WEDNESDAY, September 23, 2026|
Photo – North Platte River in Saratoga – Bigfoot99 file photo
Saratoga officials discussed the possibility of removing sandbars from the North Platte River to reduce flooding risk.
During the September 16th Saratoga Town Council meeting, Public Works Director Emery Penner called attention to the two islands in the North Platte River south of the Highway 130 bridge. Penner said that in the past, the town has dredged the sandbars to improve the flow of the river, but some have suggested finding a permanent solution instead. He recommended the less expensive option of excavating the islands while he investigates a more long-term remedy.
Penner said the least expensive option is for the town to obtain the necessary permits and have its own employees do the actual dredging work. He said removing the islands will reduce the risk of flooding on the North Platte River. Penner added that if nothing is done to address the issue, the sandbars will continue to grow and increase the likelihood of future flooding.
Should the governing body move forward with the dredging project, Penner recommended performing the work during winter when water levels are at their lowest.
Mayor Chuck Davis said the islands have re‑formed after being dredged in the past and will keep doing so. He noted the sandbars are simply continuing to grow without intervention from the town.
Penner was asked who would own the material removed from the river. The public works director said he was waiting for an answer from the Army Corps of Engineers, adding that the last time dredging work was done, the sand and gravel was split between the county and the town.
Newly appointed council member Joe Parrie returned to the topic of a long‑term solution, saying he was told the Highway 130 bridge was contributing to the problem. Public Works Director Penner explained that any obstruction in the river will cause sediment to accumulate.
Penner said the engineering firm Stantec studied ways to alleviate the sediment problem but found that a permanent solution would be very costly.
Councilman Bub Barkhurst asked how much the town spent to dredge the islands in the past. Penner responded that “just over a couple hundred grand” was spent to hire a contractor. For town crews to perform the work, Penner said he would need to rent heavy excavating and hauling equipment to remove roughly 18,000 tons of sand and gravel from the river. He added that using the town’s existing equipment would significantly prolong the project.
Penner said he would likely need to access the North Platte River near East Main Avenue and North River Street or at the end of East Saratoga Avenue, where the bank is the shallowest. He said the Army Corps of Engineers is unlikely to allow him to construct a new entry point into the river.
Penner said he is under the impression that the Corps will only permit dirt work above the established high-water line.
Mayor Chuck Davis said fixing the sediment problem will require addressing the river upstream of the town, adding that the work would likely cost millions. The other members of the governing body agreed that a temporary solution is needed now.
Public Works Director Penner said once the work is complete, the town will need to hire a hydrologist to ensure the project did not affect flood zones.
The Saratoga Town Council approved Penner’s request to obtain cost estimates to dredge the two large sandbars in the North Platte River. The public works director said he will have more information at the next council meeting on October 7th.
