Flash Flood — Cheyenne, Nebraska

1997-05-25 to 1997-05-26 · near Potter, Cheyenne, Nebraska

Event narrative

Widespread flooding occurred along Lodgepole Creek and Sand Draw from heavy rains upstream in Kimball County. A 7 foot wall of water washed out a 30 foot section of a bridge on U.S. Highway 30 at Potter at 430 am MST.

Wider weather episode

A large area of western Kimball County received in excess of 5 inches of rain in less than 5 hours, with the remainder of the county and western Cheyenne County averaging more than 2 inches. The maximum rainfall reported was 7. 5 inches in the southwest corner of the county. Cropland flooding was widespread throughout both counties, and Lodgepole Creek spilled out of its banks from Bushnell in western Kimball County to Lodgepole in extreme eastern Cheyenne County, affecting several communities. Two bridges were washed out along Lodgepole Creek--one on a county road north of Dix in eastern Kimball County, and the second on Highway 30 outside of Potter in western Cheyenne County. While flood waters were reported in Bushnell and Lodgepole, the most severe occurred in Potter, where 4 feet of water inundated numerous homes and businesses, washing away a dozen large propane tanks and washing out 30 feet of Union Pacific Railroad track serving as a dike on Lodgepole Creek. Numerous county roads in both counties were damaged or washed out, and more than 80 miles of farmland along Lodgepole Creek and Sand Draw were covered with several feet of flood water.

Source: NOAA Storm Events Database, event_id 5601519. Narrative written by the NWS forecast office that issued the report.