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Ice jam brings troubles with both low & high water

News

January 3rd, 2014 by Ric Hanson

Bitter cold temperatures are creating a different kind of problem in the Siouxland area. Officials with the U-S Army Corps of Engineers are looking at options for various ways to break up a large ice jam on the Missouri River between Ponca, Nebraska, and Sioux City, Iowa. Water levels are dropping down-river and may cut off water supplies to several communities, as their intakes could soon be above the water line.

The Corps is boosting releases from Gavins Point Dam in hopes of making up for the low levels. Of course, that means trouble upriver, as the ice dam is forcing water to pool and the river level is rising, along with fears of flooding.

(Radio Iowa)