Flood in Nemaha County, Nebraska

Heavy rain over much of eastern Nebraska and western Iowa during most of June caused a prolonged period of flooding along the Missouri River, especially downstream of Omaha through Rulo. The river near Brownville climbed above flood stage during the afternoon on June 11th and remained above flood stage into July. The river at Brownville crested at close to 43 feet during the evening of June 23rd, flood stage is 32 feet. This was the 2nd highest crest at Brownville second only to the flood of July 1993. An earlier crest of around 42 feet was recorded on 6/16/10. Besides considerable flooding of lowlands along the river, several roads were flooded including one that lead to the Cooper Nuclear power plant. Recreation areas also sustained flood damage.

Flooding along the Missouri River gradually worsened over Nemaha county during June as record releases from Gavins Point Dam and periodic heavy rains brought widespread flooding along the river. The river at Brownville started June around 39 feet, flood stage is 33 feet. The river gradually climbed to a record crest around 45 feet by the end of that month before falling as downstream levees were breached and widened by flooding. Moderate flooding persisted through July and into late August before the river fell even more due to decreased releases from upstream reservoirs. However, minor flooding persisted through September and into early October. At the peak of the flooding Highway 136 in Missouri, and the access road to a nuclear power plant were under water along with recreation areas and farmland along the river. The flooding of Highway 136 prompted the closure of the Brownville, Nebraska bridge over the Missouri River. Over 8,000 acres were covered in flood waters during the peak of the flooding in early summer.

Flooding along the Missouri River gradually worsened during June as record releases from Gavins Point Dam and periodic heavy rains brought widespread flooding along the river. The Missouri River at Brownville started June around 39 feet, flood stage is 33 feet. The river gradually climbed to a record crest around 45 feet by the end of the month before falling as downstream levees were breached and widened by flooding. However, significant flooding persisted into July. One man drowned early on June 26th when the boat he was fishing in capsized as it traveled from the Little Nemaha River, where it was launched, onto the flood waters of the Missouri River. Roads, including Highway 136 in Missouri, and the access road to a nuclear power plant, flooded as did recreation areas and farmland along the river. The flooding of Highway 136 prompted the closure of the Brownville, Nebraska bridge over the Missouri River. Over 8,000 acres were covered in flood waters at one point early in June and that number likely grew as the month progressed.