BEATRICE – When the National Weather Service talks about a flash flood, national park service officials near Beatrice know exactly what they mean.
A flash flood is what happened along Cub Creek through the Homestead National Monument of America last Thursday night and early Friday. Seven-point-two inches of rain fell in just a few hours.


"Probably one of the most significant amounts that we have on record. The only thing to compare it with possibly, is 1973...and those major floods that hit southeast Nebraska and the Beatrice area".


Monument Superintendent Mark Engler says the only difference this time is the speed in which flooding occurred. Park officials are assessing the damage to determine the full impact, and the Homestead’s trail system remains closed this week.


"We're cleaning sidewalks. On the woodland loop trail, we have tree damage, where a huge oak tree has fallen on the length of the trail. Beyond that, we're assessing erosion problems".


The monument four miles west of Beatrice went into its emergency operations mode following the torrential downpours that stretched over several hours. Park personnel filled sandbags in case the floodwater drew close to the monument’s Education Center and other buildings, including the Freeman School.
Engler said the floodwaters came close to the south side of Education Center and nearby maintenance facilities.


"The employees and the crew here...they acted quickly. Everybody worked as a great team".


Monument personnel sandbagged at the Freeman School, and Engler said only a small amount of water made it inside the front door of the school, where construction work has been going on.


Engler says the Homestead hopes to reopen most of the monument’s recreational trails in five to seven days…..although the woodland trail loop may be closed longer, due to some erosion issues where floodwaters spilled over. Near an oxbow of Cub Creek, prior efforts to relocate the trail farther from the creek, possibly kept damage there, to a minimum.