Rising Above: Nebraska and Western Iowa's Historic 2019 Floods, BH Media Group, Omaha World Herald, Omaha, Nebraska, 2020.
There was a prediction that their could be some flooding. But there were still doubts. However no one predicted the severity of the flooding. The combination rising rivers, ice in the rivers, combined with a failed dam, resulted in catastrophic flooding. The frozen ground, and high rainfall lead to flooding through much of the state. Four Nebraskans died in the flooding, but there was over a billion dollars in property loss. Washed out and flooded roads, many towns were isolated due to flooded roads. Many had difficulty getting to work. Offutt base was flooded here in Bellevue. Also the park close to the river, American Heroes Park area was flooded. The Paradise Lakes residential neighborhood was flooded.
Other communities had it worse. The Niobrara River flooded. The Elkhorn River flooded. The Loup River flooded. Towns in 29 Nebraska counties evacuated. Iowa was not spared, especially those communities close to the Missouri River. Spencer Dam on the Niobrara River failed releasing an eleven foot wall of water. The ice in the river made it seem a glacier as it ripped away everything in its path.
But the title of the book, "Rising Above," has another meaning. This also tells the story of how people banned together and helped each other. Gifford Farm in Bellevue was devastated, with many animals put at risk. Many people rose to the occasion to help. Such was the case all over the state. It is hard to comprehend that this was only a few years ago. I have only lived in Nebraska a short time, but neighbors went through this flooding.
This book tells a very important story, with pictures from all over the state. It tells of businesses lost, or crippled. Farms destroyed. Too much sand on the soil from the flooding river. But it also tells stories of resilience. People running their business without the normal tools that washed away, and getting by the best they could.
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