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Missouri River near St. James water level

River gauge, Missouri River, Nebraska, United States

Directions

Below flood stage

Water level

31.99ft Down 0.11 ft over the last 24 hours

35 40 45 Minor floodstage 45.00 ft Highest onrecord 39.50 ft

History

32.0032.0532.10ftOct 10Oct 11Oct 13Oct 15Oct 1632.0032.0532.10ftOct 10Oct 13Oct 16
32.032.232.4ftSep 17Sep 24Oct 1Oct 9Oct 1632.032.232.4ftSep 17Oct 1Oct 16
303234ftOct 2025Jan 2026Apr 2026Jul 2026Oct 2026303234ftOct 2025Apr 2026Oct 2026
303234ftJanMarMayJulSepNov2026303234ftJanAprJulOct2026

20252026

Water level Minor flood stage

What this means

Water levels are unremarkable at Missouri River near St. James, where the gauge shows 31.99 ft.

It is 13.01 ft below the flood stage of 45.00 ft. On the same day last year the reading was 32.32 ft, a difference of −0.33 ft.

It is still going down, by 0.11 ft over the past 24 hours. The 30-day range is 31.91 ft – 32.44 ft.

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

Compared with the flood stage set by the forecasting service. How to read levels

Key numbers

Same day last year
32.32 ft−0.33 ft
Lowest and highest in 30 days
31.91 ft – 32.44 ft
Lowest and highest in 12 months
29.79 ft – 35.50 ft
Highest on record
39.50 ftMarch 15, 2019

Paddling and fishing conditions

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

For reference, flood stage is 45.00 ft.

What happens at each level

50.00 ft
Houses along Blue Ribbon Lane downstream of the gauge on the Nebraska side will begin flooding.
48.00 ft
Some cabins in and downstream of Brooky Bottom Park are flooded.
45.00 ft
The boat ramp and parking lot at Brooky Bottom Park begin to flood. Significant flooding of agricultural lands begins on the South Dakota side of the river, and water reaches into some yards on the Nebraska side.
43.00 ft
Minor flooding of agricultural land begins on the South Dakota side of the river.
31.99 ft
Right now

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

Highest crests on record

RankLevelDate
139.50 ftMarch 15, 2019
236.61 ftJanuary 5, 2015
335.96 ftSeptember 12, 2014
435.85 ftDecember 30, 2025
535.62 ftJune 25, 2024
634.91 ftApril 1, 2020
734.56 ftJanuary 14, 2017
834.43 ftJanuary 8, 2022
934.26 ftSeptember 3, 2013
1034.06 ftJanuary 20, 2016

Weather at the gauge

The forecast is not available right now.

Sunrise 07:43 AM Sunset 06:46 PM Daylight 11h 2m First quarter 34 %

Map

Other gauges on the Missouri River

Gauge Level Compared with normal 24 hours Distance
Missouri River below GreenwoodRiver gauge, Missouri River 24.39 ft Normal −1.83 ft 65 mi
Missouri River below Ponca Creek near VerdelRiver gauge, Missouri River 19.64 ft Very low −2.01 ft 51 mi
Missouri River at NiobraraRiver gauge, Missouri River 15.35 ft Very low −2.11 ft 46 mi
Missouri River at YanktonRiver gauge, Missouri River 10.16 ft Very low +0.01 ft 17 mi
Missouri River near MaskellRiver gauge, Missouri River 21.12 ft Low −0.10 ft 7 mi
Missouri River at Sioux CityRiver gauge, Missouri River 10.66 ft Below flood stage 39 mi
Missouri River at DecaturRiver gauge, Missouri River 19.33 ft Below flood stage 67 mi
Missouri River at OmahaRiver gauge, Missouri River 13.76 ft Below flood stage 120 mi
Missouri River at Hwy 92 at OmahaRiver gauge, Missouri River 14.19 ft Below flood stage +0.01 ft 122 mi
Missouri River at Hwy 370 at BellevueRiver gauge, Missouri River 15.68 ft Below flood stage −0.02 ft 128 mi

Nearby gauges

Gauge Level Compared with normal 24 hours Distance
Bow Creek near WynotRiver gauge, Bow Creek 2.26 ft Low +0.03 ft 4.6 mi
James River near YanktonRiver gauge, James River 3.43 ft Below flood stage −0.03 ft 22 mi
Big Sioux River at AkronRiver gauge, Big Sioux River 5.62 ft Below flood stage 0.00 ft 27 mi
Big Sioux River near JeffersonRiver gauge, Big Sioux River 9.37 ft Below flood stage −0.01 ft 30 mi
Big Sioux River at Sioux CityRiver gauge, Big Sioux River 10.02 ft Below flood stage +0.02 ft 35 mi
Logan Creek at WakefieldRiver gauge, Logan Creek 7.06 ft Low +0.05 ft 35 mi
Big Sioux River near HawardenRiver gauge, Big Sioux River 12.05 ft Below flood stage +0.02 ft 36 mi
Perry Creek near MillnervilleRiver gauge, Perry Creek 0.98 ft Below flood stage −0.02 ft 36 mi

Questions and answers

Is the Missouri River near St. James higher than last year?

No, it is 0.33 ft lower than on the same day last year, when the reading was 32.32 ft.

What is flood stage for the Missouri River near St. James?

The official flood stage is 45.00 ft. The river is currently 13.01 ft below it.

How high and low has the Missouri River near St. James been?

The highest reading on record is 39.50 ft (March 15, 2019).

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 Missouri River near St. James today?

On Oct 16, 2026, 04:30 PM CDT, the water level was 31.99 ft. Down 0.11 ft over the last 24 hours.

Is Missouri River near St. James rising or falling?

Down 0.11 ft over the last 24 hours. Down 0.09 ft over the last 7 days.

Is the level of Missouri River near St. James normal?

Below flood stage. Compared with the flood stage set by the forecasting service.

For specialists

Station codes, datum, parameters, data quality and downloads
Operator
U.S. Geological Survey
Station code
usgs:06478523 (Agency page)
Coordinates
42.76111, -97.08194 (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 stage 31.99 ft 2026-10-16 21:30 Provisional

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How to cite

U.S. Geological Survey: Missouri River near St. James (usgs:06478523). Accessed October 16, 2026 via Nivelmap, https://nivelmap.com/en/united-states/nebraska/missouri-river-near-st-james

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