Blasting Platte River ice jam on hold for now

An ice jam along the Platte River continues to cause flooding in Douglas and Saunders Counties.

General Manager of the Papio-Missouri Natural Resources District John Winkler they are considering the use of dynamite to break up the jam but weather conditions are not favorable today due to the strong wind.

Winkler says if they do use dynamite it will be dropped from a helicopter. He says the ice itself is unstable and they do not want to risk anyone’s safety. Once the helicopter is at a safe distance the charges are detonated to break up the ice and get the water flowing.

Winkler says some of the ice chunks are as large as a car and about 18 inches thick. He says Wednesday’s warm weather helped move the jam a bit but it is still about a mile long.

Winkler says back in 1993 an ice jam along the Platte River caused significant flooding that closed I-80 between Omaha and Lincoln and he doesn’t want a repeat of that event. He says there is also multi-million dollar infrastructures in that area as well as residents, farm land and levees they need to protect.

Officials will monitor the situation day by day.