Size (acres):  622.0

River Mile:  544.5 to almost 547.2 for portions along the river

Bank:  Right descending bank

County:  Otoe and Nemaha

State:  Nebraska

Ownership:  U.S. Army Corps of Engineers

Acquisition Status:  Acquired from willing sellers between 1993 and 2012, under Water Resources Development Acts 1986 and 1999 authorizations.

On-Site Management:  Nebraska Game and Parks Commission (NGPC) administers and/or performs operation and maintenance activities on behalf of the Corps according to the terms of various agreements.

Site Access:  No motor vehicles are allowed on the site, but public foot access is available.

Description:  The Kansas Bend site is located along the right descending bank of the Missouri River from about river mile 547.0 to 544.5.

• The area includes a 50 acre parcel, on the landward side of the levee, located off the southeast corner of Kansas Bend.  Nishnabotna Bend, formerly referred to as Lower Kansas Bend, is just south of Kansas Bend and is located from about river mile 544.0 to 541.3.
• During construction of the Missouri River Bank Stabilization and Navigation Project (BSNP), side channels at Kansas Bend (north) and Nishnabotna Bend (south) were closed with the placement of dikes and revetments to create a navigation channel.
• The main project element at these two sites was the reopening of a north and south flow-through chute to emulate pre-channelization secondary channels and create connectivity to the river. The north chute is approximately 1.2 miles long and the south chute approximately 1 mile in linear length. These chutes created two separate islands consisting of mixed riparian forest and warm season grass habitats.
• Through adaptive management and the natural forces of the river, the channel is expected to erode and expand over time to a full 200-foot design width.
• Additional activities on this site include reestablishment of the floodplain forest and native grasses.

Status:  Open to the public. Site/Habitat is in operations and maintenance status

Site Use:  The area is available for a variety of outdoor activities including bird watching, hiking, fishing and hunting (under special regulations).

Site-use Regulations:  

• People visiting these areas must comply with all applicable federal and state laws and regulations, including hunting, fishing, etc.  In general Title 36 Part 327 of the Code of Federal Regulations governs the use of Corps property.  Other regulations may apply to properties owned by other federal agencies.
• Special regulations and restrictions may be posted on site.

Special-use Regulations:  No target shooting or primitive camping permitted.

Contact Information: 

• Contact NGPC at (402) 471-0641 or visit the NGPC web document: it is in the "Nebraska City to Brownville" section of the link, under "Kansas Bend WMA : RM 547.2-544.6"
• Also contact the Corps' Missouri River Project Office at (402) 996-3761.

Story Maps Link:  http://rsgisias.crrel.usace.army.mil/story_maps/nwo/mrrp/index.html#

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