Deadmans Run at 38th Street at Lincoln water level

Name: Deadmans Run at 38th Street at Lincoln 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, Deadmans Run, Nebraska, United States

Directions

High for mid-October

Water level

8.10ft Steady over the last 24 hours

Measured Oct 20, 2026, 02:25 AM CDT (39 min ago)

Flow: 0.6 cfs

History

7 days 30 days 1 year Years compared

20252026

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

What this means

Deadmans Run at 38th Street at Lincoln is above normal at 8.10 ft.

That puts it 0.09 ft above the median of 8.01 ft for mid-October, based on 9 years of readings. It is 14.90 ft below the flood stage of 23.00 ft. A year ago it stood at 8.06 ft (+0.04 ft).

The level has held steady over the past 24 hours. In the last month it has stayed between 7.97 ft and 10.61 ft.

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

Compared with 9 years of daily readings for this time of year. How to read levels

Key numbers

Median for this date: 8.01 ft0.09 ft above the median for this date
Normal for this date: 7.90 ft – 8.15 ft8 years in 10 fall in this range (9 years of records)
Same day last year: 8.06 ft+0.04 ft
Lowest and highest in 30 days: 7.97 ft – 10.61 ft
Lowest and highest in 12 months: 7.90 ft – 10.61 ft
Highest on record: 21.07 ftOctober 1, 2014

Floating and fishing near Deadmans Run at 38th Street at Lincoln

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

Flood stage here is 23.00 ft, 14.90 ft above the current reading. Beyond it, the National Weather Service also defines moderate and major flood stages.

What happens at each level

31.50 ft: Buildings at UNL begin to flood along with residential areas north of the university.
30.50 ft: North 38th Street, the road to UNL, begins to flood.
29.00 ft: Flooding begins along the south bank.
25.50 ft: Flooding begins along the north bank.
8.10 ft: Right now

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

Highest crests on record

Rank	Level	Date
1	21.07 ft	October 1, 2014
2	20.94 ft	October 24, 2021
3	20.58 ft	May 6, 2015
4	20.55 ft	July 2, 2024
5	20.55 ft	September 4, 2018
6	20.53 ft	July 26, 2017
7	20.52 ft	July 7, 2016
8	19.41 ft	August 26, 2023
9	18.81 ft	July 7, 2022
10	18.52 ft	May 28, 2019

Weather at the gauge

No rain in the last 3 days.

20 Tue 72° 45° 0.03 in Wind 10 mph

21 Wed 72° 58° – Wind 11 mph

22 Thu 77° 56° – Wind 13 mph

23 Fri 79° 62° – Wind 20 mph

24 Sat 74° 60° 0.07 in, 32% Wind 18 mph

25 Sun 60° 51° 0.19 in, 31% Wind 12 mph

26 Mon 50° 42° 0.61 in Wind 15 mph

Forecast: Open-Meteo

Sunrise 07:44 AM Sunset 06:40 PM Daylight 10 hr, 56 min First quarter 66%

Map

Nearby gauges

Gauge	Level	Compared with normal	24 hours	Distance
Salt Creek at 27th Street at LincolnRiver gauge, Salt Creek	2.86 ft	High	−0.06 ft	1.2 mi
Salt Creek at Innovation Campus at LincolnRiver gauge, Salt Creek	8.75 ft	Normal	−0.07 ft	1.4 mi
Antelope Creek at 27th Street at LincolnRiver gauge, Antelope Creek	3.53 ft	Normal	−0.10 ft	2.3 mi
Stevens Creek near LincolnRiver gauge, Stevens Creek	10.12 ft	Below flood stage	−0.03 ft	4.0 mi
Little Salt Creek near LincolnRiver gauge, Little Salt Creek	2.60 ft	Very high	−0.03 ft	4.1 mi
Salt Creek at 70th Street at LincolnRiver gauge, Salt Creek	3.93 ft	Normal	−0.06 ft	4.1 mi
Salt Creek at Pioneers Boulevard at LincolnRiver gauge, Salt Creek	5.59 ft	Normal	−0.03 ft	5.3 mi
Oak Creek at Air Park Road at LincolnRiver gauge, Oak Creek	1.28 ft	Very high	−0.06 ft	6.1 mi

Questions and answers

How does Deadmans Run at 38th Street at Lincoln compare with last year?

It is 0.04 ft higher than on the same day last year, when the reading was 8.06 ft.

What is flood stage for Deadmans Run at 38th Street at Lincoln?

The official flood stage is 23.00 ft. The level is currently 14.90 ft below it.

What is a normal level for Deadmans Run at 38th Street at Lincoln in mid-October?

The median for mid-October is 8.01 ft. In 8 years out of 10 the reading falls between 7.90 ft and 8.15 ft, based on 9 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 Deadmans Run at 38th Street at Lincoln today?

On Oct 20, 2026, 02:25 AM CDT, the water level was 8.10 ft. Steady over the last 24 hours.

Is Deadmans Run at 38th Street at Lincoln rising or falling?

Steady over the last 24 hours. Down 0.04 ft over the last 7 days.

Is the level of Deadmans Run at 38th Street at Lincoln normal?

High for mid-October. Compared with 9 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:06803502 (Agency page)
Coordinates: 40.83537, -96.66563 (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	8.10 ft	2026-10-20 07:25	Provisional
Flow	0.6 cfs	2026-10-20 07:25	Provisional

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How to cite

U.S. Geological Survey: Deadmans Run at 38th Street at Lincoln (usgs:06803502). Accessed October 20, 2026 via Nivelmap, https://nivelmap.com/en/united-states/nebraska/deadmans-run-at-38th-street-at-lincoln

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