As the Missouri River nears its crest in Blair, locals assess the impact

BLAIR, Neb. (WOWT) – The Missouri River in Blair was close to cresting Wednesday.

It is expected to rise by less than a foot on Thursday.

Despite that, Washington County Emergency Manager Dan Douglas is confident the levees will hold.

“They took place in ’19; they took place in ’11,” Douglas said. “You can’t plan for anything, but we don’t expect there to be any problems with the levees that cross the county.”

He added that Highway 30, which is the main thoroughfare in the city, will remain open. They also aren’t expected to evacuate the homes, which for one Longview Mobile Home Court resident, is a relief.

“You’re always worried that you might have to pack whatever you might have to get out in a hurry,” Juanita Gray said. “Knowing we don’t have to do that is a huge relief.”

Not everyone is so lucky.

Campgrounds along the river, such as Cottonwood Cove Marina and RV Resort, had to be evacuated.

One of the co-owners told 6 News that about 35 percent of the property is under water. And while he doesn’t think this will be as destructive as the 2019 flood, it’s still frustrating.

“It’s a blackout,” Mike Lupardus said. “It costs money. When you start looking at storage capacity — flood storage capacity in the upstream system — it certainly makes you wonder why and how.”

Due to higher water levels in the Missouri, the drainageways and its tributaries are flowing backwards. Water found its way into low-lying areas of the land, including Jeff Kempcke’s farm fields.

He estimates at least 250 acres of his land was under water Wednesday, saying corn may survive, but soybeans are gone.

“Because of the lateness of the year, when the water drains, it’s too late to do any replanting,” Kempcke said. “So now, you’re going to fight the debris and the weeds until they freeze.”

Omaha will see its highest river level on Friday. In Plattsmouth, Missouri it will rise through the weekend.

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