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A view of the "lake" at Table Road from Chelsey Scherbarth's pickup window. One day, on a trip to school, her vehicle began to float. She has dreaded the trip to Chadron since then.
Declan Scherbarth likes to be home working with the cattle with his dad, but he misses his kindergarten friends. He's missed a few days of classes because the road to school was too dangerous for his mom to travel.
A view of the "lake" at Table Road from Chelsey Scherbarth's pickup window. One day, on a trip to school, her vehicle began to float. She has dreaded the trip to Chadron since then.
CHELSEY SCHERBARTH
Ranchers Chelsey and John Scherbarth with children Declan and Stella. John can't get the semitrailer truck home due to poor road conditions.
Declan Scherbarth likes to be home working with the cattle with his dad, but he misses his kindergarten friends. He's missed a few days of classes because the road to school was too dangerous for his mom to travel.
Roads washed out. Hungry cattle. Frustrated farmers and ranchers.
But in this case, it’s not unfolding in central or eastern Nebraska.
Dawes County in northwest Nebraska is hurting, too.
Although the White River did flood, the county’s misery started with 2½ inches of rain on March 13, followed by 18 to 24 inches of snow. Then came another 8 to 12 inches of snow on March 29. It was raining again on Wednesday.
“It’s a mess,” said Chelsey Scherbarth, who ranches with husband John 18 miles southwest of Chadron.
Melissa Cullan took these pictures of the flooding on Table Road in Dawes County. It is one of 34 roads closed in the county.
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COURTESY OF MELISSA CULLAN
COURTESY OF MELISSA CULLAN
COURTESY OF MELISSA CULLAN
COURTESY OF MELISSA CULLAN
COURTESY OF MELISSA CULLAN
COURTESY OF MELISSA CULLAN
COURTESY OF MELISSA CULLAN
COURTESY OF MELISSA CULLAN
COURTESY OF MELISSA CULLAN
Because the ground was still frozen, runoff from melting snow spread across the county, forcing the closure of 34 roads.
Some now have one lane available to local traffic, but officials are asking for out-of-town people to stay away.
A section of Table Road, which is crucial for many to reach Chadron, was under about 2 feet of water until Wednesday afternoon, when pumping began to clear the area.
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Sheets of ice killed 12 bulls at the Ruzicka ranch.
Photos: Nebraska's March flooding hits hard in farm country
No one knows for sure how much lifestock has been lost in the flooding and blizzard of last week. But it could cost in the billions when the losses from livestock and crop losses are totaled.
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Sheets of ice killed 12 bulls at the Ruzicka ranch.
COURTESY OF LANCE KNIGGE
Ice buried the Ruzickas' breeding bulls.
COURTESY OF LANCE KNIGGE
Taking corn to feed the surviving pigs at Eric Alberts' property.
COURTESY OF ERIC ALBERTS
Eric Alberts' land had only been accessible by boat until Monday.
COURTESY OF ERIC ALBERTS
Eric Alberts saved many animals in the flood but had to leave others behind.
COURTESY OF ERIC ALBERTS
Some pigs were able to swim out and survived.
COURTESY OF ERIC ALBERTS
The floodwaters are starting to recede.
COURTESY OF ERIC ALBERTS
About 50 cattle survived by getting to higher ground.
COURTESY OF ERIC ALBERTS
Eric Alberts could have up to $600,000 worth of damage.
COURTESY OF ERIC ALBERTS
An ice-filled farm near Lynch, Nebraska.
COURTESY OF AUDRY WIERMAN
Ice chunks left by the flood at a house in Verdel, Nebraska.
COURTESY OF AUDRY WIERMAN
Ice chunks stacked up next to a pickup in Verdel, Nebraska.
COURTESY OF AUDRY WIERMAN
“This is costing people a lot of money,” rancher Mike Manion said. “I understand this storm is worse than anybody has ever seen. But we need to get out and get these roads open.”
Fourteen to 18 crews are working across the county to open roads to local traffic. County officials have asked for federal disaster relief. They’ll be using anything left in the budget to finance repairs, then will move to contingency funds.
That’s little comfort to Manion, who, like many, can’t use heavy machinery to haul in feed for the 2,500 head of cattle on his 1,500 acres south of Chadron.
The Scherbarths rely on Table Road to get son Declan to kindergarten. Chelsey was afraid to tackle the roughly 200 yards of flooded road after her pickup started to float during a trip to school, so Declan has missed some classes.
John hauls cattle, hay and grain as a side job, but they can’t get their semitrailer truck home, which causes additional stress. Other families have been able to leave their property only by using four-wheelers.
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“It’s been terrible,” Chelsey says. “It’s almost like a lake just covering our road. Our other options to get to town are mudholes. So we have no good way out.”
The warmer weather has begun to melt the icy ground, so water is starting to recede. That will allow crews to add gravel to stabilize the muddy roads.
Jake Stewart, a Dawes County Board member, hopes several will be open for local use by the end of the week.
Table Road has been a challenge because the flooded area is surrounded by wetlands, causing further frustration and questions about how to fix it.
After consulting some government agencies, Stewart said, the county will use irrigation pipes to drain off the road, leaving the wetlands undamaged.
The Scherbarth kids dry off a wet calf. Muddy conditions have made it tough for ranchers.
Work started Wednesday afternoon, and water will drain off the Pine Ridge. Gravel will be used to further stabilize the road for local traffic. Because the full extent of damage is unknown, commercial traffic will have to wait.
That’s some good news for ranchers such as Casey Schuhmacher, who lives west of Chadron. He feels left in the dark about progress on the roads. He’d like to see more updates from county officials or even evening information meetings that everyone can attend.
Manion agrees.
“All these landowners, we’re paying a lot of taxes in this county,” he said. “I would think this would be important to these people.”
Vic Rivera, another County Board member, said officials know it’s a tough situation for those who live in the area. People are relying on the roads to feed their cattle and get them to market.
“It’s a necessity we get these roads back open,” he said. “That’s what we’re trying to do.”
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People watch from the Huron Street bridge as water from Willow Creek flows just under bridge in Missouri Valley, Iowa on Wednesday, March 13, 2019.
Standing water from melting snow and rain reflects the evening sky as a truck travels north on Highway 275 near Fremont, Nebraska, on Wednesday, March 13, 2019.
Nebraska State Patrol Trooper Keith Bell surveys the water levels as floodwaters continue to rise near Salt Creek in Ashland, Nebraska, Thursday, March 14, 2019.
Sean Hanger, of Ashland and his son Aiden, navigate the floodwaters which continue to rise near Jack Anderson Ball Park in Ashland, Nebraska, Thursday, March 14, 2019.
Both Iowa and Nebraska were hit hard by flooding earlier this year and are in need of the disaster aid. Bell Creek, on the east side of Arlington, Nebraska flooded parts of the town on Thursday, March 14.
Blake Japp pulls his remote control truck out of the water while playing in the shallow floodwaters of Bell Creek on Thursday, March 14, 2019, in Arlington, Nebraska.
Brent Schwindt of Norfolk, Nebraska, holds his son Paul, 4 months, as his wife Lacey Hansen sleeps on a blow up mattress at Lutheran High Northeast on Thursday, March 14, 2019, in Norfolk. The school was being used as an evacuation shelter for people affected by flooding in the area.
Motorists are forced to turn around as West Maple Road west of 216th Street is closed as floodwaters rise over the road near the Elkhorn River in Elkhorn, Nebraska, Friday, March 15, 2019.
Adam Jensen races to load his Lincoln Navigator outside his home near Mayne and Condron Streets in Valley, Nebraska. With three kids and a dog they plan to head to a hotel in Iowa. Valley residents were ordered to evacuate because of flooding on Friday, March 15, 2019.
Paul Schmidt walks with his children Calvin and Avery while looking back at floodwaters over Broad Street in Fremont Nebraska on Friday, March 15, 2019.
At sunrise, Norfolk City Engineer Steven Rames inspects the levy next to the Northeast Community College on Friday, March 15, 2019, in Norfolk, Nebraska. Rames said the levy was stable and that the water had dropped 8 to 9 feet.
Volunteers race to stave off floodwater by sandbagging along Old U.S. Highway 275 between Morningside Road and Downing Street in Fremont, Nebraska on Saturday, March 16, 2019.
Volunteers race to stave off floodwater by sandbagging along Old U.S. Highway 275 between Morningside Road and Downing Street in Fremont, Nebraska on Saturday, March 16, 2019.
Anthony Thomson, left, and Melody Walton make their way out of the flooded blocks near 1st and M Streets after a visit to Melody's house where they loaded up supplies in Fremont, Nebraska on Saturday, March 16, 2019.
A crowd gathers to watch residents make their way in and out of the flooded blocks near 1st and M Streets in Fremont, Nebraska on Saturday, March 16, 2019.
Bonnie Warner, Barb Pierce, Katie Cameron and Amanda Pierce cheer for a convoy of Hy-Vee trucks escorted by the Nebraska State Patrol and the Army National on Sunday, March 17, 2019. The trucks delivered much needed supplies to the city that was surrounded by floodwaters.
Hy-Vee staff rush to offload a convoy of trucks that were escorted by the Nebraska State Patrol and the Army National Guard Sunday, March 17, 2019 in Fremont, Neb. The trucks delivered much needed supplies to the city that was surrounded by floodwaters.
People gather in downtown Hamburg, Iowa to watch the floodwaters creep closer to a barrier built on Sunday, March 17, 2019. The levee protecting the town from the floodwaters of the Missouri River broke, flooding the town.
Paul and Margaret Vorthmann's flood damaged home in shown in Missouri Valley, Iowa on Monday March 19, 2019. The family began the process to salvage items from the home and clean.
Amelia Fritz, left, hugs her daughter Heather Rockwell in Glenwood, Iowa on Monday, March 18, 2019. They were evacuated from Pacific Junction, Iowa after floodwaters hit the town. They are part of 15 relatives all staying in the same house or in a camper in the front driveway.
Residents such as Andrew Bauer and Shawn Shonerd of the Bellwood Lakes neighborhood are among some who can only access their home by boat on Monday March 18, 2019.