Remember the upside to wet weather

With Lincoln recording its eighth wettest June and much of Nebraska experiencing the same drenching, people have been focusing so far this summer on the negative side of wet weather.

That’s to be expected when basements are flooded, the winds howl and the skies threaten.

But the long-range forecast calls for a lot of sun and blue skies in the weeks ahead.

Finally, Nebraskans will be able to sample the upside to all this wild and wet weather.

It’s summertime, and the living is easy.

One important benefit is the improvement in water sports recreation. The state’s lakes are at levels that haven’t been seen for years.

A prime example is the Harlan County Reservoir.

The lake has risen 23 feet from its low point several years ago. The water that had receded almost two miles into the distance from U.S. 183 now laps just four blocks from Wilber Holloway’s Fisherman’s Corner in Alma, the Journal Star’s Art Hovey reported last month.

“Some of the biggest white bass we’ve seen in years are out there right now,” Holloway said.

With natural sand beaches, two marinas, boat docks and slips, as well as two restaurants with dockside service, the manmade lake has been a favorite for Nebraska boaters for a half-century.

Conditions also have improved markedly at Lake McConaughy, the state’s largest lake, although drought conditions persist in western Nebraska.

Thanks to heavy snow last winter in the Rockies and heavy rains this spring along the North Platte River in Wyoming, the lake is at 46 percent of capacity, more than seven feet higher than at this time last year.

“Big Mac” is ideal for fishing, sailing, skiing, windsurfing and all types of water sports. Expansive, clean, sandy beaches offer plenty of room for vacationers to set up volleyball nets, bring their coolers and fire up their grills and campfires.

With gas around $4 a gallon, many Nebraskans are scaling back on vacation plans. But a “staycation” in Nebraska, especially one that includes a few days of relatively low-cost camping, still might fit in the family budget.

Nebraskans have been hunkered down the past few weeks, emerging every few days to check on damage.

Now it’s time to take advantage of Mother Nature’s sunny side. One lesson of years of drought and this year’s stormy siege is that Nebraskans ought not to let this opportunity pass.