FREMONT, Neb (KMTV) — If you have taken a look at the Platte River lately you probably noticed its looking a little chunky.
“Honestly im not entirely sure, this is my first year down here but it’s a little bit scary,” said Brianna Bell, who lives near the Platte River southwest of Fremont.
Warmer weather has thawed the ice on the Platte enough to get it moving but those chunks have been starting to stack up.
An ice jam Thursday night closed Highway 81 near Columbus for a short time, that jam was mostly cleared by Friday afternoon but upriver things were a different story.
“The water levels have dropped there but the railroad bridge thats farther west of that on the Loup is still socked in pretty good there,” said Platte County Emergency manager Tim Hofbauer.
While most of the neighbors I spoke with near Fremont weren’t too concerned about the potential for flooding Brianna and her family weren’t taking any chances and moved their vehicles to higher ground away from the river.
“We usually bring it up to the road because thats the highest ground we have here close to the house,” said Bell.
Water levels were high near Fremont but not over the banks when we stopped and the ice seemed to be clearing as the day went on but that could change this weekend.
The National Weather service is urging folks to keep an eye on the river and Hofbauer says what’s happening on the Loup River could end up causing problems down stream on the Platte.
“I have been told but I haven’t seen it yet. But there is another ice jam upstream just a little west of Monroe. It’s possible that as time goes on that could come through,” said Hofobauer.
