As flooding on the Missouri River remains a concern year after year, eyes are on the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers as they release water from dams upstream.
After a lot of rain has dumped on Nebraska and further north, water levels of the Missouri River are rising. Some major dams in the Dakotas are already in a flood stage.
John Remus of the Army Corps said on a conference call Friday there's another element of the rising water. Much of the rain water is flowing into the Missouri River bypassing Gavins Point dam, the closest dam upstream to Omaha and Council Bluffs.
"Public safety remains the army corps of engineers primary focus," Remus said. "Heavy rains of approximately 4 to 6 inches fell Wednesday in eastern South Dakota and western Iowa. This rain fell in unregulated tributary watersheds in the Big Sioux, James, Vermillion, and Floyd rivers, all of which empty into the Missouri River downstream of Gavins Point dam."
The Army Corps says they are releasing less water from Gavins Point dam while the water from the tributaries empties into the Missouri River. They are also adjusting plans as new information comes in from rivers and other tributaries flowing into the Missouri.
The water is expected to crest in the coming weeks, depending on location and any upcoming rain.
