December 23, 2004 -1^st Report

Summary Lower Platte River Ice Report

Loup River – At the Loup Bridge at Palmer, 4 miles North the main channel is open with border ice growth, frazil slush and frazil pans. The channel is carrying frazil ice and the shallow side channels are frozen.

Elkhorn River – At Hwy 30 at Arlington there is a small open channel up and downstream of the bridge along the East bank that is 3 to 8 feet wide. There are logs and debris piled upstream on the East bridge pier. At Hwy 36 the channel is 50% open with frazil slush and pans. At Hwy 64 the channel remains 40% open with frazil slush and pans. At Hwy 92 it appears the intact ice shows no signs of decay, nor cracking or fracturing. At the Confluence of the Elkhorn and Platte Rivers the Platte River is 100% ice covered north of the confluence. The Elkhorn is 50% open to the confluence, and is 90% covered with frazil pans. The Platte River is 20% open below the confluence and that channel is 90% frazil pans up[ to 16 square feet in size. The ice is irregular up to 12” variations in height.

Platte River – 3.1 miles North of Hwy 64 the channel is 50% open with frazil slush and frazil pans. At Hwy 92 the West channel is 85% flowing with frazil pans with some ice on the sandbars and sheet ice off the banks. The East channel has smaller water flow, due to the many sand bars. The flowing water consists of frazil pans with some sheet ice off the banks. The sandbars have no ice. At the Confluence of the Elkhorn and Platte Rivers the Platte River is 100% ice covered north of the confluence. The Elkhorn is 50% open to the confluence, and is 90% covered with frazil pans. The Platte River is 20% open below the confluence and that channel is 90% frazil pans up[ to 16 square feet in size. The ice is irregular up to 12” variations in height. At .25 miles North of Fairview Road the channel is 40% open with frazil slush and pans flowing. At Hwy 6 the only open channel is from the 9^th to 12^th piling under the BNRR bridge (counted from West to East). A lead is also open near the Sarpy County shore. The open channel is 90% covered with frazil pans ranging up to 16 square feet in surface size. The ice surface is irregular with some ice stacked to 6” deep. At Hwy 31 at 204^th Street the river is nearly 50% open and the channel is almost evenly split with half near the center and half near the Sarpy County shore. The open channel is 80% covered with frazil pans which range up to 25 square feet in surface area. Intact ice is remarkably smooth.