West Nishnabotna River at Randolph water level

Name: West Nishnabotna River at Randolph water level (U.S. Geological Survey)
Creator: U.S. Geological Survey
License: https://www.usgs.gov/information-policies-and-instructions/copyrights-and-credits

River gauge, West Nishnabotna River, Iowa, United States

Directions

Below flood stage

Water level

10.25ft Down 0.09 ft over the last 24 hours

Measured Oct 20, 2026, 04:00 PM CDT (45 min ago)

Flow: 1,800 cfs
Water temperature: 56 °F

History

7 days

Water level Minor flood stage

What this means

Water levels are unremarkable at West Nishnabotna River at Randolph, where the gauge shows 10.25 ft.

It is 8.75 ft below the flood stage of 19.00 ft.

It is still going down, by 0.09 ft over the past 24 hours. The 30-day range is 10.25 ft – 10.72 ft.

Fall is often low-water season on rivers, until steadier rain returns. The water temperature at the gauge is 56 °F.

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

Key numbers

Highest on record: 24.87 ftMarch 14, 2019

Paddling and fishing conditions

Most paddlers and anglers will find the river in good shape at this stage.

For reference, flood stage is 19.00 ft.

What happens at each level

32.00 ft: Flooding begins along the outskirts of Randolph.
28.50 ft: Water begins to impact the bottom of the bridge at the gage site.
27.00 ft: The road around the cemetery begins to flood on the west side. The town of Randolph is likely not impacted yet.
23.00 ft: County road J18 (120th Street) west of Randolph begins to flood.
22.00 ft: County Road L-68 located 5 miles south of Randolph begins to flood.
19.00 ft: Rural agricultural lands begin to flood.
10.25 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: 8 %.

Rank	Level	Date
1	24.87 ft	March 14, 2019
2	24.60 ft	March 5, 1949
3	24.50 ft	May 26, 1987
4	24.16 ft	May 7, 2007
5	24.00 ft	June 24, 1947
6	23.92 ft	June 15, 1998
7	23.84 ft	June 12, 2008
8	23.60 ft	July 23, 1993
9	23.55 ft	July 26, 1990
10	23.51 ft	June 15, 1982

Weather at the gauge

No rain in the last 3 days.

20 Tue 70° 42° – Wind 11 mph

21 Wed 75° 49° – Wind 8 mph

22 Thu 76° 56° – Wind 11 mph

23 Fri 77° 60° – Wind 20 mph

24 Sat 78° 62° – Wind 17 mph

25 Sun 69° 59° 0.19 in, 21% Wind 6 mph

26 Mon 60° 44° 0.43 in, 23% Wind 15 mph

Forecast: Open-Meteo

Sunrise 07:40 AM Sunset 06:36 PM Daylight 10 hr, 56 min Waxing gibbous 71%

Map

Other gauges on the West Nishnabotna River

Gauge	Level	Compared with normal	24 hours	Distance
West Nishnabotna River at HancockRiver gauge, West Nishnabotna River	3.82 ft	Below flood stage	−0.12 ft	37 mi

Nearby gauges

Gauge	Level	Compared with normal	24 hours	Distance
Weeping Water Creek at UnionRiver gauge, Weeping Water Creek	2.64 ft	Normal	−0.03 ft	18 mi
Nishnabotna River above HamburgRiver gauge, Nishnabotna River	12.57 ft	Below flood stage	−0.23 ft	19 mi
Missouri River at Nebraska CityRiver gauge, Missouri River	8.86 ft	Below flood stage	−0.17 ft	19 mi
East Nishnabotna River at Red OakRiver gauge, East Nishnabotna River	8.09 ft	Below flood stage	−0.15 ft	20 mi
Papillion Cr at Harlan Lewis Rd near La PlatteRiver gauge, Papillion Cr	14.20 ft	Normal	−0.07 ft	22 mi
Platte River at La PlatteRiver gauge, Platte River	10.12 ft	Below flood stage	−0.22 ft	22 mi
Offutt Ditch (Bellevue Drain) near Offutt AFBRiver gauge, Offutt Ditch (Bellevue Drain)	4.08 ft	Below flood stage	−0.07 ft	23 mi
Missouri River at Hwy 370 at BellevueRiver gauge, Missouri River	15.27 ft	Very low	−0.02 ft	24 mi

Questions and answers

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

The official flood stage is 19.00 ft. The level is currently 8.75 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 Randolph today?

On Oct 20, 2026, 04:00 PM CDT, the water level was 10.25 ft. Down 0.09 ft over the last 24 hours.

Is West Nishnabotna River at Randolph rising or falling?

Down 0.09 ft over the last 24 hours.

Is the level of West Nishnabotna River at Randolph 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 Randolph?

The highest level on record is 24.87 ft on March 14, 2019.

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:06808500 (Agency page)
Coordinates: 40.87328, -95.58144 (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

Parameter	Last value	Time (UTC)	Quality
Water level	10.25 ft	2026-10-20 21:00	Provisional
Flow	1,800 cfs	2026-10-20 21:00	Provisional
Water temperature	56 °F	2026-10-20 21:00	Provisional

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How to cite

U.S. Geological Survey: West Nishnabotna River at Randolph (usgs:06808500). Accessed October 20, 2026 via Nivelmap, https://nivelmap.com/en/united-states/iowa/west-nishnabotna-river-at-randolph

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.

Readings are provisional, can be delayed or wrong and are not a flood warning. Read the disclaimer