Gov. Heineman to Survey Areas At Risk for Flooding on Friday

Press Release

Tomorrow morning Gov. Dave Heineman will survey several areas in northeast Nebraska to evaluate flood risk posed by ice on area rivers. He will be joined by Al Berndt, assistant director of the Nebraska Emergency Management Agency (NEMA).

"As the snow and ice that blanketed Nebraska this winter melt, the potential for flooding increases," Gov. Heineman said. "We have stepped up our monitoring efforts to ensure we are ready to respond to flood concerns."

The aerial tour will include the Linoma Beach area along the Platte River, and areas surrounding Fremont, Schuyler, Scribner, West Point, Genoa and Columbus.

Berndt said, "We are monitoring the situation around the clock and working with state agencies including the Department of Roads and the State Patrol, as well as local emergency managers in affected counties. The State Emergency Operations Center is open and available to provide assistance as the capabilities of local emergency managers are exceeded."

Ice jams have been reported in the northeastern part of the state. In recent days some citizens have been isolated on their property due to impassible roads and there have been sporadic evacuations although no mandatory evacuations have been ordered.

Yesterday, NEMA officials coordinated with the U.S. Army Corps to begin sandbagging around the West Point levy.

In February, the Governor signed an emergency declaration that allowed access to state resources for preventative measures to mitigate any potential flooding. The risk for ice jams and flooding is higher this year due to winter weather that included heavy snow, long-term cold, freezing rain and ice.

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