OMAHA – The National Weather Service says a favorable snow melt is reducing the risk of severe flooding this spring.

In a spring flood outlook released Thursday, hydrologist Mike Gillispie said snow has been melting at an ideal rate.

Gillispie: “The longer we can keep this up, the less chance there is of that real significant flooding, barring any real big, heavy future precipitation.”

Very wet soil and the large volume of water flowing down the Missouri are the two things contributing to the above-normal flood risk along the river.

 A flood outlook map published this weekend shows a risk greater than 80 percent for flooding exceeding “major flood levels” along the river in South Dakota, but only a 20 percent change in the Nebraska stretch of the river. A a 60 percent chance of flooding at the Big Sioux River in South Dakota and Little Sioux River near Milford,Iowa.

Moderate flooding is forecast for the Big Nemaha River at Falls City.