Flooding in Nebraska, July 1 to 31, 2011

Flooding along the Missouri River continued across the area during July as record releases from Gavins Point Dam brought widespread flooding along the River. Releases from Gavins Point Dam reached around 160,000 cfs after mid June and the high flows continued through July before decreasing some. The gauge at Sioux City, upstream of the county, and Decatur, downstream, were in a moderate flooding category during the month. Flooding in Thurston county was mostly confined to agricultural lowlands, recreation areas and roads near the river, but the flooding did force the evacuation of 12 people near Macy. The flooding persisted into late August.

Flooding along the Missouri River gradually worsened over the area during June and continued into July as record releases from Gavins Point Dam brought widespread flooding along the River. In Burt county the flooding generally began during the first week of June as the gauge at Decatur didn't surpass flood stage until around June 6th. The level climbed to around 40 feet by the end of June and remained around that level through July. Flood stage at Decatur is 35 feet. Flooding in Burt county especially affected agricultural lowlands, recreation areas and roads near the river but also forced evacuation of 150 to 200 homes. Late in June the Highway 175 bridge over the Missouri between Decatur and Onawa was closed due to erosion of the abutment on the Iowa side of the bridge. The flooding persisted into August.

Flooding along the Missouri River gradually worsened during June and continued through July as record releases from Gavins Point Dam brought widespread flooding along the River. The river near Blair climbed to around its 26.5 foot flood stage late in May, and then steadily rose in June reaching a little over 32 feet during the last week or so of the month. The river fell slightly during July but remained in the moderate category into August. The flooding in Washington county was especially felt in the Fort Calhoun area where at least 60 homes or cabins were flooded or cutoff by flood waters. At least 200 residences in the county were evacuated leaving at least 500 people displaced. This prompted the city to open the high school up for flood victims. Blair spent $500,000 to build up a levee surrounding its water treatment plant which held through June. The Ft. Calhoun Nuclear power plant was in refueling shut-down when the flooding started in April and because of the high waters remained shut down through the summer as flood waters surrounded the plant prompting emergency sand bagging. In addition, recreation areas and roads along the river were flooded. The flooding persisted into August.

Flooding along the Missouri River gradually worsened during June and persisted into July as record releases from Gavins Point Dam brought widespread flooding along the River. At Omaha the river climbed to around its 29 foot flood stage late in May and rose steadily through June reaching around 35 feet late in the month, briefly crossed 36 feet in early July before settling back to around 35 feet except for a second peak of around 36 feet around July 24th. The flooding in Douglas county along the Missouri River closed several parks, boating accesses, and recreational areas. Low areas around downtown on the river side of the federal levee were flooded. The south Omaha waste water treatment plant was forced to send 6 million gallons of waste water daily into the river beginning early in June due to flood waters affecting the facility. The high water and persistent pressure on levees forced Eppley airfield and other businesses to constantly monitor the situation and have pumps on standby as either rains, storm sewer backups or minor boils near the levee would force pumping of the water back over the levee. By June 22nd Eppley had already spent 2.5 million dollars on flood prevention. Burlington Northern had to shut down one of its tracks to allow it to be used as a levee, this forced Amtrak to close that link of service. The flooding persisted into August.

Flooding along the Missouri River gradually worsened during June and persisted into July as record releases from Gavins Point Dam brought widespread flooding along the River. The river near Omaha climbed to around its 29 foot flood stage late in May and steadily rose through June reaching around 36 feet toward the end of the month. The river fell slightly during the first week of July but continued around 35 feet the rest of the month. The flooding persisted into August. Flooding in Sarpy county spread into at least one park causing its closure. Boating and other recreational areas were also either flooded or closed. A section of the rail track that Amtrak used had to be closed to allow for its use as a levee.

Flooding along the Missouri River gradually worsened during June as record releases from Gavins Point Dam brought widespread flooding along the River. The river at Plattsmouth gradually rose through June reaching a little over 36 feet by the end of the month. The river remained in major flood stage into early July slowly dropped into the moderate category by the middle of the month. The high water flooded farmland along the river along with a few roads and recreation areas, including a road to the Plattsmouth water treatment plant. Some businesses and homes were also flooded, and most of the 210 dwellings around Lake Waconda in the area were evacuated.

Flooding along the Missouri River gradually worsened during June and early July as record releases from Gavins Point Dam brought widespread flooding along the River. The river at Nebraska City, which climbed above its 18 foot flood stage in mid April, eventually reached a record crest of around 28 feet by the end of June before falling several feet in July as downstream levees were breached and widened. However, the flooding continued into August. In Otoe county farmland, roads and recreation areas near the river flooded as did some cabins and a grain elevator near in the area. Flood waters crossed Highway 2 in Fremont county Iowa prompting its closure on both sides of the river.

Flooding along the Missouri River gradually worsened during June as record releases from Gavins Point Dam and periodic heavy rains brought widespread flooding along the River. The river at Brownville, started June around 39 feet, flood stage is 33 feet. The river gradually climbed to a record crest around 45 feet by the end of the June before falling as downstream levees were breached and widened by flooding. However, significant flooding persisted through July and continued into August. Roads, including Highway 136 in Missouri, and the access road to a nuclear power plant, flooded as did recreation areas and farmland along the river. The flooding of Highway 136 prompted the closure of the Brownville, Nebraska bridge over the Missouri River. Over 8,000 acres were covered in flood waters.

Flooding along the Missouri River gradually worsened during June as record releases from Gavins Point Dam brought widespread flooding along the River. The river at Rulo rose to a record crest around 27 feet by the end of the June before falling slightly as levees were breached and widened by the flood waters. Flood stage is 17 feet. The flooding persisted into August. The high water flooded farmland along the river, along with roads, cabins, recreation areas and a few businesses. Highway 159 in Holt county Missouri flooded by the middle of the June prompting the closure of the Rulo, Nebraska bridge over the Missouri River for the summer. Over $100 thousand had already been spent by early July shoring up pump houses and wells in the Falls City area to protect the water supply.

Flooding along the Missouri River gradually worsened over the area during June and persisted through July as record releases from Ft. Randal Dam brought widespread flooding along the River. In Knox county the flooding closed Highway 12 between Verdel and Niobrara and east of Niobrara and also closed Highway 14/37 north of Niobrara. The flooding also forced the evacuation of 50 to 60 residences including the Lazy River Acres area in between Niobrara and Verdel. The flooding carried over into August.

Flooding along the Missouri River gradually worsened over the area during June and continued through July as record releases from Gavins Point Dam brought lowland flooding along the River. In Cedar county the flooding generally began during the first week of the June as flows out of Gavins Point Dam reached and exceeded 100,000 cfs. The flooding grew worse as the discharge reached 160,000 cfs by the end of June and these high releases continued through July before moderating a bit. A few seasonal or permanent homes were threatened by the flood waters, but in general the flooding was confined to low areas and farmland along the river. The flooding continued into August.