1 hour ago By the Lincoln Journal Star 5

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Current weather conditions and
forecast
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Some parts of Lincoln soaked by close to 9 inches
of rain
A Tuesday drenching dropped nearly 9 inches of rain in parts of
Lincoln, and drying out won't be easy.
More rain is possible on Wednesday and Thursday.
Unofficial rainfall totals reported to the National Weather Service
included 8.9 inches at the Lincoln wastewater treatment plant, 8.5 inches near West O and 20th streets, 7.2
inches near 56th and Holdrege streets, 6 inches near the Lincoln Airport and 5.4 inches near 19th Street and
Pine Lake Road.
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Holmes Lake roads, parking lots and picnic areas are flooded from heavy rains.
ALGIS LAUKAITIS/Lincoln Journal Star
Officially, the Lincoln Airport recorded 3.38 inches of rain over the past 24 hours.
Outside the city, water covered U.S. 6 near the Interstate 80 Waverly interchange overnight but the highway
and interchange reopened at about 9:30 a.m. Wednesday, according to Lancaster County Sheriff Terry
Wagner. Traffic was restricted to one lane.
U.S. 6 was also closed for a west of Lincoln near Pawnee Lake overnight. Rescue crews helped several
drivers from their vehicles.
The road was reopen by 10 a.m. Wednesday.
Flood warnings are up for the Salt Creek near Greenwood, where the National Weather Service reported
major flooding. The Silver Street bridge was closed in Ashland.
Flood warnings are also up for Weeping Water Creek near Union, the Big Blue River near Crete, Turkey
Creek near Wilber and the Missouri River south of Plattsmouth.
"You just want to be very cautious with your driving," said Jim Davidsaver, the Lancaster County Emergency
Management director, adding that he's gotten several reports of drivers whose vehicles flooded.
But no one was hurt, Davidsaver said.
Lincoln road crews closed several streets with barricades because of flooding, city official Dave Norris said in
an email.
Davidsaver advised drivers to slow down and back off the vehicle ahead of them.
Lower Platte South Natural Resources District officials monitored Salt Creek and its tributaries and Holmes
Lake overnight.
"Basically, most everything has leveled off as far as the streams," assistant manager Paul Zillig said.
By Wednesday morning, Salt Creek appeared to be cresting at 20.5 feet, which is the flood stage through
Lincoln, he said.
"It's a pretty good size creek at this point," Zillig said but it is not flooding anything.
Zillig anticipates Salt Creek water levels to drop later today.
The heavy rain flooded roads, parking lots and picnic areas on the north shore of Holmes Lake near 70th and
Van Dorn streets. Barricades have been put in place to keep people out of the park.
"Holmes Lake is doing a great job holding back a lot of water," Zillig said, along with Antelope Creek near
downtown.
Zillig discounted reports that Holmes Lake was at full capacity. He said the lake was designed to have a flood
pool elevation 20 feet higher than the normal lake level and it is far from that point. If it did reach capacity
water would be over nearby 70th Street, he said.
This is a developing story. Stay with JournalStar.com for updates.