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West Nishnabotna River at Hancock water level

River gauge, West Nishnabotna River, Iowa, United States

Directions

Right now

Below flood stage

Water level

3.84ft Down 0.10 ft over the last 24 hours

Flow
682 cfs
10 20 Highest onrecord 23.52 ft Minor floodstage 14.00 ft

History

History
3.84.04.24.4ftOct 16Oct 17Oct 18Oct 19Oct 203.84.04.24.4ftOct 16Oct 18Oct 20
Water level Minor flood stage

What this means

The West Nishnabotna River at Hancock is at 3.84 ft, in the normal range.

It is 10.16 ft below the flood stage of 14.00 ft.

It has dropped 0.10 ft over the past 24 hours. In the last month it has stayed between 3.84 ft and 4.48 ft.

Fall is often low-water season on rivers, until steadier rain returns.

Judged against the official flood stage for this gauge. How to read levels

Key numbers

Highest on record
23.52 ftJuly 10, 1993

Floating and fishing near West Nishnabotna River at Hancock

Normal flows mean predictable rapids and good access at most put-ins.

Flood stage here is 14.00 ft, 10.16 ft above the current reading. Beyond it, the National Weather Service also defines moderate and major flood stages.

What happens at each level

29.00 ft
Water reaches the bottom of the bridge deck at the gage site.
24.00 ft
Portions of Hancock west of the railroad tracks begin to flood. In addition, the top of the berm protecting the lagoons for the City of Hancock are overtopped.
22.00 ft
The lowland areas of Avoca begin to flood. The degree of flooding also depends on how high the water is on the West Branch which flows along the east side of town.
21.00 ft
G30 road begins to flood west of Hancock.
19.00 ft
The lowland areas in Oakland, generally west of Highway 59, begin to flood.
18.00 ft
Though low-lying areas of the park have already flooded, at this level the majority of the park is underwater.
17.00 ft
The paved road leading from G30 to Botna Bend Park is flooded.
15.50 ft
The bathroom facility at Botna Bend Park floods.
14.00 ft
Low-lying areas of Botna Bend Park in Hancock begin to flood. In addition, lowland flooding along the river begins.
3.84 ft
Right now

Impact statements from the U.S. National Weather Service.

Highest crests on record

Chance of at least minor flooding in October to December: < 5 %.

RankLevelDate
123.52 ftJuly 10, 1993
222.36 ftMarch 14, 2019
322.12 ftSeptember 13, 1972
420.53 ftMay 6, 2007
520.44 ftMarch 1, 1965
619.54 ftMarch 18, 1979
719.44 ftSeptember 8, 1989
818.56 ftFebruary 19, 1971
918.47 ftJune 12, 2008
1018.33 ftJune 17, 1990

Weather at the gauge

The forecast is not available right now.

Sunrise 07:39 AM Sunset 06:34 PM Daylight 10 hr, 55 min Waxing gibbous 70%

Map

Other gauges on the West Nishnabotna River

Gauge Level Compared with normal 24 hours Distance
West Nishnabotna River at RandolphRiver gauge, West Nishnabotna River 10.27 ft Below flood stage −0.09 ft 37 mi

Nearby gauges

Gauge Level Compared with normal 24 hours Distance
East Nishnabotna River near AtlanticRiver gauge, East Nishnabotna River 4.18 ft Below flood stage −0.11 ft 16 mi
Tarkio River near ElliottRiver gauge, Tarkio River 2.55 ft Below flood stage ±0 24 mi
East Tarkio Creek near StantonRiver gauge, East Tarkio Creek 0.43 ft Below flood stage −0.04 ft 26 mi
East Nishnabotna River at Red OakRiver gauge, East Nishnabotna River 8.11 ft Below flood stage −0.16 ft 27 mi
Boyer River at LoganRiver gauge, Boyer River 4.68 ft Below flood stage −0.08 ft 27 mi
Missouri River at OmahaRiver gauge, Missouri River 13.61 ft Below flood stage +0.12 ft 30 mi
Missouri River at Hwy 92 at OmahaRiver gauge, Missouri River 13.84 ft Very low +0.01 ft 31 mi
Missouri River at Hwy 370 at BellevueRiver gauge, Missouri River 15.29 ft Very low +0.09 ft 32 mi

Questions and answers

What is flood stage for the West Nishnabotna River at Hancock?

The official flood stage is 14.00 ft. The level is currently 10.16 ft below it.

Is gage height the same as water depth?

No. Gage height is measured from a fixed reference point chosen by the agency, so a reading of 10 ft does not mean the river is 10 ft deep.

What is the water level of West Nishnabotna River at Hancock today?

On Oct 20, 2026, 01:00 PM CDT, the water level was 3.84 ft. Down 0.10 ft over the last 24 hours.

Is West Nishnabotna River at Hancock rising or falling?

Down 0.10 ft over the last 24 hours.

Is the level of West Nishnabotna River at Hancock normal?

Below flood stage. Judged against the official flood stage for this gauge.

What is the highest water level ever recorded at West Nishnabotna River at Hancock?

The highest level on record is 23.52 ft on July 10, 1993.

How often is this data updated?

The U.S. Geological Survey publishes a new reading every 15 minutes. This page refreshes within minutes of each update.

For specialists

Station codes, datum, parameters, data quality and downloads
Operator
U.S. Geological Survey
Station code
usgs:06807410 (Agency page)
Coordinates
41.39011, -95.37206 (WGS84)
Vertical datum
NAVD88
Update interval
every 15 minutes
Licence
Public domain. Data: U.S. Geological Survey (USGS), provisional data subject to revision

Published series

ParameterLast valueTime (UTC)Quality
Water level 3.84 ft 2026-10-20 18:00 Provisional
Flow 682 cfs 2026-10-20 18:00 Provisional

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How to cite

U.S. Geological Survey: West Nishnabotna River at Hancock (usgs:06807410). Accessed October 20, 2026 via Nivelmap, https://nivelmap.com/en/united-states/iowa/west-nishnabotna-river-at-hancock

How we check values

Each reading is stored as published. We hold back values that jump faster than physically plausible and show the measurement time with every value.