Ice jams and flooding in North Dakota could affect Iowa and Nebraska
March 26, 2009

Ice jams on the Missouri River are being attacked with explosives near Bismarck, North Dakota, and a dam on the river is being closed for the first time ever to help protect North Dakota's capital city. The Missouri River passes through several major metro areas after Bismarck, including Pierre (SD), Sioux City (IA), Omaha (NE), and Kansas City (MO). The presence of ice jams far upstream in North Dakota now will put pressure on the US Army Corps of Engineers to manage flows throughout the Missouri River basin in order to alleviate upstream flooding while simultaneously avoiding it downstream. The current river level reports show ice affecting several parts of the Missouri, which means that the problems could be compounded.

Omaha and Sioux City both use the Missouri River to support their municipal drinking-water systems. Please feel free to contact us with your questions.

March 2009
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last revised March 2009