2001 ICE JAM SUMMARY

 

            LOWER PLATTE RIVER SYSTEM

 

        26 January 2001

 

 

This is the third of a series of summary reports of ice conditions on the Lower Platte River System.  The Lower Platte River System encompasses the Loup, Elkhorn, and Platte Rivers in north-central and eastern Nebraska.

 

This summary is based upon voluntary reports receive from local, trained observers.  Approximately 30 sites are observed during ice formation months. 

 

The Loup River report at Columbus at Highway 81 & Loup River Bridge indicated smooth ice with no evidence of decay.   The River was reported to be covered with ice with a

small amount of moving water on the North edge.

 

The Elkhorn River report at Highway 57 to Highway 15 in Stanton County indicates solid ice with floating water on top of the ice.  A small channel is reported to be 15 feet open at Highway 57.  At the Platte River and Elkhorn River Confluence the Elkhorn River channel was estimated to be 50 per cent open north of the Confluence. The ice is 10% snow covered and 10% pool covered.

 

The Platte River report at Highway 15 indicates 7 to 10 per cent of the channel open with frazil slush and fragmented sheet ice.  Melting snow and ice is reported  with ice cracks parallel and perpendicular to shore.  Displacement is reported to be .10 feet 1.5 feet from shore. Water is reported pooled on top of the ice with soft, decaying ice on top to a depth of 1-3 inches.  The majority of the ice is reported to be .6 to 1.1 feet thick. The Highway 79 on the Saunders/Dodge County line report indicates smooth ice with open channel on the north bank that has widened to approximately 80 -90 feet. The length of then open channel has also increased.  A small channel of 3-4 feet in width is reported to have opened in the center of the River.  Cracks are visible from the Hwy 79 bridge and they do run parallel to the shore. 90 per cent ice cover exists with melting ice and some small ice sheets floating in open channel.  At Highway 77 smooth ice with no evidence of decay is reported with some open water but no real defined open channel. The Highway 92 report indicates no moving ice.  The west channel is indicated as 20 to 30 feet wide flowing water, free of ice next to the west bank.  The east channel has 10' to 15' flowing water free of ice on the west bank.  The snow cover is reported to be off of the remaining ice on both channels.  At the Elkhorn River/Platte River confluence 30 per cent of the channel is reported open south of the confluence with evidence of decay and melting snow and ice.  The Highway 6  report  indicates 10 per cent of open channel, evidence of decay with melting snow and ice.  Candled ice is reported with cracks parallel and perpendicular to shore.  A second channel is reported to be opening on the east side of center.  Melting ice with cracks parallel and perpendicular to shore are reported at a distance of 100 feet.  At the I-80 bridge evidence of decay is indicated along with a good open channel that remains along the right bank from about the mouth of Salt Creek to downstream limits of vision.  Numerous open leads are indicated from right bank to mid-river with water on top of the ice in places.  The report indicates the ice to be very dirty.  The Highway 31 and 204th Street report indicates 50 per cent of channel open with evidence of decay, melting snow and ice and candled ice.  Cracks parallel and perpendicular to the shore are reported in the ice cover. The report also indicates that the ice breakup is progressing nicely in this area.  Wide channels are reported to be flanked by melting ice and a few ice slab piles, which pose no danger.  Pooling and candling are evident.  At the South Bend Trestle there is melting snow, evidence of decay and cracks perpendicular to shore reported.  The report also indicates a small 20 foot wide channel along the right bank with numerous small leads and areas of overtopped ice in the area of construction and clearing work.  The overall condition appears to be nearly the same as last week.  The bridge work is indicated to be proceeding and they are preparing to work along the Cass County portion of the bridge and are beginning to push a ramp out from the right bank on the upstream side of the bridge.  The Highway 50 report shows parallel and perpendicular cracks 200 feet from shore. Decay is indicated.  The report indicates a very small 6-foot wide channel hugging the left bank and continuing both upstream and down to limits of vision.  There are numerous cracks in the ice cover but no fractures are noted.   Large areas continue to have some snow cover on the ice and nearly all the open leads noted last week have closed.  At the Cedar Creek Dike the report indicated that the river  has largely refrozen at this point.  A fairly decent open channel is reported on the right bank 1/4 mile upstream from observation point that crosses over to the left bank at that location.  There remain several small open leads in mid river and there are indications of good under ice flow.  No floating ice of any kind is noted.  The majority of the ice is dirty with many cracks out from the shore.  Some earlier fracturing noted with overtopped slabs 6 inches or so thick that have refrozen to the ice cover.  The Highway 75 report shows melting ice with parallel and perpendicular to shore fracturing some 15 feet from shore.  Decay is indicated with a very good channel 50-60 feet wide 30 feet out from right bank and extending from the limits of vision upstream to mouth of the river downstream.    Smaller channels and open leads are reported both up and downstream.  Ice is dirty with many cracks and shows evidence of a slow melting process consistent with weather patterns.

 

 

 

 

 

 


 

 

             

 

 

 

 

 


.