KETV NEWSWATCH SEVEN. ALL RIGHT, SEAN, THANKS. GO BACK NOW TO THE EFFORTS IN OMAHA CITY SAYS ITS LEVEE WILL CLEAR THE 35 FOOT CREST, EXPECTED SOMETIME THURSDAY. KETV NEWSWATCH SEVEN’S ALEX MCLOON IS LIVE WITH THE CITY’S FLOOD RESPONSE. ROB. JULIE. THE CITY STARTED PREPARING FOR THIS FLOOD EVENT ON FRIDAY WHEN FORECASTERS GAVE THEIR FIRST WARNING FOR THIS EVENT. RIGHT NOW, THOUGH, TAKE A LOOK BEHIND ME. THESE ARE SAND BARRIERS THAT SURROUND THE MISSOURI RIVER WATER TREATMENT PLANT. JUST OUTSIDE DOWNTOWN OMAHA AND WE ARE SEVERAL HUNDRED FEET AWAY FROM THE MISSOURI RIVER ON THE OTHER SIDE OF THOSE TREES. THERE. CREWS, MEANWHILE, HAVE BEEN WORKING THROUGH THE HEAT TODAY, PUTTING UP THESE FLOOD PREVENTION TOOLS BECAUSE THE FEDERAL LEVEE STOPS NEARBY. MEANWHILE, OTHER CREWS WILL BE DRIVING AROUND MONITORING THE CITY’S LEVEE SYSTEM THROUGH THIS EVENT THAT STANDS 40FT HIGH. AND IT’S EXPECTED TO PROTECT INFRASTRUCTURE LIKE EPPLEY AIRFIELD. THE CITY SAYS THEY’LL HAVE THREE AND A HALF TO FOUR FEET OF SPACE TO CLEAR THE EXPECTED 35 FOOT CREST, WITH RAIN THURSDAY. WE’RE DOING EVERYTHING WE CAN AS A CITY TO MAKE SURE WE’RE PROTECTING, UM, HUMAN LIFE AND PROPERTY. OKAY, THAT’S WHAT THAT LEVEE IS FOR. THE CITY SAYS THE U.S. ARMY CORPS OF ENGINEERS FOUND NO ISSUES WITH THE 13 MILE SYSTEM, AND WILL CONTINUE TO MONITOR THROUGHOUT THE EVENT, EXPECTED TO RECEDE SOMETIME NEXT WEEK. FOR NOW, THE CITY PLANS ON A ROAD CLOSURE AT J.J. PERSHING DRIVE. JUST ANNOUNCING THAT WITHIN THE LAST HOUR OR SO TODAY, THAT IS CUTTING OFF ACCESS TO N.P. DODGE PARK AND THE CITY WILL ALSO BE CLOSING LOW LYING RECREATION TRAILS. LIVE OUTSIDE DOWNTOW
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City of Omaha's levee expected to clear Missouri River's forecasted crest
Reporter
The city of Omaha said its 40-foot levee will block the Missouri River's 35-foot crest, which is expected Thursday. Sand barriers and sandbags are in place to protect major pieces of infrastructure like the Missouri River Wastewater Treatment Plant just outside downtown, which serves surrounding communities including Bennington, La Vista, and Papillion."Our levee and flood wall is about 40 feet, so that gives us a good three and a half, four feet of we call freeboard," assistant public works director Jim Theiler said. "So we're feeling pretty good with that."Crews have been working through the heat, putting up flood prevention tools because the federal levee stops near the plant.READ MORE: Interstates 29, 680 to close Tuesday north of Council Bluffs due to rising water levels on Missouri RiverMeanwhile, other crews will be driving around and monitoring the city's levee system.It stands 40 feet high, covers 13 miles, and is expected to protect Eppley Airfield. Residents in Carter Lake, Iowa are also directly protected by the levee."We're doing everything we can as a city to make sure we're protecting human life and property. That's what that levee is for," said Jim Theiler, with the city of Omaha.The city said the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers found no issues with the 13-mile system, and will continue to monitor throughout the event, which is expected to recede sometime next week.Officials said residents impacted by levees include Carter Lake, which is directly protected by the levee. For now, they plan on a road closure at JJ Pershing Drive, which cuts off access to NP Dodge Park and will close low-lying trails.Click here for the latest headlines from KETV NewsWatch 7
OMAHA, Neb. —
The city of Omaha said its 40-foot levee will block the Missouri River's 35-foot crest, which is expected Thursday.
Sand barriers and sandbags are in place to protect major pieces of infrastructure like the Missouri River Wastewater Treatment Plant just outside downtown, which serves surrounding communities including Bennington, La Vista, and Papillion.
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"Our levee and flood wall is about 40 feet, so that gives us a good three and a half, four feet of we call freeboard," assistant public works director Jim Theiler said. "So we're feeling pretty good with that."
Crews have been working through the heat, putting up flood prevention tools because the federal levee stops near the plant.
READ MORE: Interstates 29, 680 to close Tuesday north of Council Bluffs due to rising water levels on Missouri River
Meanwhile, other crews will be driving around and monitoring the city's levee system.
It stands 40 feet high, covers 13 miles, and is expected to protect Eppley Airfield. Residents in Carter Lake, Iowa are also directly protected by the levee.
"We're doing everything we can as a city to make sure we're protecting human life and property. That's what that levee is for," said Jim Theiler, with the city of Omaha.
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The city said the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers found no issues with the 13-mile system, and will continue to monitor throughout the event, which is expected to recede sometime next week.
Officials said residents impacted by levees include Carter Lake, which is directly protected by the levee.
For now, they plan on a road closure at JJ Pershing Drive, which cuts off access to NP Dodge Park and will close low-lying trails.
Click here for the latest headlines from KETV NewsWatch 7
