U.S. Senate changes course, approves bill allowing cabins to remain at SW Nebraska reservoirs

The congressional delegation appears poised to help rescue mobile homes in this area at Swanson Reservoir near Trenton, on land currently owned by the U.S. Bureau of Reclamation, which manages the lake. (Courtesy of Jason Frederick/Hitchcock County News)

LINCOLN — A political barrier fell, and the U.S. Senate on Monday passed a bill that would allow more than 180 lakeside cabins to remain at two southwest Nebraska reservoirs.

U.S. Sen. Deb Fischer, R-Neb. (Courtesy of Fischer campaign)

The proposal, introduced in the Senate by U.S. Sen. Deb Fischer, R-Neb., had been held up “as political leverage” last week, but the opposition stepped aside on Monday.

The bill was introduced on behalf of cabin owners along Swanson and Red Willow Reservoirs in southwest Nebraska who were threatened with removing their abodes to make way for campground improvements planned by the U.S. Bureau of Reclamation, which manages the reservoirs.

Removal of the cabins, some of which have been used by families for decades, was scheduled to begin in February. Last week, it was unclear whether the bill could be passed before the Senate’s holiday recess.

Politics in Washington may sink effort to save lakeside cabins in SW Nebraska

The bill would put the cabins under control of Hitchcock and Frontier counties. It now goes to President Joe Biden for his signature.

U.S. Rep. Adrian Smith, R-Neb. (Courtesy of Smith campaign)

“Thankfully, today Congress has agreed to right this wrong by transferring control of this land back to local officials,” Fischer said Monday in a statement.

The members of the Hitchcock and Frontier county boards thanked Fischer and the rest of the Nebraska congressional delegation for pushing the bill to approval in a joint statement.

The House of Representatives had earlier passed a version of the bill for the cabin owners that was introduced by U.S. Rep. Adrian Smith, R-Neb., who represents the 3rd District.