Little Blue River near Fairbury water level

Name: Little Blue River near Fairbury 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, Little Blue River, Nebraska, United States

Directions

High for mid-October

Water level

7.80ft Down 0.14 ft over the last 24 hours

Measured Oct 20, 2026, 12:45 PM CDT (50 min ago)

Flow: 322 cfs

History

7 days 30 days 1 year Years compared

20252026

Water level Normal range (10–90 %) Minor flood stage

What this means

The Little Blue River near Fairbury is above normal at 7.80 ft.

The median for mid-October is 7.37 ft, based on 18 years of readings, so the river stage is 0.43 ft above typical. It is 10.70 ft below the flood stage of 18.50 ft. On the same day last year the reading was 6.58 ft, a difference of +1.22 ft.

It has dropped 0.14 ft over the past 24 hours. In the last month it has stayed between 6.59 ft and 17.89 ft.

That stands out in fall, when many rivers are usually near their lowest.

Compared with 18 years of daily readings for this time of year. How to read levels

Key numbers

Median for this date: 7.37 ft0.43 ft above the median for this date
Normal for this date: 6.20 ft – 8.16 ft8 years in 10 fall in this range (18 years of records)
Same day last year: 6.58 ft+1.22 ft
Lowest and highest in 30 days: 6.59 ft – 17.89 ft
Lowest and highest in 12 months: 6.41 ft – 17.89 ft
Highest on record: 25.48 ftMay 7, 2015

Floating and fishing near Little Blue River near Fairbury

Experienced paddlers may enjoy higher water, but many outfitters stop rentals once a river runs this high.

Flood stage here is 18.50 ft, 10.70 ft above the current reading. Beyond it, the National Weather Service also defines moderate and major flood stages.

What happens at each level

27.00 ft: The top of the levee protecting Fairbury is overtopped. In addition, water may begin to impact the bottom of the Highway 136 bridge.
25.50 ft: Highway 136 begins to flood east of the bridge.
23.00 ft: Water will begin to overflow the stop log gate at the railroad tracks near the Highway 136 bridge. At this point water will flow into the town of Fairbury if additional flood protection measures are not taken.
21.50 ft: Water starts going over the railroad tracks on the west end of Fairbury.
18.50 ft: Frederick Street, located in the southwest corner of Fairbury, is closed due to high water.
17.50 ft: Water overtops the right bank at the Highway 136 location, just west of town.
7.80 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: 11 %.

Rank	Level	Date
1	25.48 ft	May 7, 2015
2	23.17 ft	June 24, 2003
3	19.60 ft	August 2, 2007
4	19.52 ft	October 2, 2019
5	19.24 ft	June 5, 2008
6	17.85 ft	July 27, 2020
7	17.56 ft	May 20, 2011
8	17.47 ft	September 5, 2018
9	17.20 ft	May 20, 2017
10	17.07 ft	June 21, 2010

Weather at the gauge

No rain in the last 3 days.

20 Tue 72° 44° – Wind 12 mph

21 Wed 73° 55° – Wind 8 mph

22 Thu 77° 55° – Wind 14 mph

23 Fri 78° 62° – Wind 21 mph

24 Sat 80° 60° 0.00 in Wind 18 mph

25 Sun 62° 49° 0.44 in, 27% Wind 13 mph

26 Mon 48° 40° 0.64 in, 29% Wind 17 mph

Forecast: Open-Meteo

Sunrise 07:45 AM Sunset 06:43 PM Daylight 10 hr, 58 min Waxing gibbous 70%

Map

Other gauges on the Little Blue River

Gauge	Level	Compared with normal	24 hours	Distance
Little Blue River near DeweeseRiver gauge, Little Blue River	2.65 ft	Normal	−0.02 ft	48 mi
Little Blue River at County Line near DeshlerRiver gauge, Little Blue River	5.90 ft	Below flood stage	−0.04 ft	33 mi
Little Blue River at HollenbergRiver gauge, Little Blue River	2.45 ft	Normal	−0.17 ft	15 mi

Nearby gauges

Gauge	Level	Compared with normal	24 hours	Distance
Turkey Creek near DeWittRiver gauge, Turkey Creek	11.58 ft	Very high	−0.18 ft	22 mi
Mill Creek at WashingtonRiver gauge, Mill Creek	1.96 ft	Normal	−0.01 ft	25 mi
Big Blue River at BarnestonRiver gauge, Big Blue River	4.80 ft	High	−0.20 ft	33 mi
Big Blue River near CreteRiver gauge, Big Blue River	9.63 ft	Very high	−0.19 ft	34 mi
Big Blue River at MarysvilleRiver gauge, Big Blue River	14.90 ft	Very high	−0.32 ft	35 mi
Lake Blue River near BarnesRiver gauge, Lake Blue River	5.23 ft	Very high	−0.19 ft	36 mi
Republican River at ScandiaRiver gauge, Republican River	1.30 ft	Below flood stage	−0.06 ft	40 mi
Republican River near HardyRiver gauge, Republican River	2.29 ft	Normal	−0.06 ft	40 mi

Questions and answers

Is the Little Blue River near Fairbury higher than last year?

Yes, it is 1.22 ft higher than on the same day last year, when the reading was 6.58 ft.

What is flood stage for the Little Blue River near Fairbury?

The official flood stage is 18.50 ft. The level is currently 10.70 ft below it.

What is a normal level for the Little Blue River near Fairbury in mid-October?

The median for mid-October is 7.37 ft. In 8 years out of 10 the reading falls between 6.20 ft and 8.16 ft, based on 18 years of records.

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 Little Blue River near Fairbury today?

On Oct 20, 2026, 12:45 PM CDT, the water level was 7.80 ft. Down 0.14 ft over the last 24 hours.

Is Little Blue River near Fairbury rising or falling?

Down 0.14 ft over the last 24 hours. Down 0.33 ft over the last 7 days.

Is the level of Little Blue River near Fairbury normal?

High for mid-October. Compared with 18 years of daily readings for this time of year.

For specialists

Station codes, datum, parameters, data quality and downloads

Operator: U.S. Geological Survey
Station code: usgs:06884000 (Agency page)
Coordinates: 40.14649, -97.19959 (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	7.80 ft	2026-10-20 17:45	Provisional
Flow	322 cfs	2026-10-20 17:45	Provisional

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How to cite

U.S. Geological Survey: Little Blue River near Fairbury (usgs:06884000). Accessed October 20, 2026 via Nivelmap, https://nivelmap.com/en/united-states/nebraska/little-blue-river-near-fairbury

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