Thread by @LJSRileyJohnson

Latest from @GovRicketts press conference at Millard Airport:
1 confirmed dead, 3 missing per @NEMAtweets

At least 40 people, 7 animals rescued by 3 @NENationalGuard helicopter crews since yesterday, per Maj. Gen. Bohac

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Concerns for Ord, Burwell, Ericson areas where levees are weakened or stressed. The levee in Valley failed.

Local communities in flooded areas beginning to discover problems with their water systems and keeping eye on whether their water is safe to drink, per @NEMAtweets.

Col. John Hudson of the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers says they’ve been doing minimal releases at Gavin’s Point due to inflows, some of surge came from the upstream Spencer Dam break yesterday. Water levels are declining on smaller tributaries and upper end Elkhorn.

Hudson: Lower Elkorn and southern end of Platte haven’t peaked and won’t until this afternoon evening.

“That water will run high for days,” the colonel said.

Peak elevations on Missouri River are several days out, Hudson said. So concern is on the stretch of the river south of Platte.

Flooding projections show Brownsville hitting 4 feet above the levee, he said.

@GovRicketts says people down river should use 2011 flooding as evacuation guide as they consider what to do with rising river.

Bohac:

Difference between 2011 and 2019 flooding is seven years ago soldiers monitored flooding from atop levees from Sioux City to Falls City. No rescues.

This year’s rescues like @NENationalGuard missions in TX in 2017 but with colder water.

@RepDonBacon says 200 homes damaged or destroyed near Waterloo and there’s concerns for water treatment plant south of Bellevue. At Offutt AFB aircraft are being moved to higher ground, concern is for some buildings on base.

Bacon says Nebraska’s congressional delegation is united in support of eventual federal disaster declaration funding request.

Ricketts confident state’s damage will exceed federal threshold.

Bohac says state doesn’t need additional help to conduct rescues.

Local authorities shouldering this relief effort, state officials say.

“They’re doing an awesome job now,” Bohac said. “When it comes to recovery, they’re all going to need some help.”

Donate $ to @RedCross or be ready to help out clean-up efforts, they say.

This flooding has snared at least 20 communities and 23 counties have declared emergencies, per @NEMAtweets.

On his tour this morning, @GovRicketts was struck by the expanse of floodwaters. Main channels of Elkhorn or Platte couldn’t be detected. And current raged on.

“You do not want to get caught in it,” he said.

Speaker Scheer of Norfolk:
“The Elkhorn is literally miles wide.”

In Nebraska’s networks of state roads, only Interstate 80 is unaffected, per @NebraskaDOT Director Schneweis. He’s expecting flooding on Elkhorn to hit some commuters in Omaha area tonight amid issues on NE92 and NE64 west of the metro.