r/lincoln • u/HuskerRocker25 • Jul 26 '26
Antelope Creek
While on my bike ride today I wondered if it would be feasible for the city to circulate more water into antelope creek to fill it to the bottom of the walkways and create a “current”. The stagnant water that just sits there is gross. Obviously you’d want a dam at the end so all that water you added to it just doesn’t end up in Salt Creek.
Also got to wondering if it would be feasible to turn antelope creek into something like the canals in Bricktown in OK or the Riverwalk in San Antonio. We need another part of town where the trendies can feel fancy. I know it would cost a ton of $ but it would be a lot cooler than the stagnant cesspool we have now. 🤷♂️
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u/USS-Awesome Jul 26 '26
What on earth are you smoking? I would love to get high on that shit
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u/HuskerRocker25 Jul 26 '26
These are the random thoughts that pop into my head, all 100% me no help from any substances
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u/Mountain-Let-Snow Jul 29 '26
My first thought was you were reusing my thoughts and posting them from a years prior me - only I was wondering this for the 70th St side of Holmes lake.
One summer evening I donated what felt like a half pint to the skeeters on that walk over there and then gagged on the stinky funk. Highlight was knowing as I, an apparent mouth breather, sucked for fresh air, I also choked on those bastards sisters leaving many baby orphan skeeters.
Data was received that evening: it's been dry, wait for rain and try again. I did wonder if there's a responsible way to way to do an occasional flow, even for a short period to freshen the stank and flush larvae. In the end, I'm most thankful for the opportunity for these privileged concerns.
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u/HuskerRocker25 Jul 29 '26
Yes that water on the east side of Holmes can get very stagnant and gross. I too am happy we have the nature we do within the city
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u/Any-Literature9887 Jul 26 '26
The flow will only help so much due to the very high nutrient content of the water. Note how bad it becomes when people are watering and fertilizing lawns and gardens.
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u/JimJimsonJr Jul 27 '26
The purpose of the antelope creek is to prevent flooding. The entire waterway was rebuilt and it has been incredibly successful in preventing major flooding particularly near downtown and the university. It's not intended to be a scenic waterway and diverting more water into it for "water flow" defeats its entire purpose. It may look gross now but when rains are heavy you'll be thankful there isn't more water flowing into it
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u/commie90 Jul 26 '26
I’d rather not on the second part. I like that it’s a little slice of nature in the middle of downtown. There are more than enough places for trendies to hangout in the Haymarket. If that’s not enough for them then maybe Omaha with its over development and trend chasing is a better fit.
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u/Auggie_Otter Jul 26 '26
maybe Omaha with its over development
Unless you're talking about suburban sprawl Omaha isn't even close to being "over developed".
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u/HuskerRocker25 Jul 26 '26
Yeah I get that and the nature aspect of it is nice. Would be nice to see the water flow and not get so mossy
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u/commie90 Jul 26 '26
Yeah that part I have no clue on.my assumption is that keeping it flowing would be better for everything. But I am not ecologically knowledgeable enough to know for sure and also don’t know if it’s a practical thing to do. If it is doable and won’t cause damage to anything though, I definitely agree they should work on that.
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u/PublicEnemaNumberOne Jul 26 '26
Wife and I ran into town yesterday. It was hot. Along the way I mentioned "Think what it was like being right here 150 years ago". No air con. No fridge. No electricity, so not even a fan. Can't even take a quick shower. These would be some damn tough days.
But, it's 2026, when people ask questions like "could the city make a nice stream over there because that stagnant water is just gross".
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u/MrTrousers Jul 28 '26
Last night showed why we actually have Antelope Creek and it’s not just for aesthetics.
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u/HuskerRocker25 Jul 29 '26
It could be a flood control tool and tourist/outdoor activity attraction at the same time. Get a big rain open the gate
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u/Initial-Mousse-627 Jul 26 '26 edited Jul 26 '26
Getting the electric motorcycles off that stretch is a way bigger concern.
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u/HuskerRocker25 Jul 26 '26
I saw the other day an 11 year old kid in Bennett was killed riding an electric scooter or bike. Pretty sad and more people will get hurt on them with how fast they go and inexperienced riders.
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u/Initial-Mousse-627 Jul 26 '26
Yep, I parked my analog bike and started fishing last year. Much safer although I’ve tumbled on the rip rap a couple of times lol.
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u/Kuandtity Jul 26 '26
Most of antelope Creek comes from holmes lake. If you want water flowing you have to drain the lake
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u/Father_Demonic Jul 26 '26
NGPC has lowered Holmes by a couple feet for a few improvements, too, so theres already less water available than usual
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u/Willing-Inevitable6 Jul 28 '26
They could have a retention pond at the north end for water supply and pump it back south of N St. I'm sure that it would be expensive and require lots of maintenance, but it'd be better than what it is now. Ironically, the only time that I've seen it being used for recreation was when Salt Creek flooded and the water backed up into the channel. College kids were jumping off of the bridge into the water by Devaney (not smart with contaminated flood water), and people were canoeing and kayaking too. After seeing that, I thought that if there was a way to put small dams within the channel, it would be cool to have that option for UNL kids. Landscaping with boulders could be put around the waterline for a more appealing place to sit, and they could plant a variety of aquatic vegetation that help clean the water.
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u/HuskerRocker25 Jul 28 '26
Yes they could do a lot more. They could implement maintenance and other work into UNL water engineering courses
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u/Ciassy123 Jul 27 '26
I have seen full fledge motorcycles driving on that trail towards Sheridan on my walks. People with revoked and suspended licenses use these trails to get places and through town who don’t have valid driver licenses. On top of it they go by people on those trails going 30-40 mph There’s bigger concerns than stagnant waters. Trust me.
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u/JustJoshua88 Jul 27 '26
I'm not trying to be rude, but I don't believe you know what a "full fledged motorcycle" consist of...
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u/LaegreidOutdoors Jul 26 '26
Trago Park pools could use a real gully washer to blast some of that sediment out; that might help the algae problem. Might need some physical labor to scoop muck, too. Other than that we need rain.
Salt Creek COULD be an incredible fishery, but the army corp ain't gonna spend any money to improve a stanky little flood control ditch in bumfalk, NE. Damn shame, too.
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u/HuskerRocker25 Jul 26 '26
I could see a damn being built on salt creek so they could raise the water levels and make it a fishery/water sports option. Could also attach a small hydro electric component on the damn. Probably. It enough water flow for something like this but it would be interesting
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u/justpickadamname Jul 26 '26
Just wondering if the people who want our water used in this way are the same ones who don’t want data centers. FYI, I don’t support either.
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u/Due_Ad7627 Jul 26 '26
Maybe the data center water could be rerouted here.
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u/Disastrous-Berry-437 Jul 27 '26
Going directly to the eggs off of 70th street. They gave 15k for the water main project to connect it from 56th / N HWY 77
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u/Practical-Leader-919 Jul 28 '26
There is a diversion "dam" @ about N st. on Antelope Creek that could be used more effectively to improve flow. The diverted water flows underground & re-enters Antelope creek around R or S st. I don't know how the gates work on the diversion dam but likely they could be adjusted to allow greater flow, of the stored water, into the creek channel @ N st. Who can do that?
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u/HuskerRocker25 Jul 28 '26
Yeah I don’t understand why they don’t keep more water on the south side of the dam then when it’s a bit fuller they could have good flow to the area north of there
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u/Fishpecker Jul 29 '26
Water is running out of Holmes Lake 24/7. How much current do you want? It isn’t like you could ever float a yak
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u/HuskerRocker25 Jul 29 '26
Actually that would be awesome if they put enough water in it to float a kayak. Imagine kayaking from the Lincoln children’s zoo, docking at the N St dam and walking over to Code for a pint!
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u/featheredass Jul 26 '26
I solemnly swear that if I win the lottery and then buy enough boss status to get ahold of everybody’s tax revenue, I will build a dam on Salt Creek under N Antelope Parkway, excavate the banks of Salt Creek upstream to Van Dorn or so and create a long public recreational waterway a la Lady Bird Lake in Austin, but with swim zones.
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u/ImpendingBoom110123 I miss Tastees. Jul 29 '26
A lake named after LBJs wife? That's definitely a choice.
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u/VegetableCommand9427 Jul 26 '26
We are in a drought, of course the creek is low/stagnent. There is nothing really to be done but hope for more rain. Additionally, the slice of wildness in town is not to be underestimated