More Omaha road closures announced as floodwaters rise
By Zane Culjat
Published: Jun. 24, 2024 at 12:11 PM CDT
OMAHA, Neb. (WOWT) - Due to forecast rising floodwaters along the Missouri River, several closures have been announced. Below is a list of information 6 News has received thus far:
3:50 p.m. -- The Cass County, Neb. Emergency Management Agency is asking residents along Beach Road in Plattsmouth to voluntarily evacuate by tomorrow. Those in need of shelter can call (402) 267-6765.
3:30 p.m. -- The City of Omaha will close John J. Pershing Drive between Dick Collins Drive and Ponca Road at 8 p.m. until further notice.
2 p.m. -- The Monona County Sheriff’s Office reports the east levee at Peter’s Park has failed. Residents are advised to be ready to evacuate.
In Pottawattamie County, 145th Street is closed between I-680 and Rosewood Road to thru traffic. Some surrounding county roads are also closed.
1:43 p.m. -- Nebraska and Iowa Department of Transportation officials have postponed public meetings scheduled for Wednesday and Thursday regarding the proposed Decatur Bridge due to flooding. New meeting dates will be shared once details are finalized.
11:15 a.m. Tuesday -- For now, both Interstate 29 between Council Bluffs and Loveland and Interstate 680 between the Missouri River and I-29 are still open. These are expected to close “later tonight” as of 11:40 a.m.
A reminder for fliers: Eppley Airfield operations have not been impacted by flooding, and the airport remains open as normal. Passengers coming in from the north should be prepared for road closures.
6:05 p.m. -- The City of Omaha has released an update. The Missouri River is forecast to crest very early Thursday at 35.1′ and remain at flood stage until next week. The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers is warning boaters to stay off the water due to both rising waters and significant debris flowing downstream, including large trees.
NP Dodge Park and Freedom Park are both closed, including the marina. John J. Pershing Drive north of Interstate 680 could close as soon as tomorrow. Preparations are underway at the city’s two wastewater treatment plants, including sandbagging.
The city says the top elevation of the levee and flood wall that protects portions of the eastern part of the city, including Eppley Airfield, is well above the forecast crest height and is being monitored.
5:45 p.m. Monday -- OPPD released this statement to 6 News regarding preparation efforts at the Fort Calhoun Station:
OPPD employees and contractors worked throughout the weekend to protect the utility’s property from potential flooding and are continuing to do so today. We’re actively monitoring weather forecasts and keeping close watch on what’s happening at all our facilities along the Missouri River.
OPPD is placing a double row of reinforced flood barriers along the river at Fort Calhoun Station (FCS). We also have pumps onsite to help remove water, if needed, and mobile cameras are in place to allow station personnel to monitor any flooding remotely.
Flooding is expected to reach levels that were seen in 2019, and the barriers are being built to manage that amount of water. Based on current forecasts, we expect the river to crest at FCS Wednesday morning.
Flooding at FCS will not pose any public health or safety risks related to the decommissioning effort or the safe storage of used fuel onsite. FCS is not currently operational, so flooding at the site will not affect OPPD’s core mission of providing reliable energy to customers.
We do not anticipate any operational risks at our North Omaha Station or Nebraska City Station plants at this time, but we’re monitoring water levels there as always.
Our teams continue to carefully monitor substations located in the expected flood areas and have plans in place to help avoid or minimize any interruptions for customers.
Pottawattamie County Emergency Management Agency officials say flooding is anticipated in parts of the county by mid-week. As a precaution, the county is asking two areas to voluntarily evacuate.
Evacuation Area I includes the Harrison County line south to the Council Bluffs city limits, and east of the Missouri River to Interstate 29. Evacuation Area II includes Emil Lane, Dog Bite Lane, and the east to west spans of Gifford Road between 19th and 35th Streets in Council Bluffs.
Additionally, the Iowa DNR has closed Wilson Island State Park and the boat ramps as river access points south of Lake Manawa. Closure of portions of Interstates 29 and 680 are possible in the coming days.
Omaha Public Works announced Monday the entire length of the Missouri River flood levee is closed to the public to allow for flood mitigation operations.
As part of the closure, the Riverfront Trail North is closed between Crown Point Avenue/Ida Street and John J. Pershing Drive, and from the Mormon Bridge to north of NP Dodge Park.
The Riverfront Trail South and paved levee access road is also closed between Hickory Street and Missouri Avenue. Both closures are in place until further notice and will be re-evaluated after flood operations demobilize and cleanup and repairs are complete.
The City of Bellevue has closed American Heroes Park and Haworth Park campgrounds and public boat docks as of Noon Monday. Access to the baseball and softball fields at Haworth will still be permitted, and games will still be allowed to be played as scheduled until further notice; the fields sit on the levee-protected side of the park. Bear in mind access to the boat docs, campground and trails along the river is prohibited.
Bellevue and Papio-Missouri NRD officials are also working to close the Bellevue Loop Trail to all traffic by the end of Monday.
Bellevue officials have opened the Emergency Operations Center as of Monday morning to monitor the situation. Fire and police have notified residents in the path of projected floodwaters.
The City of Blair will close East Fairview Drive east of Marina Drive at 4 p.m. Monday, including the public boat ramp and Optimist Park. This will be in place until further notice.
Narrows River Park in Council Bluffs is closed until further notice. Pottawattamie County Conservation says water levels will be similar to those seen in 2019, putting the park about six feet underwater. Water is not expected to recede until early next month. Gifford Road in Council Bluffs is also shut down.
Also in Council Bluffs, Tom Hanafan River’s Edge Park is closed. The River’s Edge service road between the Harrah’s parking lot and the park is also closed. The city flood gates are closed as well.
The following are impacts to property controlled by Nebraska Game and Parks:
Riverview Marina State Recreation Area near Nebraska City and portions of Indian Cave State Park are closed until further notice. Portions of Indian Cave impacted include the road to the cave, backwaters and lower areas of the park.
Additional Game and Parks closures are in place at Ponca State Park and the Pelican Point, Louisville and Two Rivers State Recreation Areas, as well as the Schilling, Marsh Wren and Harold W. Anderson wildlife management areas.
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