Record flood level near Rulo

The Missouri River set a record at Rulo Wednesday morning and continues to rise. Emergency officials are nervously watching the federal levees there.

On the Missouri side of the river, floodwaters are overtopping a number of non-federal levees, according to the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers.

Gauges on the river at Nebraska City and Brownville indicate that the Missouri remains well above flood stage there. It will remain that way at least through the weekend, but the National Weather Service flood forecast for this reach of the river indicates no appreciable rise from the current levels.

The Platte River is nearing flood stage at North Bend, Ashland and Louisville, and minor flooding is forecast along those communities during the next two days.

Farther west, minor flooding is projected along the Platte, including at Grand Island and Kearney. Farther west, moderate flooding is projected at Lewellen.

More significant flooding is forecast near the Wyoming border.

No significant flooding is projected on the Elkhorn River.

The Big Blue and its tributaries are near flood stage or are expected to cause lowland flooding near communities such as Wilber, Seward, Beatrice and Crete.

The Salt Creek is one of the creeks at highest levels above flood stage. The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers on Tuesday opened a hole in a temporary levee between it and the Platte River to allow backedup water from the Salt Creek to spill into the Platte.

Water from Salt Creek had backed up behind the levee to a level above that of the Platte River on the other side, so the hole was made at a point that allowed the pooled Salt Creek water to spill out, without permitting the Platte to rush in.

- Nancy Gaarder

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