Levee work has sense of urgency

ASHLAND, Neb. - Crews are working around the clock to build levees along the Platte River near Ashland as weather conditions increase the potential for flooding.

Officials with the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Nebraska Emergency Management Agency, local natural resources districts, Saunders County Public Works Department and the Nebraska Military Department met Jan. 29 to discuss preparations for the threat of flooding from ice jams and thawing snow.

A justification statement prepared by the Corps of Engineers prior to the meeting describes the urgency revealed when they conducted an assessment of the ice conditions on the lower Platte River:

“This assessment concluded that based on existing conditions, nearly every run-off/ice break-up scenario results in a high probability of damaging flood stages within the project reach.”

One day later, crews were moving dirt and building levees at four areas - two at Camp Ashland and one at Thomas Lakes in Saunders County and one at Beacon View in Sarpy County, said Marlin Petermann, assistant general manager with the Papio-Missouri River Natural Resources District.

Petermann said they are filling in gaps four in the Western Sarpy/Clear Creek Levee Project that has been under construction since 2005 and runs along both sides of the Platte River from Thomas Lakes south to Highway 6.

The emergency levee construction will help protect the Thomas Lakes and Beacon View communities from flooding, as well as the Nebraska National Guard facility at Camp Ashland and the well fields along the river that supply water to Omaha and Lincoln.

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