FRIDAY, October 30, 2026|
Photo – North Platte River – by Matt Copeland Toga Radio
Saratoga officials considered alternative methods to remove sediment buildup in the North Platte River.
As previously reported by Toga Radio, Saratoga Public Works Director Emery Penner drew attention last month to two gravel islands in the North Platte River south of the Highway 130 bridge. Penner recommended removing the accumulated sediment to reduce flood risk, but acknowledged that the islands will eventually return. He said a long-term solution will be far more costly than the proposed dredging project. The Saratoga Town Council approved Penner’s request to obtain cost estimates to dredge the two large gravel bars in the North Platte River.
The matter was discussed again during the October 7th Saratoga Town Council meeting, where Saratoga-Encampment-Rawlins Conservation District member Scott Kerbs explained that the Conservation District has been working on a permanent method to prevent gravel from collecting between the Highway 130 and East Bridge Avenue bridges for at least 30 years. Kerbs said in the past, Saratoga business owners would dredge the river in exchange for the excavated gravel. Over time, however, those businesses no longer wanted to perform the work, leaving the town responsible for dredging costs. He noted that what was once a free service for taxpayers now costs a significant amount of money.
Following high-water events in the early 2010s, Kerbs said the S-E-R Conservation District co-funded a study to determine how to prevent sediment from building up behind the Highway 130 bridge. He said the 2014 report found that the North Platte River is too wide to effectively carry gravel through the area.
Kerbs said high-water years erode the west bank, making the river wider and deeper. The slower water then allows gravel to settle out of suspension. He said removing the gravel will not fix the underlying problem.
Kerbs said in the 2014 report, the consulting firm Stantec developed a permanent solution for the gravel accumulation, but the estimated cost is too high to make the project feasible. Instead of completely redesigning the river, he recommended simply using the existing gravel to reinforce the west bank.
Kerbs said relocating the gravel would be less expensive than continuously removing it from the river. Mayor Chuck Davis said a project of that scale would require an extensive permitting process through the Army Corps of Engineers, making dredging the faster solution.
Public Works Director Emery Penner said the dredging project is expected to cost roughly $72,000. He offered to review the 2014 study to determine if Kerbs’s proposal would provide a more effective long-term solution.
Later in the meeting, the governing body voted to wait for additional information before committing to the temporary remedy. At the October 21st Saratoga Town Council meeting, Penner announced that the originally proposed dredging project is unlikely to reduce the potential for future flooding. He added that the S-E-R Conservation District’s study may identify ways to better lower the flood risk.
Penner said he expects to have more information by the next Saratoga Town Council meeting on November 4th. In the meantime, he submitted the original plan to the Army Corps of Engineers for review so the town can move forward without delay if officials decide to proceed with the dredging project. Penner said he would like to begin by early November, before the river freezes.
