It can change so quickly. That’s why The Lower Platte South, Lower Platte North and Papio-Missouri River NRDs, along with several other entities, including the Nebraska Emergency Management Agency, monitor the lower Platte River very closely each winter for signs of ice jamming.

It’s important to note how much of the river is iced-over, where the open channels were immediately before jamming occurred, the thickness of the ice; anything that might help authorities get a jump on warning residents somewhere between Columbus and Plattsmouth that flooding is eminent. Sometimes, coal dust is applied to help melt the ice and re-establish its flow down the river. In extreme cases, dynamite is used. Even when those methods are employed, there’s never a guarantee the Platte won’t overflow its banks anyway.

Observers who train regularly and remain dedicated to doing what they can to keep tabs on nature, know best how quickly a tame Platte can become a flooding threat. So, thankfully, they persist through the worst of weather conditions, reporting their findings to the Nebraska Department of Natural Resources (DNR). The information results in periodic reports on river ice conditions, which are available from DNR at, dnr.ne.gov. When situations warrant, the media is notified.

If you’re near the Platte when it jams, remember the information you get is rooted in the dedication of trained and experienced professionals.