruce, concolor fir, black hills spruce (four), autumn brilliance serviceberry and eastern redbud

Bird Variety

There were sixteen species of birds noted during a pre-meeting jaunt among the north F Street portion of the park. Most notable were the many male Northern Cardinals - vivid in their bright red plumage - and a single Brown Creeper and the vibrant song of a Carolina Wren.

Demise of a Wren's Winter Haven in the Hollow

As a feathered mite of the great north arrived at its winter quarters soon after the first chills of autumn, it found a safe place among the canopy of trees around ever-flowing groundwater springs. This haven in the woods were a haunt where it had already spent previous winter seasons.

Each day of the 2014 autumn it ventured among the space, in search of a tasty bit, chittering along its way. As each of its needs for food, shelter and water were met, the little wren settled in to spend the next few months of its life-cycle, so it could then mightily fly northward in early spring to return to the boreal breeding grounds.

As the Winter Wren foraged about during one day, great noises were soon readily heard, though not understood. The sounds meant nothing to the little bird, but its fate was closely twined with the encroachment. The wren felt the earth rumble among its space at Spring Lake Park. There was an incessant whine heard as stately trees of many sorts were deliberately cut down with intent, though the bird had no known cognition of the sounds of a chainsaw. There were nearly constant, mutted thuds as portions of large trees fell heavily to the ground. Many trees were just torn from the ground in their entirety. All the woody debris was then carried away and piled for eventual chopping into mulch by huge mechanical equipment. Indifferent men working for measly dollars operated the machines, as defined within a contract of basic words on paper, as certainly signed by bureaucrats.

Nearly day-after-day, week after week, activities of destruction continued, unabated.

The wren responded in its own way, as its habitat was incessantly destroyed with intent for the supposed benefits of people completely ignorant of the life and ways of wrens in these woods. A cousin, the Carolina Wren was also losing habitat, along with so many other species of wild birds.

View northward from F Street into Spring Lake Park. Photo taken 30 November 2014.

The unexpected noises came closer and closer to the wren's haven in the hollow. Soon the woody deadfall and tree places that were once a place for this bird to forage, disappeared. Places where the flow of springs meant open water that provided tidbits to eat were simply gone, replaced by a vast expanse of barren ground devoid of any sort of vegetation.

As its habitat diminished, bit by bit, the wren kept to a smaller, safe haven within the park's remaining green space. By the end of November, its winter quarters were just one tiny portion of a hollow, north of F Street in the park. The expanse was too small to provide sufficient food. The distance to the next best place to forage was far away, in comparison to the birds small size, and yet further away to the south there was a protected spring that still flowed.

This little wren was enjoyed by a watcher at the end of November in 2014. It chirped and displayed as its species is wont to do during the winter-time months in Omaha. The active bird was the best moment during the birdmans stroll among the woodland destruction. It was perched upon a log in a "safe" hollow and was so expressive. The watcher knew that this portion of the park was once a haven for other winter wrens, but the situation for the last wren was obvious on a Saturday morning.

The lowland habitat of north F Street habitat was mostly destroyed. Lath markers on the south side of F Street indicated further clearing along the flowing brook where Winter Wrens had previously been seen on different, seasonal visits during the past decade. These tiny birds were certainly there previously, but no one took the time to look and appreciate this minuscule denizen of the park.

Whether enough suitable habitat remains for the Winter Wren to survive the harsh days of frigid winter is known only to the little bird. The City of Omaha has effectively decimated prime habitat for this species. Further work will continue the destruction south of F Street. City of Omaha officials and some residents of the Spring Lake vicinity have approved the destruction.

The wren did not have a vote about this CSO! project, yet it and an entire other multitude of birds suffer the most due to a loss of habitat. There will be no replacement of the springs in the cleared hollow, as it will become a pond. The northern extent will eventually become a stormwater retention facility.

The community has already "sung" praises for the result, since they expressed words of support at public meetings.

There were few speakers for the birds when City of Omaha officials, in their blah suits and ties spoke at public forums. There were no sorts of feathered beings present, as it is obviously impossible for them to present any sort of comment or perspective. The CSO! project manager and other City of Omaha officials appear to be indifferent to birds, rather being focused on cost analysis, available sites for projects, completion of goals, filing reports, etc.

The Winter Wren will strive to survive, though the habitat where they formerly survived will never be replaced.

A similar situation can be conveyed for the east side of Westlawn cemetery. What was once a place for this species of wren is now a desolate place, without any indicative winter birds, because of the complete removal of trees associated with a CSO! project, as partially funded by the Nebraska Environmental Trust.

As far as the wild wrens and other wild birds, they have no choice but to deal with what the mighty men force upon the land.

Birds get little respect as they suffer the most from loss of habitat. They don't understand what is happening, and are forced to adapt in their manner.

The "fat-cat bureaucrats" get a regular check every week to nourish their needs, ensconced in big houses. They get paid to destruct places so important to birds!

Yet, the birds are forced to change their ways to suit the incessant demands of people upon the land.

At Spring Lake Park, so many wild birds need to find new sources of food. Nuthatches wonder what happened to a tree upon which they had once found something to eat. A Red-bellied Woodpecker has a similar sentiment. And, alas, the little wren has been forced to find a new haven.

---

December 4, 2014.

There may be more bird species present once this project is completed simply because of the addition of the pond which will attract waterfowl, especially, perhaps, the Wood Duck. There may also be an addition of a wetland meadow situation north of the pond. However, for the next decade, there will be a lesser extent of woodland species simply due to the loss of woodland habitat. If someone is going to make an alternative claim, they need to provide the basis for their comment, and that is not achieved through an anonymous post.

Comments are appreciated, but anonymous postings are not preferred, as they inhibit a dialogue.

Problems With Omaha CSO! Project at Spring Lake Park

Email details indicated problems associated with the CSO! project at Spring Lake Park including the presence of mud in the spring-associated wetlands north of F Street and disposal of the slurry from washing out cement trucks, where two primary concerns indicated.

According to other emails, project supervisors indicated on Friday that the cement slurry had been removed, and that there was no mud in the wetland in the hollow north of F. Street.

The following are definite problems noted during an evaluation visit on the morning of Saturday, August 23. These conditions were indicated in Saturday email to Janet Bonet, president of the Spring Lake Neighborhood Association, and an environmental inspector for Public Works.

1) Mud washed into west end of hollow from the park entryway there up on the slope

2) Concrete washout disposal on the south side of the hollow at its west end; the length of a plume more than 40 feet in length indicates dumping occurred there multiple times. When will this be removed? Any indication that the concrete washout material has been removed is simply in error, as documented by photographs of this plume on the 23rd.

3) Fresh mud in the west end of the designated wetland area

4) A need to reset stakes and tape to readily mark protected ground, as the tape is not now adequate and some of the stakes are falling over

5) Mud in the wetland at the east end, west of the huge berm at the stormwater drain. Its occurrence is readily obvious by it being associated with marked tape and stakes indicating the wetland.

6) Sewer blocker barriers not adequately kept in primary condition; the one on the south side of F street has a 4-6 inch gap

7) Excessive pile of mud and rock on F Street which is about ready to overflow and then cause potential problems

8) South side of F Street near park entrance, the fence is not adequately maintained

[End of email items.]

9) A hole along the curb on the south side of F Street, near the park entrance.

After having asked the Corp of Engineers to look into the mud in the wetland area, they were also sent a photo of mud in the indicated wetland. This mud is illegal fill and a violation of the Section 404 permit. They have been asked to look into the situation and take appropriate action.

There has been no response to me by Public Works officials, despite having sent several communications via email and phone to Robert Stubbe, department director, James Theiler, CSO program coordinator, and Andy Szatko, city environmental inspector.

This information has also been indicated to the Nebraska Environmental Trust, with the comment that "This is not how a project is done in an environmentally sensitive area such as Spring Lake Park. Any further funding to Omaha Public Works should be withheld until there is an assurance that these problems have been adequately addressed and there is a valid assurance that the[se] sorts of things will not happen again."

The City of Omaha and its hired contractors have really violated the public trust with the CSO! Project at Spring Lake Park, by allowing these conditions to occur and remain in this unique park. Their communication has also been misleading or completely lacking, in some regards.

Environmental Award Recipient

Received the following email which indicates being a recipient of an environmental award.

"Woodmen of the World - Nebraska Alpha Chapter 16 would like to honor you with the Environmental Award for your work in the past year in the Omaha area, particularly for your activism is preserving the Spring Lake spring/pond in Spring Lake Park. We honor people like you each year as a thank you for your contribution and to bring awareness to others about the work that you do."

Thank you for your recognition...

The awards banquet is being held in Omaha on Thursday, August 21, 2014

City Officials Fail to Cleanup Tires in Omaha Park

During an early April visit to Spring Lake Park in South Omaha, there were an excessive number of tires noted in the spring hollow on the north side of F Street. The dozens of tires were spread about several places on the east side of the hollow, along the road to the swimming pool.

Tires in North F Street Hollow April 7, 2014

 

 

A request was subsequently made to the member of the Omaha City Council, asking why park visitors have to deal with this mess. The response received from Garry Gernandt was that "work orders" had been issued to remove the tires.

About a month later, a neighborhood resident was walking through the same area of the park, and also noticed the same tire mess. He also asked city officials about this trash.

"Parks and Public Works are aware of tires, coordinating removal efforts," Gernandt responded in a May 17 email that was also subsequently redistributed to a greater audience. "Please be patient," he added.

Nothing has apparently been done about this in the following weeks. The tires remain and are now being overgrown by vegetation. They are also providing potential breeding places for mosquitoes, due to stagnant water.

Tires in North F Street Hollow June 1, 2014

 

 

 

The following tires, discarded by in the park by some present in the neighborhood, are within a park wetland. Typically any activities associated with a Section 404 permit received from the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, requires that wetland adjacent to jurisdictional wetlands be kept clear of trash, which would include tires and other debris. The presence of the tires may indicate that the City or its hired contractor are allowing violations of the permit requirements by not removing the debris.

 

It is still not known when the tires will be removed. The longer City of Omaha officials delay, the harder the task will be, unless they simply do not expect to remove them anytime soon.

Clarifications on Spring Lake Park CSO! Story

A story on the CSO! project now underway at Spring Lake was issued May 20th in the Omaha World-Herald. It focused especially on the new pond to be created in the woodland hollow north of F Street.

The second half of the piece discussed the proposed "piping" of the spring-fed brook south of F Street. During my research on this, it became apparent that the City of Omaha Public Works Department proposed to place forty feet of the creek into a pipe, for dam safety reasons. I'd never suggested that the entire creek would be impacted.

It needs to indicated that the Public Works Department decided that F Street would be designated as a dam. This is according to a representative of the Department of Natural Resources of the State of Nebraska, responsible for approving pertinent parts of the project design. A city official, when asked, agreed with. A CSO! representative said that the option to bury the creek was being done primarily because of cost considerations. He also indicated in later March, that the public did not "have a choice" in the matter.

According to a phone call and email from Jim Theiler, the CSO! project manager, Public Works is "... getting close on pulling some info together on alternatives to have less impacts on the stream." This is according to an email received on May 9. This situation is reflected in the article, where Ned Tramp is quoted as saying: "We are exploring options to leave the stream south of the F Street embankment undisturbed."

The value of the Spring Lake Park for birds was prominently mentioned in the article, with Janet Bonet, president of the Spring Lake Neighborhood Association, strongly indicating the value of the park (its creek, springs and woods) for local avifauna.
Chris Burbach. May 21, 2014. Spring Lake Park - coming soon: new fishing pond. Omaha World-Herald 149(195): 1B-2B, with two pictures.

Public Meeting Held for Spring Lake CSO! Project

A large turnout occurred at the pre-construction meeting for the pending phase one the CSO! project at Spring Lake Park, in eastern Omaha.

"It is historic to have so many people" present, said Janet Bonet, president of the Spring Lake Neighborhood Association, and community coordinator for the project. The crowd meant a lively discussion.

The Spring Lake Project is a "signature project" for the Omaha CSO! effort, said Marty Grate, environmental services manager for the city. It will "improve water quality and provide amenities for the public." He also indicated that the "piping" of the creek south of F Street could not be discussed at the meeting.

Several other public officials and consultants then discussed various aspects of the project, including mitigation for removed trees, construction scheduling, road closures (a common concern), etc.

Tree mitigation will occur within Spring Lake Park, as well as nearby Lynch Park, the Campos soccer complex (at 33rd and Q streets) and Novacek Memorial park.

There were numerous comments made about tree removal during the time when questions could be asked; especially upsetting to some was the removal of "valuable" large oak trees that been so unique to the park.

Another notable topic was the pond to be created just north of F Street by removing the ground to a particular depth below the current surface-level. It will apparently be about 2 acres in size, with a maximum depth of 15 feet, with greater depths during water runoff events.

When asked when project plans and other associated documents would be available online, no date was given but the reply indicated this item will be a topic for further discussion between Public Works officials and their community involvement consultant.

Pre-construction meeting at Spring Lake Park golf course clubhouse.

Construction is expected to start May 6th.

This phase of the project is expected to be completed in the summer of 2016. Once finished, there will be no sewer lines through the park space, they will either be removed or filled with grout, according to officials.

Map graphic indicating the two phases associated with the CSO! project at Spring Lake Park. The green area is the current project, and the pink area indicates phase two.

About 75 people — including public officials — were present at the meeting at the golf course clubhouse on the evening of April 29th.

While waiting for the meeting to start, to people of the community were overheard discussing how the two electronic signs placed along Spring Lake Drive had originally indicated the meeting started at 6 p.m. The time was eventually changed to indicate the correct 6:30 p.m. start time.

Neighborhood Comments on Spring Lake CSO! Project

Comments from the Spring Lake Neighborhood Association

By Janet Bonet, president of the Spring Lake Neighborhood Association. This was a handout provided at the April 29 pre-construction meeting at the Spring Lake golf course clubhouse. Used with permission.

 

REQUESTS FOR THE SPRING LAKE PARK POND PROJECT

USE OF THE REPLACEMENT TREES

First, we feel there are far more trees and shrubs being removed that should have been counted as part of the replacement equation. It is the current thick canopy that is so important for the birds and we hope that the plantings done in the pond construction area will be finished in such a way that the birds will have as thick a canopy again so they return and thrive. We had nesting pairs of hawks and owls in the pond area for decades and it would be a shame if we never see them again. The Neotropical migration of grosbeaks, crossbills, orioles, and others is a wonderful part of living on the edge of a thickly forested park.

The Spring Lake Neighborhood Association has been trying to get some beautification done on the southwest and northwest corners of the intersection of 13th and Missouri Avenue including the strip along the north side of Missouri Avenue from 13th to 15th Street.

We are requesting that some of the trees/shrubs that have to be removed for the pond project be replaced in this Missouri Avenue segment. The neighborhood association had worked with a landscape architect a couple years ago but we did not like or approve the design she came up with and she was unable to meet with us and change it before she moved to another city. The association would like to work with the Omaha Parks Department to come up with a simple planting plan that allows for some shade trees and tall shrubs (for hiding the cement wall on the southwest corner) to be placed in the mentioned areas.

The hill between 14th and 15th Street along the access road is butchered every year by the mowing team and it looks horrible from spring to fall. The wildflowers that were planted in the space between the access road and Missouri Avenue are mowed each time they are just starting to bloom so we never have been able to see them be anything but chopped off. Though they do survive drought better than turf even if we never see them in bloom.

Beautifying this area will help to put a really nice finishing touch to the replacement plantings to be done in the rest of the park.

We support the plantings for Lynch, Deer Hollow and the area south along 13th by Mount Vernon Gardens but believe that the area around the 13th and Missouri intersection should take priority given the proximity to the park and the importance of the intersection as a gateway to Omaha. A number of trees were lost in that area when the bridge was redone and the pond project replacement trees offer an opportunity for regaining some shade there. Doing so will relieve the neighborhood association of the difficult task of scraping together funding to beautify these corners. We hope that the City and CSO contractors will work with the neighbors on improving the corners.

The area in the park where three trees were lost to severe winds several years ago along the “J” Street right-of-way from 15th to 14th Street should be replaced as well, using the pond replacement trees. There are several trees in the far south section of the park now marked with numbers and we do not know what that means. If any are to be removed, those should be replaced in that same area.

As part of the park overhaul, it will be important to get a qualified arborist into the park to schedule and carryout proper trimming of the trees throughout the park – with minimal removal.

EXTENDING/COMPLETING THE WAKING/BIKING TRAIL

There have been several questions about what the planting plan is for the replacement of trees removed along Spring Lake Drive from “I” Street to 13th Street. And can more replacement trees be used to create shade along the west side of 13th Street. It was a real shame that the sidewalk was not moved farther away from 13 street to create the space for snow mounds without blocking pedestrian access to the sidewalk. If that sidewalk along 13th is to be torn up for CSO work, can it please be moved west to make pedestrian access to the sidewalk safer year-round? And can there please be a sidewalk added to complete the walking/biking trail between “I” Street and 13th Street.

THE ILLEGAL DUMP AREAS ON THE NORTH EDGE OF THE PARK

It is essential that these illegal dump sites be cleared before the park pond project is completed. It only makes fiscal and logistical sense for these areas to be cleaned out while the heavy equipment can be used before plantings, parking and trails are installed. Douglas County is supposed to be in charge of illegal dump sites and hopefully they have been included as a partner in the effort to clear the decades of trash left by careless people.

WATERING PLAN AND MOWING

In the past, the neighborhood association in conjunction with Keep Omaha Beautiful and OPPD did some tree planting in the park. Most of the trees died due to lack of watering. Given the tough weather – wind storms and drought, it will be essential that the replacement trees and shrubs be put on a watering plan that is respected and fulfilled. There are fire hydrants all around the park that could supply the water but the contractors will need to be very careful how they open and shut off the water flow so as to avoid burst pipes such as the incident that happened on 14th and “J” Street two years ago.

You can walk around the trees in the south end of the park now and see the consequences of careless mowing. Trees planted now must be respected by the mowing crews. Those huge mowers may make quick work of mowing a park but the bigger the mower, the more likely the damage to trees. A wider and thicker mulch band around the trees should be possible with all the trees being cut there is a huge amount of mulch that will be available. Can it be used in the park as well?

F STREET BUTTRESSING AND THE SPRING SOUTH OF IT

The messy clear-cut done along “F” Street caused quite a knee-jerk reaction among neighbors and those who use that route. We had been told there would be no work done south of “F” Street until a later phase of the project. We were expecting three water feature “eco-zones” from this pond project. The wetland, the pond and the stream environments which would offer excellent and unique opportunities for public enjoyment and environmental education. It is the very real desire of the park neighbors and visitors that this original concept be followed through as the project moves forward. If there is any engineering magic that can be worked where the stream south of “F” Street can be kept intact, that is the preferred option. IF there is really no other option – after real study has been done and creativity tapped – then please pipe-up only as small a portion of the stream as possible and be sure the ends of the pipe are made to seem to be “natural” and not sewer-like.

In a meeting with John Royster and Ned Tramp, I mentioned that the sidewalk along F street is substandard and that if there are no trees and shrubs to demarcate the edge, then pedestrian safety has to be considered and a fence of some kind should be placed along both sides of F Street. There needs to be some kind preventative measure as well that will ensure the buttress is not used as a trailbike route or as a sledding slope. Any treeless slope is open game for sledding.

Thank you to the design team for protecting the little Eden in the ravine just north and west of F Street. It is a really charming spot and many small birds do use the area for water, food, shelter and nesting material.

SOME QUESTIONS I HAVE BEEN ASKED:

1. Can the piers being placed on the pond for fishing include a rounded end and rails with a couple of benches or stools for sitting on and enjoying the pond?
   
2. Will there be wildlife signage for letting people know what birds, critters and water fowl they might see?
   
3. How many cars will be able to park near the pond?
   
4. What ADA access will there be?
   
5. What considerations have been taken for protecting the bat habitat?
   
6. Will there be a boardwalk across the wetland area?
   
7. Is the swimming pool going be open during the pond construction?
   
8. Will there be a sidewalk on both sides of F Street? If not, why not?
   
9. Can there be a wildflower area?
   
10. What kind of picnic areas will there be insight of the pond?
    
11. Will there be a playground area near the pond?
    
12. Will there be an aerator fountain in the pond?
    
13. If the current seeps and streams are buried or under the pond, where will that water go?
    
14. Will there be any lighting around the pond?
    
15. What kind of fish are going to be in the pond?
    
16. How many will a fisherman be able to catch and can he keep the fish to eat?
    
17. Will we need a license to fish in the pond?
    

Spring Lake Park Meeting‏ Poorly Planned

This is a copy of an email sent to the CSO! project coordinator, Public Works officials, the Omaha mayor, the local member of the city council, a project planner and reporters of the local press. The email announcement of the meeting was not received until April 19th, though I did know about it earlier in the week.

It is quite absurd that an official notice of this important meeting was received only ten days prior to the planned meeting.

There should be a minimum of three weeks notice so if there is a scheduling conflict, people have time to rearrange things to be able to attend

Also, there is nothing indicated as to what the meeting will entail. While it be a rehash of the project purpose (the same speil talked about at every meeting), a glowing presentation of what the park will "supposedly" look like in ten years, and then 15 minutes for public comments, with no public discussion. It is this item which is an essential part of the process.

But of course, when I asked for clarification on this item, no response was received to my email.

This is a copy of the email sent on April 15th: "I hope that when this meeting on the evening of April 29th is announced that it will indicate no limits on the number of people that can comment, that the time for an individual to speak will be indicated, and that a public record of the meeting be taken and be available afterwards. Any parameters need to be defined before the meeting to make certain that it is a suitable public meeting, not something else.

"The limitation on speaking should also apply to Public Works officials, though they could bring their entire staff and take over the meeting!"

Are the finalized and already approved plans posted online for people to review and consider. Considering their complexity and length it would take more than a few days to properly review and evaluate! But there is no opportunity being given for this either.

This smacks of nothing more than Public Works wanting to shove a meeting down our throat and simply get it out of the way. It represents an authoritarian perspective by a public agency. Is this what this has resorted to ... forcing things onto the public? It sure appears this way because of this too-brief notice and the way the proposal to fill the creek has been handled.

The meeting needs to be delayed until May. There will not even be a notice in the local newspaper until just a few days prior to the 29th.

It's quite appalling the way this is being handled! Shame on Public Works and the people making these decisions.

Burial of Creek at Spring Lake Park

As discussed yesterday, it is obvious to me that a problem has become apparent regarding the pending project at Spring Lake Park.

According to the plans seen yesterday during an onsite project gathering at Spring Lake Park, Public Works has gone ahead and indicated a project feature that will result in complete destruction of a portion of the creekway on the south side of F Street. This destruction has not been a portion of the plans discussed at the public meetings, so it was a Public Works decision to make this change.

People have made so many comments in regards to maintaining natural features of this park, especially some of the spring features, then suddenly a huge change is added at the end of the road, without any opportunity for the public to comment. Are there other similar revisions?

And then a contract will be approved that includes this change. Why is a final contract for work being done when there has been no final public meeting. The design plan should have been presented at a final public meeting before a contract for construction was completed and ready now for final signatures so work will get underway.

This creekway destruction is simply not acceptable, despite what some bureaucrat in an office has decided. Did the agency which made this decision even visit the site?

Attached are some pictures, taken yesterday, which indicate some of the creek features which will be destroyed. This is a completely unique creek in the city of Omaha, and to allow it to be destroyed would be a completely wrong in so many ways. It would be a huge loss of a unique feature of the cities natural heritage. This creek has flowed here for decades, and to allow some bureaucratic decision to lead to the loss of its integrity is simply not acceptable.

How will Public Works revise the project plan to ensure that this creek continues to flow in a naturalistic manner for park visitors for years to come? I will also be posting this email onto the web so others know about the lack of attention to detail that would have made certain that this creekway would be conserved.

Contractors Deface Trees at Omaha Park

Private contractors working for the city of Omaha were found to be defacing trees in Spring Lake Park on January 10th. They were responsible for mapping trees larger than nine inches diameter, and used the paint to indicate those which had been done. Both guys claimed the paint was temporary, but could not indicate how long it would remain.

They would not consider using an option which would be completely temporary and not deface the trees in the city park.

Vehicle driven by the two guys defacing trees in the park

Dozens of trees had been vandalized with a slash.

Opposition and displeasure to the use of paint was subsequently expressed at the downtown office of the Public Works Department, which is responsible for the activity, associated with the CSO! project pending for the park.

It was found out later that the contractor had been told to use some temporary mark, such as plastic ribbon that could be removed once the survey was done. A Public Work employee did inform the contractor that the use of spray paint was to be stopped immediately.

The two guys responsible for defacing the trees, as well as their supervisor that okayed the use of paint, should have to atone for their actions. They should each spend four hours picking up trash in Spring Lake Park.

Considering a Stormwater Grant Request Involving Spring Lake Park

The following comments were submitted via email to the Nebraska Environmental Trust for consideration by members of the board.

The following comments regard the Nebraska Environmental application submitted by the Public Works Department of the city of Omaha: Spring Lake Pond Restoration, Phase 4, grant number 12-146.

The applicant requests $3.142 million, with small amounts attributed to partners ($10,000 from Papio NRD; $2,320 from Keep Omaha Beautiful and $15,904 from Spring Lake Park neighborhood groups (which are inkind services rather than actual funds), and which are an insignificant portion of the more than $11 million total expected cost for this specific project, with a proposed spring 2014 start.

There are a number of reasons why NET funds should be not be provided for this application. Based upon a close review of the grant application, particular and obvious concerns occur. This grant applications uses opinion to convey benefits, with assumptions based on false premises, has a lack of specific details on how funds would be spent, promotes change though the current situation suits the park, conveys a blatant degradation of the current park setting, all based upon the lack of a final design.

Some of these comments were originally prepared November 15, 2011, after having attended a public meeting which presented a "10%" plan for the CSO project as its involves Spring Lake Park. There were public comments given that evening at South High School which conveyed a community perspective. There have also been further considerations, with additional comments prepared in January 2012 after further review of the grant application submitted to the NET. There was also a meeting of discussion with project planners — at their email request as attended via a bicycle ride in mid-morning — on January 9 when these comments were conveyed, and considered further in a collaborative manner.

The apparent plan as known in mid-January 2012, reflects an unknown design and changeable design. If the project design is only ten percent completed, how can an application state with any accuracy the expected results from any grant funds. With only a small portion of the design known, any project plan cannot accurately convey the final design with the details necessary to indicate how money would be spent on specific features, rather than concepts as presented in the reviewed application.

NET should not provide money to a project that would negatively impact a unique and historically significant Omaha park. The Trust should not provide funds for this grant, especially since the presented plan is incomplete and vague.

Particular items to consider, include the following specific items.

The $3+ million requested from NET is a large and significant portion of cost for this Omaha project. The applicant should pursue other sources as there are many other proposals which could benefit from the dollars which might be used for one project.

Project proponents did not adequately announce the early November meeting — nothing was seen in the newspaper or on a regularly watched television station? Yet, the project conveys that community awareness is one of its more important features.

How does the stormwater project preserve the meadow and sparse wetlands as specifically recognized in a document prepared years ago in association with recognition of parkland features?

"Wetland, pond, and dry detention facilities will enhance wildlife habitat within the park" - this is conjecture as there are no particular details given on how it would be achieved.

"Wetland, pond, and dry detention facilities will keep the uniqueness of a natural area within an urban park" says the grant application. This is a twisted claim. Newly constructed features cannot keep any uniqueness within the park, as they would be new and something new cannot retain any sort of unique aspect because they have never been present.

The park is unique because of its woodland features, and any mention of wetlands, a pond or dry detention item indicates that the project would create something and the creators could say it is unique. A piece of distinctive trash thrown along a street could potentially derive great value for its uniqueness, but would it really mean anything?

The application states: "Does not cause harm to the environment and results in a net gain for the environment because it enhances existing wetlands, provides additional wildlife habitat, and improves stormwater quality." This is a mish-mash of perspectives that should be addressed individually. There will be no enhancement to existing wetlands, because based upon the "10% plan" the existing wetlands would be inundated, and which is obviously no enhancement but an outright destruction. Any newly created wetlands would increase habitat diversity and perhaps increase the variety of flora and fauna. It does not provide additional wildlife habitat, but provides a different mix of habitats. There is no additional property that would be included because of this proposed project. It is proposed for certain tracts within a constricted area, thus nothing more. As for improving stormwater quality. Making sure that stormwater runoff is not tainted with sewage is an obvious improvement, and would occur even without altering the Spring Lake park environs.

Information within the grant application does not present any details on the wildlife present — especially the wild birds — so how can project proponents indicate any sort of enhancement?

If the park cannot be kept clean of trash and free of tires now, how would the project result in making the place more attractive or discourage illegal dumping? Park cleanups in recent years have never accomplished the goal of completely removing unwanted trash or debris from the park woods. A POP-TOP document was personally prepared many years ago about the pervasive trash in three Omaha parks, including Spring Lake Park. Nothing has changed, with tires still a prominent feature, as well as trash from runoff from city streets.

How will project address ongoing erosion due to runoff into park from the corner at 18th and G Street? This is now a dangerous situation for hikers in the park woods. It seems that project designers are aware of this unacceptable situation, though the engineered solution is unknown.

It is not possible to improve water quality in the park, as the only water now in the park is spring water, and it does not need any improvement! This is another example of a false claim.

What is the depth of the proposed pond just north of F Street; what type of fishery would it provide? How much of the present woods need to be inundated to provide any sort of fishing experience. The tradeoff is not acceptable.

What are the infiltration basins, proposed for just south of F Street? These constructs would appear to impact the woods, and the actual influence is unknown.

A given reason for bonus points is: "Recognizes community and economic values that may affect conservation action and designs appropriate actions to enhance attainment and sustainability of resource objectives." This statement is basic mumbo-jumbo which conveys nothing of any sustenance or indicates actual measures which a grant might finance.

This project would not supplement or enhance groundwater — though this is mentioned as a bonus feature. And as if this means anything in this area anyway where there is no use of groundwater and no recognition given now to its occurrence!

How does this project help sustainability of resources? This is an opinion of the grant writer.

The habitat in the park does not need the type of so-called enhancement as indicated for the project; "Significant tree removal required -- an indicated five acres -- for the middle pond" — with removal of shrubs to increase visibility also mentioned. The park setting is just fine now, and could continue in its present condition for decades without either of these two proposals as given in the grant application.

The grant proposal says that in order to make the site more attractive, underbrush would have to be cleared. Habitat is not enhanced by clearing underbrush, so any claim associated with this item, is a biased opinion.

How many tons of "ugly" rock would be used with the constructs of this project and get dumped into this green space? The many stormwater drains proposed will cut through the woods, fragmenting this feature, and seemingly require constructs on the low end to dissipate the runoff in a manner which would not result in erosion. There is no indication of how this would be accomplished in a manner conducive to a park space. Cement boxes of the sort newly placed in Elmwood Park, do not — in any manner — enhance the natural setting currently present. The new box at Elmwood may work to retard stormwater runoff, but the results of its design include a prime condition to create a mosquito breeding nuisance.

A 450' riprap channel - four feet wide, 2 feet high and deep - is not a feature conducive to a park setting, yet this would be installed to provide a drainage channel for the middle pond.

Spring Lake Park has a bird history of more than 120 years. The first known notes on birds are from June 1890. More than 100 species have been subsequently recorded, primarily since 2000, as derived from nearly fifty personal surveys. The grant proposal does not even recognize this resource, though it does refer to subtropical birds. There are no such species of this sort, which occur anywhere near Omaha. Perhaps the grant writer meant neotropic migrants.

The grant indicates a plan of intent for changing habitats, yet there is no evaluation of how the proposed changes would impact the local avifauna within the park.

The pond proposed just north of F Street will inundate several distinct springs; there are none similar in any other Omaha park — existing wetlands and brooks are not enhanced by inundation. The plan does not enhance existing wetlands, it inundates the scant bits now present! To create this pond and its adjacent walkway, trees would have to be cleared and it would require "slicing away" slopes so a cement sidewalk -- which would increase runoff -- could be provided for an occasional walker(s).

The project developers, at the public meeting, had not even considered alternative pond sites, especially south of F Street where there would be no impact on the native woodland habitat and springs. The city was averse to this particular site - -- an unused portion of the park -- because it would also require cleaning up a historic landfill. Removing the landfill material and placing the pond there would an obviously preferential option.

Many of the proposed project items do not necessarily represent Best Management Practices; educational signage would be nothing but an opinion of an erroneous sort. Anyone can claim that inundating natural springs is a best management practice, but that is an entirely false assertion. Destroying an ever-flowing brook is not a best management practice! Removing natural earthern features and their native flora is not a best management practice. Clearing shrubs and trees - prominently used by native fauna - is not a best management practice.

Several members of the Omaha Audubon Society familiar with the park are opposed to any changes which would ruin the natural setting of the park and be detrimental to the bird life. They would especially not like to see any inundation of the natural springs and the resultant creek or brooks.

These particular items are a multitude of reasons why this grant should not receive any funds from the Nebraska Environmental Trust.

The city of Omaha is using Spring Lake Park as a means to an end. They have not adequately considered the current natural features of this park, but instead consider it a place to render into a "facility" to assist with stormwater runoff problems.

Spring Lake Park is a historic place of significance, yet is being blithely considered as a public property suitable to address a current mandate to address stormwater runoff. A park is a park, and should not be drastically altered just because it is there.

Are there are other alternatives being ignored since a park site is convenient and can be altered? A park is a park and not property to convert to a stormwater site.

These comments were presented to project planners including city of Omaha officials, a project designer and a resident of the neighborhood, during a one hour meeting on the morning of January 9th.

Planning Changes at Spring Lake Park

"Between Omaha and South Omaha where the trees are the thickest and the hills most picturesque lies Syndicate Park. Here again is water in abundance and it is the veritable 'wine of the rocks," as clear as ever came from the distilleries of the heavens and flowing in ample and refreshing streams from hidden channels underneath the rock-ribbed river." — February, 28, 1892; Omaha Sunday Bee

A community meeting was held to discuss the stormwater project proposed for the south Omaha area around Spring Lake Park, on the evening of November 17th. This project will dramatically alter the park, which was originally established as privately owned Syndicate Park in the latter 1880s.

Officials for this "Clean Solutions for Omaha!" project presented their "10% conceptual design" and took public comments. Parks and Recreation Department staff also attended the meeting which lasted less than two hours.

The basin for this project covers about 416 acres, which about half is the park and associated golf course.

The primary feature is to add new conduits for sanitary discharge and to revise stormwater runoff facilities so the two do not mix. Peak stormwater runoff would be reduced using retention basins, a created wetland and a wet pond, which would be primarily placed within lowland of the park. Dry detention basins may also be constructed at the golf course.

This work is being required by the Environmental Protection Agency.

Pertinent public comments include:

1. Concern over the runoff of oil from neighborhood streets, and how this would be addressed?
2. The "underwhelming" lake feature being proposed. The commenter was "disappointed" in the plan as presented, and thought there could be "something a little more spectacular" He asked that design considerations include options for a larger lake, that would be a "community enhancement." The lake the person suggested would inundate the entire lowland of the park north of F Street.

Pond proposal for Spring Lake Park, north of F Street. The proposed pond would have a maximum depth of 10-12 feet, which would require excavating extensive amounts of soil from the ravine, according to project officials. A fishery would be provided, probably through the Urban Fisheries Program sponsored by the Nebraska Game and Parks Commission. This pond would inundate at least three or four flowing springs. The water quality basin would also inundate one of the larger and most prevalent springs. Numerous trees would be removed, as well as complete hillsides would need to be obliterated. Graphic courtesy of the City of Omaha.

One particular concern is why the lake area could not be placed south of F Street. Project officials were concerned with the presence of a former landfill in an area which is now unused brome grass. The material would have to be removed and hauled away.

It was noted that if excavation is required for the lagoon proposed north of F Street, why couldn't the excavation be done south of F Street, and avoid inundation of the unique springs in the lowland north of F Street.

In March 1931, city officials completed construction of a new fish pond in the park, and it was located south of F Street. A picture of the first of the three planned ponds was included with the newspaper article. The three lakes would extend about three blocks.

The following personal comments were made during the meeting, with most of them derived from details in a grant application submitted to the Nebraska Environmental Trust:

• Why wasn't this meeting mentioned in the community news -- nothing seen in the newspaper or on a regularly watched television station?? Yet, the project conveys that community awareness is one of its more important features.
• How does project preserve the meadow and wetlands as specifically recognized in a document prepared years ago in association with recognition of parkland features??
• "Wetland, pond, and dry detention facilities will enhance wildlife habitat within the park" – conjecture as there are no particular details given on how this will be achieved
• "Wetland, pond, and dry detention facilities will keep the uniqueness of a natural area within an urban park" - more conjecture
• If the park cannot be kept clean of trash and free of tires now, how would the project result in making the place more attractive or discourage illegal dumping?? Current park cleanups have never accomplished the goal of completely removing unwanted trash or debris.
• It is not possible to improve water quality in the park, as the only water now in the park is spring water, and it does not need any improvement!
• What are the infiltration basins, proposed for just south of F Street??
• Project does not supplement groundwater, as if this means anything in this area anyway!
• How is this project help sustainability of resources?? This is another conjecture as it does just the opposite.
• How much rock would be used with the features of this project?? Most engineers in projects devise plans using massive tonnage's of rock.
• First notes on birds in June 1890; more than 100 species recorded, primarily since 2000; with nearly fifty personal surveys -- there are no subtropical birds at Omaha; there has been no evaluation of how the changes would impact the local avifauna within the park
• Proposed pond just north of F Street will inundate several distinct springs; there are none similar in any other Omaha park -- existing wetlands and brooks not enhanced by inundation -- Project does not enhance existing wetlands, it inundates them!!
• Make site more attractive by clearing underbrush; in direct opposition with other comments on habitat enhancement
• Pond will inundate springs and then on top of that, additional trees would be lost due to walkway
• Many proposed features do not represent Best Management Practices; educational signage would be nothing but propaganda

Audubon people familiar with the project are opposed to inundation of the north springs area. This area is well-used by birds during the winter as the spring flow remains unfrozen and is an important source of water. One planning official called this area an "unused part of the park," though he did retract his comment when provided a different explanation, based upon a bird/wildlife perspective.

An item of immediate concern was a erosional crevice within the park, created due to street runoff which enters the park at 18th and G Street. This hazard has been present for years and never been repaired. The situation would be fixed as part of the stormwater project.

A "30%" preliminary design meeting will be held in the March-April period in 2012.

Autumn Pictorial - Spring Lake Park

A visit was made to Spring Lake Park in south Omaha to see what autumn birds were about on November 1, 2011. There weren't many birds, but it was a nice day and the autumn colors were vibrant.

Debris dumped in the north part of the park.
With the many tires usually about this park, it should almost be called tire park!

Former ball field which will be made into a stormwater detention basin (i.e., a wetland).

Illegal fire site.

Fishing tackle box abandoned at the south spring, the largest in the park. What might they have been fishing for?

The following two images indicate the results of unfettered stormwater runoff from the corner at 18th and G Streets. The resultant erosional rift - more than 20 feet deep and a prominent park hazard - among the forest trees has been ongoing for years, and the Public Works department has never addressed the problem.

Perhaps a local resident is trying to build a facility for a tire business.

This is a view of the area where there was a fishing pond constructed in 1931, according to a newspaper article of the era.

Water stream from a north spring. The robins - and other birds - enjoy this water for drinking and bathing, especially during the winter when few other water sources are available. This spring and others would be inundated by a pond.

Distinctive Flora and Diversity of Birds Abound at Spring Lake Park at Omaha

A small tract of woods of near the bluffs of the Missouri River valley has attracted enthusiasts of flora and fauna for more than a century, and continues to be the focus of attention because of its natural features and their associated values.

Originally established as the privately-owned Syndicate Park - named because it was owned by a group of businesses - in South Omaha, when the city annexed the community in 1917, the place became public property and was designated as Spring Lake Park.

Long before it was a park, a little-known plant enthusiast found the setting of deciduous woods an appealing natural setting to find distinctive plants he could pluck and preserve as botanical specimens. As William Cleburne continued his endeavors, his collection grew, and although the local park was just one place to study Great Plains botany, it was close to his residence on south 12th street, so was undoubtedly visited on many a pleasant day suited to appreciating local nature.

Cleburne obviously gave a lot of attention to botanical collection. His first Nebraska collection in the University herbarium is from 1869, and his last in 1904, according to Dr. Robert Kaul, a botanist at the University of Nebraska State Museum.

In 1904, a short blurb in some papers and proceedings announced his donation of 2200 species of 800 genera to the Omaha Public Library. The material had been collected in Nebraska, Kansas, Colorado, Wyoming, Utah and Idaho. Cleburne was associated with the railroad, and may have used work trips to gather plant material, or had gotten them via postal correspondence.

Spring Lake Park Acreage • The tract north of F Street includes a bit more than 40 acres, which includes the swimming pool and vehicle drives • South of F Street is a tract of about 9.5 acres of woodland • East of the Golf Course is a wooded hillside of ca. 7 acres • There is also a tract of woods east of the park along Spring Lake Boulevard, which is ca. 2.7 acres and is privately owned by Spring Lake LLC.] (Information primarily derived from details given by the web-site of the Douglas County assessor).

Flora is the first known bit of history for this particular place, but birds came to the forefront in the 1930s.

A short but indicative note presented some of the first species that occurred amongst the park's habitats: Red-headed Woodpecker, Downy Woodpecker, Hairy Woodpecker, American Crow, Black-capped Chickadee, White-breasted Nuthatch, Brown Creeper, Dark-eyed Junco, and a completely distinctive sighting of the Red Crossbill, according to information published by the Nebraska Ornithologists' Union.

Winter conditions seemed to have a certain attraction, with other birds notes given for December 1933, and January 1937. The notes are brief but they are among the first history for birds at this urban parkland.

A Place for Botany

When David Sutherland arrived at Omaha in 1968 as a newly degreed professor with a particular expertise in botany - taking a teaching and research position at the University of Nebraska at Omaha - certainly he was interested in places to find plants that would help in understanding the distribution of local flora. One of the first places he discovered was Spring Lake Park.

Dr. Sutherland, a co-author of the recently published tome Flora of Nebraska, knew about Mr. Cleburne. He must have "collected up a storm" with about 6000 botanical specimens in the collection at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln. he professor of botanical studies, went looking for the wedge grass (Sphenopholis obtusata var. major) found by Cleburne, and successfully found a specimen in June 1973 in the northwest portion of the park.

Spring Lake Park is a good example" of an upland oak-hickory deciduous forest, the professor said. "I don't think anyone realizes that. The park is one of the better public parks for native flora in Omaha. The woods are a fine example of eastern deciduous forest and include some native tree species like redhaw (Crataegus mollis) and shagbark hickory (Carya ovata) that are not very common in other city parks." He mentioned that the park was probably more open in historic times.

Professor Sutherland has made many recent visits to the park. On a recent autumn outing in 2009, a graduate student went along on the days' foray with the professor, currently teaching Flora of the Great Plains to UNO students.

Bluebead, September 2002. These images courtesy of Dr. David M. Sutherland.	Moonseed, October 2001.
Shagbark hickory, May 2000.	Redhaw, October 2002.

There are no trails, he mentioned during a recent interview, so the two botanists just walked in and wandered about. This season he collected seeds of Arnoglossum atriplicifolium and sent them to a colleague in Texas. There is a colony of this tall herbaceous perennial species at the edge of the woods along F Street.

"You never know what you are going to find," Professor Sutherland mentioned. His remark was derived from something other than a botanical view, as he mentioned many other things which should not occur in a park, especially the amount of trash and tires.

"The park seems quite neglected and filled with junk," Sutherland said, mentioning the pervasive trash and thrown-away tires.

"During the winter someone puts in salt licks to attract deer so the park is way overpopulated with deer, which are not very kind to the plants because of their browsing."

Invasive species are negatively impacting the woods, that are "filling in with invasive trees, shrubs, and vines, including the tree-of-heaven invading at the tree line. Wild staghorn and mulberry trees are also invading" the park setting, and worsening conditions for the native flora.

Dr. Sutherland would like to see officials of the Omaha Parks and Recreation Department - the managers of parks in Omaha - recognize the natural values of the park resources and do something to conserve them. He also mentioned the need to control those invasive species.

One possibility that he likes is to promote the park as an important site of a "green corridor" along the Missouri River.

Spring Lake Park is located northward of other natural areas along the western side of the Missouri river. Starting at Haworth Park and Fontenelle Forest east of Bellevue, riverside woods extend from the northeast corner of Sarpy County into Douglas County and Mandan Park and the flats on its eastern side - where piles of "unneeded" rubble occur - and onward to the Mount Vernon Gardens (also a city park), then further along the hillside which is City of Omaha property, past the river bridge where the potential exists for developing suitable landscaping where houses were recently removed when the road system was redeveloped and the State of Nebraska became owner of the property parcels.

This vicinity is near the southeast corner of Spring Lake Park. The greenspace also continues onward to the Interstate corridor.

Eastward about a third of a mile is the former Riverview Park, now the Henry Doorly Zoo grounds. Across this highway to the north, is the Lauritzen Gardens, promoted as Omaha's botanical gardens, which does have an extensive amount of plantings, but with some valuable relicts of natural habitats.

The Professor, also suggested the park environs could be used for nature study, with the readily accessible opportunity for students to get outside to learn in the natural setting of the woods. Spring Lake School is adjacent to the park and could be a readily appreciated asset for educating kids.

Outdoor Days With the Birds

Natural places always are attractive to wild birds. Trees and shrubs in this park are a natural haven for a myriad of birds that occur during each year along the valley of the Missouri River.

Birds are always about, but irregular visits are made by observers, so any notes on species occurrence occur to a much lesser extent.

During recent years, contributors have gathered notes that do convey a realization and understanding of which particular species occur during the seasons.

When Jim Kovanda renewed his acquaintance with the park environs - having grown up nearby - he found the place was "a good habitat because of the woods and springs that were attractive to birds. It was a good place to bird because it was conducive to the occurrence of songbirds." During visits in recent years with his wife, Sandy, there was always a good diversity and number of birds they carefully watched and enjoyed.

Highlights he recalls include viewing or hearing Barred Owls, with Carolina Wrens and Fox Sparrows "pretty nice birds to see." During the spring and autumnal migrations, there have been different warblers garbed in their myriad of seasonal colors and patterns of plumage, leading to challenges in determining their identity, as the birds were subtly marked or hidden among the foliage, making a positive identification a challenge.

Audubon group at Spring Lake Park. Images courtesy of Janet Bonet.

Members of the Audubon group.

The Kovanda's have not visited the park in the past few months, because of the problem with parking on the north portion of the park, as the gates which block the access roads cause concerns with parking because of the potential for getting a parking ticket for blocking a gated entry.

Spring Lake Park would be a "nicer place to bird if the habitat was kept clean and made more conducive to visit," Kovanda said. He mentioned that there could also be "less cutting of grass," and how there could be more attention given to promoting the natural habitats, to "keep it as natural as it wants to be."

A compilation of records available for the park, indicate that a wide variety of species have been documented at the park place during the past ten years.

Among the 101 known species noted since 2000 - based on more than 850 observations - there is the very recently noted Eastern Bluebird, heard during a bird survey. Also recently seen was the American Woodcock, found near the spring seeps on three different days in September 2003. This was a new species for the park's avifauna. Also recently noted was the Great Horned Owl, a common species in the region.

There is one particular species which is a special species of the park. During the harsh months of winter, the little bits of habitat created by the flowing spring waters, are a haven for a feathered mite, the Winter Wren which relies on havens of this sort. The first observation was made on Halloween day in 2003, and other sightings followed during the final weeks of that year.

Spring north of F Street. October 19, 2009. J.E. Ducey photographs.

Bubbling spring south of F Street. October 19, 2009. This picture was taken after all of the trash had been removed from where the underground water pours from the ground, and can be visually appreciated.

This bit of a wren is known to prefer places where unfrozen water occurs during the winter, whether it is at Spring Lake Park, Elmwood Park or far to the northwest along the Niobrara River. The springs at Spring Lake Park - as well as at Mandan Park - certainly are a factor conducive to providing suitable winter habitat.

Birds noted at Spring Lake Park since A.D. 2000

Snow Goose - flyovers Canada Goose - flyovers Wood Duck Wild Turkey Double-crested Cormorant - flyovers American Bittern Great Blue Heron Great Egret Turkey Vulture Bald Eagle Sharp-shinned Hawk Cooper's Hawk Red-tailed Hawk American Kestrel American Woodcock Franklin's Gull Ring-billed Gull Rock Pigeon Mourning Dove Yellow-billed Cuckoo Great Horned Owl Barred Owl Common Nighthawk Chimney Swift Red-headed Woodpecker Red-bellied Woodpecker Yellow-bellied Sapsucker Downy Woodpecker Hairy Woodpecker Northern Flicker Olive-sided Flycatcher Eastern Wood-Pewee Least Flycatcher Eastern Phoebe Great Crested Flycatcher Blue-headed Vireo Warbling Vireo Philadelphia Vireo Red-eyed Vireo Blue Jay American Crow Northern Rough-winged Swallow Barn Swallow Black-capped Chickadee Tufted Titmouse Red-breasted Nuthatch White-breasted Nuthatch Brown Creeper Carolina Wren House Wren Winter Wren

Golden-crowned Kinglet Ruby-crowned Kinglet Blue-gray Gnatcatcher Swainson's Thrush Hermit Thrush American Robin Eastern Bluebird Gray Catbird Brown Thrasher European Starling Cedar Waxwing Tennessee Warbler Orange-crowned Warbler Nashville Warbler Yellow Warbler Yellow-rumped Warbler Black-throated Green Warbler Black-and-white Warbler American Redstart Ovenbird Common Yellowthroat Wilson's Warbler Scarlet Tanager Spotted Towhee Eastern Towhee American Tree Sparrow Chipping Sparrow Field Sparrow Fox Sparrow Song Sparrow Lincoln's Sparrow White-throated Sparrow Harris's Sparrow White-crowned Sparrow Dark-eyed Junco Northern Cardinal Rose-breasted Grosbeak Indigo Bunting Red-winged Blackbird Rusty Blackbird Brewer's Blackbird Common Grackle Brown-headed Cowbird Baltimore Oriole Purple Finch House Finch Common Redpoll Pine Siskin American Goldfinch House Sparrow

Some of the species recorded, though not directly part of the park's environs, can easily be seen flying overhead on their route along the Missouri River bird flyway.

One species noted prior to 2000, but still obviously present in the woods is the Eastern Screech-Owl. Add to the list the dynamic Killdeer and that one time observation of the Red Crossbill to complete the tally.

There are additional species which would be expected to occur in the arboreal realm of the park's natural settings, if birders were to visit on a regular, though occasional basis, and present their sightings to others to realize.

A recent visit to conduct a bird survey indicated there were at least 21 species present on 19 October. Noted among the autumn setting were the American Goldfinch, American Robin, Eastern Bluebird (heard), Black-capped Chickadee, Blue Jay, Carolina Wren (loudly proclaiming their presence), Chimney Swift in the aerial realm, Common Grackle, Downy Woodpecker, Hairy Woodpecker, Hermit Thrush, Lincoln's Sparrow, Northern Cardinal, Northern Flicker, Red-bellied Woodpecker, Ruby-crowned Kinglet, Sharp-shinned Hawk, Spotted Towhee, White-breasted Nuthatch, White-throated Sparrow, Wild Turkey (a flock foraging on the slopes of the hill at the northwest portion of the park), and the vivacious Yellow-rumped Warbler.

Every visit can be different in regards to what bird-life might be about!

A Neighborhood's Park

Looking back about 25 years, Janet Bonet, a resident of the Spring Lake neighborhood was captivated with the park's setting and since then has worked to one degree or another to make it an attractive place for people and natural residents. She has coordinated trash removal days - working to get rid of pesky tires rolled into the hollows - with poaching and litter other problems. "It should be harder to dump trash" in the park, she said.

Grants have been written to acquire funds to further park improvements. Working with local community enthusiasts, Bonet noted several accomplishments. In May 1999, there were 33 trees planted - species included the white swamp oak, cottonwood, red cedar and linden - in a project financed by the Bockley Gallery in Minneapolis, Minnesota. In 2002, a grant was received from the Nebraska Environmental Trust to prepare a plan to restore habitats.

The park is "priceless as green space and wildlife habitat and provides an opportunity to get out of the urban scramble. We have migrating big brown bat and then some small brown bats that stay all year. As the older trees are lost and none replaced, the bats are losing habitat."

"One of the three neighborhood visioning sessions facilitated by the Kansas State University team in 1999 just before we wrote the NETF grant that got funded." Left to right are Janet Bonet, Margaret Engstrom, and Dorothy Patach a South Omaha community activist. These images courtesy of Janet Bonet.	Jaime, James and John Bonet planting trees received through the Bockley grant.
Meeting at the Omaha Parks and Recreation Department, discussing Spring Lake Park, July 2000.	Broken sewer north of F street.

Historically, there had been a lake at the park - mentioning three ponds present in the 1870s and 1880s at Syndicate Park - and Bonet would like to see the former ball-field - now growing domestic grasses - to become a stormwater catchment basin, rather than having the runoff flow into the woods.

The whole community can take advantage" of the park setting, Bonet said.

The park needs to be improved so people can have a better experience when they visit, Bonet said. She is currently continuing her efforts - despite somewhat limited involvement due to the uncertainties of the massive and pending sewer separation project underway in eastern Omaha - to get the community aware of the park and involved with making it an attractive place for residents.

Some opportunities for the future include could include:

• Improving walking trails to 13th street, and onward to the new bridge across the Missouri River, and over to Iowa.
  
• Modifying the sledding hill to make it safer for kids and other sledders;
  
• Improved handicap access and parking;
  
• Closing the west portion of the park to prevent motorcycles and bicycles from creating unwanted trails; and
  
• Getting rid of the illegal dumping of trash.

Spring Lake Park needs to be developed "in a manner conducive to natural creatures and attractive to local residents," Bonet said.

Green Space Opportunities

The Omaha Parks and Recreation Department is aware of the natural values of Spring Lake Park.

"We have many parks which have natural habitat areas and we consider these areas important," said Walter B. Mertz, a part-time arborist with the department. "We encourage wild life to inhabit" these area "by this nondisturbance" of natural growth.

We "believe springs are absolutely a benefit and a reason we have wildlife at certain areas, and we want to take care of those resources," Mertz said.

The Parks department continues to evaluate "grow-back" areas at different parks, said Brook Bench, also with Parks, Recreation and Public Property. One potential site for this is at Spring Lake Park in west of the former access drive in the northwest portion of the park and northward to the former ball diamond.

He said the department staff is learning more about these areas, and how residents respond to these places, and react to not having the grass mown and the growth of vegetation.

A representative of the department has been closely involved with the Environment Omaha initiative.

We "will agree with their objectives and willing to work closely" to achieve stated objectives, said Steve Scarpello, administrator of the department.

In the recently released report by the Natural Areas section, there are a couple of pertinent items related to recognition and management of natural habitats within the city.

One objective states: "Establish an ongoing inventory process to identify and evaluate sensitive areas (steep slopes, ravines, bluffs, wooded areas and highly erodible land and flood prone areas,), and both cultural and aesthetic features (Natural Habitat Inventory)."

A second objective in this section is to "Preserve native plant communities as a valued community resource, as habitat for native biota, and as a means to maintain ecosystem processes."

The Environment Omaha effort does not indicate any sources of funding which may be needed to achieve the state objectives.

An environmental coordinator has been recently hired to focus on how the City of Omaha can be "more green."

Spring Lake Park has numerous values associated with its natural features, though it is obvious that recognized problems need to be addressed in the near term to maintain the native flora and different sorts of fauna.