Play Live Radio
Next Up:
0:00
0:00
0:00 0:00
Available On Air Stations

Cass, Washington Counties prepare for rising flood waters

By Katie Knapp Schubert

Omaha, NE – The Missouri River is a foot-and-a-half above flood stage in Blair and four feet above flood stage in Plattsmouth.

The river was at 30.6 feet at Plattsmouth as of Thursday morning, according to the National Weather Service. Cass County Emergency Management Agency spokesman Roger Burns says the river will continue to rise as water is released from Gavins Point Dam.

Burns says sandbagging is underway at the Plattsmouth water treatment plant, and water is threatening to overtop the levee in the Wa Con Da lake area. He calls the Missouri River flooding the worst Cass County has seen.

Meanwhile, the American Red Cross reopened its shelter at Fort Calhoun High School Thursday. Heartland Chapter CEO Tina Price says the shelter can accommodate 50 people. Price says the shelter was also open during Memorial Day weekend and had no overnight population.

The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers is scheduled to release more water next week from the Gavins Point Dam. When that happens, it'll take two days for the flood water to reach Omaha.