In the Loup River Basin three miles north of Palmer in Merrick County there was a small open channel along the north bank. The 12" thick ice was covered with about 2" of snow. On February 10, the USGS measured the ice thickness near Genoa. The maximum thickness was 1.9', the minimum was 0.6' and the average was 1.0'. The Loup Power Canal was taking 2,050 cfs and the Loup River was running at 1,080 cfs.

The Columbus area did not report.

Below Columbus the Lower Platte River at the Hwy. 15 bridge south of Schuyler was ice and snow covered. In the Fremont area the river near the Hwy. 77 bridge was still ice covered. This included the Big Island area. Some signs of decay were noted in the middle channel at the bridge. Below Fremont ice thickness was measured on January 29, 1997, by the Papio-Missouri River NRD. Maximum thickness was 20", minimum thickness was 13.5" and average thickness was 16.9". On February 13, three miles upstream from the Hwy. 64 bridge the open channel was reported to be smaller than last week. At the Hwy. 92 bridge the east channel of the Lower Platte River was still ice covered. There were two open leads in the west channel. Four to eight inches of snow cover was reported.

The Elkhorn River in the West Point area had a small open channel that extends 1/4 to 1/2 mile above and below the Hwy. 32 bridge. No floating ice was reported. There was about 6" of snow on top of the ice. Two to three miles below West Point, the ice jam that extended to the county line was still in place. Some lowland flooding had occurred and is now frozen. Below, in the Hooper area the river was ice covered with about 8" of snow. Near Winslow the Elkhorn is ice and snow covered. East of Winslow the Elkhorn had an open channel about 1/2 mile long. At the Hwy. 30 bridge near Arlington the Elkhorn still had a small open channel. A smaller channel with very rough ice was reported at the Hwy. 36 bridge. There was still a small open channel upstream of the Hwy. 64 bridge. Similar conditions were reported downstream at the Hwy. 92 bridge. The confluence of the Elkhorn and Lower Platte River had changed significantly now there was a long open channel on the west bank of the Lower Platte which joined the open Elkhorn channel just below the confluence.

Three miles upstream of the Hwy. 6 bridge the open channel in the Lower Platte River was wider than last week, about 100-150'. There was a small blockage caused by some slabbed ice in this open channel. The slabs appeared to be about 1' thick. This was confirmed from the Saunders County side. Also the amount of water in the river appeared to have increased from last report. Below in the Louisville area near the Hwy. 50 bridge the open channels above and below the bridge have increased in size both in length and width. The open channel on the Sarpy County side from the railroad bridge at South Bend to Hwy. 50 has increased considerably.

On February 13, the Omaha District, US Army Corps of Engineers reported the Missouri River above Omaha to have 20-30% floating ice. Gavins Point was releasing 29,000 cfs.