Nebraska flooding could continue into weekend

The highest risk of weekend flooding is along the portion of the

The water level on that portion of the

"If we get another (storm) like the one last night, we"ll have real problems,"" said George Wagner, deputy emergency management director for Dodge County, where more than 4 inches of rain fell Thursday night.

Wagner was keeping an eye on the

Those towns and others near swollen rivers might escape flooding if a forecast calling for dry conditions Saturday and most of Sunday holds true. But the weather service said conditions were starting to look favorable for more severe thunderstorms Sunday night.

A swollen Elm Creek spilled over its banks in

Damage to structures in

But volunteers stacked sandbags anyway as a precaution against even more damage to the town of about 360 people. A flooded portion of U.S. Highway 81 near the town was closed, he said, as was a section of Nebraska Highway 91 west of Lindsay.

Lindsay and the nearby town of

The weather service said portions of

In Wahoo Friday, minor flooding closed at least three routes to the city for part of the day.

The weather service issued flood warnings for several rivers and creeks in eastern and south-central

Flood warnings issued Friday included the Big and Little Blue rivers and a portion of the

PlatteRiver downstream from where it is joined by the ElkhornRiver, roughly from Ashland through Louisville, said Jeff Reese, a hydrologist in the Valley office of the National Weather Service.Platte was expected to hit 9.2 feet sometime this weekend, potentially flooding roads in the heavily populated area. Flood level is 9 feet.ElkhornRiver, one of several across the state where flood warnings were issued. Elkhorn flows were close to flood levels, and emergency personnel in the towns of Nickerson and Winslow were on alert to guard the towns with sandbags if the need arose, Wagner said.PlatteCenter Thursday night, flooding 30 homes and 10 businesses in the town, which is northwest of Columbus.PlatteCenter was being assessed Friday as water levels started to drop, said Platte County Emergency Management Director Tim Hofbauer.Newman Grove also had some flooding, according to Hofbauer.PlatteCounty were drenched by up to 8 inches of rain.Nebraska Friday.Platte and its tributaries in central Nebraska. There was also a flood warning along the Missouri River from roughly NebraskaCity south to Rulo.