Dark Skies Abound in the Sand Hills

James E. Ducey. October 6, 2022. Grant County News 138(10): 1.

Dark skies abound above the Great American Sandhills and this reality was recently indicated with the newly designated Dark Sky Park at Merritt Reservoir State Recreation area, as recognized by the International Dark-Sky Association.

During a two-year process associated with 82 pertinent lights, luminosity was decreased and light fixtures adapted to eliminate any upward shine, according to the Nebraska Game and Parks Commission. Some lights were removed.

There are many other spaces where stars and other cosmic realities are obvious during the dark hours and can be appreciated. Consider especially spaces near the public reservoir.

At Valentine National Wildlife Refuge, a public area of 71,526 acres, there is one light at Hackberry Lake which was the former headquarters,  according to the refuge manager.

A contiguous tract of about 7600 acres south westerly of the confluence of the Snake River as it flows into the Niobrara River, is owned by the Board of Educational Lands and Funds. There are no lights.

McKelvie Forest, which comprises 116,000 acres has one night light, according to U.S. Forest Service officials. The Steer Creek Campground during nights is always dark beneath the twinkly Milky Way.

Near the north edge of the forest are two state wildlife management areas without lights. Anderson Bridge is a tiny bit of 137 acres along the Niobrara River. A relatively short distance west, and south of Nenzel, is Chat Canyon WMA of ca. 446 acres on both sides if the Niobrara valley.

Then there is privately-owned property that provides an opportunity to enjoy the dark on a public road.

The Spikebox Ranch in central Cherry county owned by R.E. "Ted" Turner is sprawling space of ca. 142 000 acres with one regular night light at the bison pens, and maybe another one on occasion, according to the ranch manager.

At the western edge of Cherry county is the Fawn Lake Ranch, another Turner property. It comprises at least 64,000 acres or 100 square miles. There are three outside night lights, according to the ranch manager.

Compare this to the intensive multitude of outdoor lights at Lincoln, which has a city area of about 100 square miles.

In the southwesterly sandhills is Crescent Lake NWR of ca. 45,000 acres in central Garden county. There  are no lights on during the night, according to a refuge biologist. There are 12 places where a light can be switched on of needed.

Elsewhere amidst the hills are ranches with minimal lights. A significant cattle and horseback in the upper extent of Calf Creek Valley has no outside night lights. West of Brownlee a similar ranch has 4-5 lights.A place along the south Loup River of more than 17,000 acres also has only 4-5 lights.

There is a, "growing number of people who say the dark sky is an undervalued and unappreciated natural resource," according to the IDA.