By Katie Schubert
Omaha, NE – Council Bluffs is no longer on level one flood alert status.
Emergency management officials ended the alert at noon Tuesday. The Missouri River has dropped below 32 feet at the Omaha-Council Bluffs riverfront. City spokesman Don Gross says as the river level recedes, so does the risk of flooding. "We project that it's going to be 31 feet in a couple of days, and it'll be in the 30s for the next couple of weeks. As such, water levels will be substantially off the levees, which will reduce the significant risk to the community as far as flooding. Therefore, we feel comfortable in going off the alert level one status."
But Gross says residents still need to be careful, as groundwater and ponding will remain for a couple of months. Gross says this summer's Missouri River flooding caused 17 sewer collapses and damaged six miles of streets. He estimates damage will be in the millions of dollars.
Council Bluffs plans to reopen their side of the Bob Kerrey Pedestrian Bridge Saturday at 7am. Gross says it'll be a while before the bike trail system is fully open.
The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers is currently releasing 90,000 cubic feet per second of water from Gavins Point Dam in South Dakota.