OMAHA, Neb. —

A Saunders County dam just north of Malmo is rated in "poor" condition, a step below the worst rating. It's also a "high hazard" dam, meaning it could claim lives if it were to fail, explained Lower Platte North NRD Operations and Maintenance Manager Bob Heimann said.

This week, KETV has reported on the safety of America's dams.

A dirt road north of Malmo runs over the dam. It's on County Road P just west of County Road 22.

A 2022 inspection spurred work to improve the dam, Cottonwood Creek Watershed 21-A. After a study, a design for a solution is currently in the works.

During a flood, water is designed to flow around the dam to help handle the water. But Heimann explained the inspection found it can handle 37% of a "probable maximum flood," not the 70% it should be abl

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