Recent extremely cold freezing temperatures have returned harsh winter conditions to the Lower Platte system. On the Lower Loup the river is completely frozen in the Genoa area and also at the Highway 81 bridge near Columbus. On the Lower Platte mainstem near Schuyler there was a small (1%) channel open. At North Bend the river is completely ice covered with the exception of a long narrow pool near the Highway 79 bridge. Some ice was smooth and some was rough, slabbed ice. Downstream at the Highway 77 bridge near Fremont the river is ice covered with rough slabs, some as high as 1-3 feet. Water appears to be running under the ice. River had risen to bankfull but appears to now be steady. This was the area where some homes were recently flooded due to ice action during moderating weather. This could happen again. Below Fremont just above the Highway 64 bridge, shore ice has grown out about 350 feet. There is about 20% of the channel open with 2% moving ice. The small channel is actually a long pool as there appears to be total ice cover about 250 yards downstream. At the Highway 92 bridge shore ice has increased. The west channel is 15% open and the east channel is ice covered with very little open water. On the Elkhorn River at the Highway 15 bridge near Pilger there is total ice and snow cover. The ice is 4 to 8 inches thick. These conditions continue through Madison County into Antelope County. Downstream at West Point the river is ice covered with some intermittent open pools. The ice has some snow cover and is about 8" thick. The ice is not clear and has a rough look. Downstream at the Highway 36 bridge conditions are about the same. There is a small open channel downstream from the Highway 30 bridge but upstream is 100% ice covered. This continues on downstream. At the mouth of the Elkhorn the west side is about 20% open with 4" thick ice on sandbars. Below the mouth of the Elkhorn just above the Highway 6 bridge the Lower Platte River is 100% ice covered. A small (30%) channel was open a the Highway 6 bridge. Slabbed ice was present just west of Beacon View beginning about 100 yards north of the BNRR bridge at mid channel and about 50 yards wide. Some homes at Beacon View were recently threatened by local overflows caused by ice action during moderating weather. This could happen again. Very rough ice was reported above and below the Highway 6 bridge. At the I-80 bridge the river level was down about one foot from last week. About 80% of the river was open with some moving ice. There was some shore ice. Downstream in the Louisville area, conditions were about the same but there was much more floating ice. Good movement was observed. There was a good channel open at the Highway 75 bridge on the Cass County side. Shore ice had increased but cracks were visible. LOWER PLATTE RIVER BASIN
Week 3 - Summary Ice Report January 26, 1996