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Elkhorn River at Norfolk water level

River gauge, Elkhorn River, Nebraska, United States

Directions

Right now

Normal for mid-October

Water level

3.02ft Down 0.04 ft over the last 24 hours

Flow
302 cfs
0 5 10 15 Highest onrecord 17.22 ft Minor floodstage 12.00 ft

History

History
234ftOct 13Oct 14Oct 16Oct 17Oct 19234ftOct 13Oct 16Oct 19
234ftSep 20Sep 27Oct 4Oct 11Oct 19234ftSep 20Oct 4Oct 19
510ftOct 2025Jan 2026Apr 2026Jul 2026Oct 2026Minor flood stage510ftOct 2025Apr 2026Oct 2026Minor flood stage
2468ftJanMarMayJulSepNov20262468ftJanAprJulOct2026

20252026

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

What this means

Water levels are unremarkable at Elkhorn River at Norfolk, where the gauge shows 3.02 ft.

The median for mid-October is 2.47 ft, based on 17 years of readings, so the river stage is 0.55 ft above typical. It is 8.98 ft below the flood stage of 12.00 ft. On the same day last year the reading was 3.03 ft, a difference of −0.01 ft.

It is still going down, by 0.04 ft over the past 24 hours. The 30-day range is 2.88 ft – 3.39 ft.

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

Compared with 17 years of daily readings for this time of year. How to read levels

Key numbers

Median for this date
2.47 ft0.55 ft above the median for this date
Normal for this date
1.52 ft – 4.17 ft8 years in 10 fall in this range (17 years of records)
Same day last year
3.03 ft−0.01 ft
Lowest and highest in 30 days
2.88 ft – 3.39 ft
Lowest and highest in 12 months
2.53 ft – 4.07 ft
Highest on record
17.22 ftJune 15, 2010

Paddling and fishing conditions

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

For reference, flood stage is 12.00 ft.

What happens at each level

19.50 ft
Water reaches the bottom of the Highway 81 bridge.
17.00 ft
The local levee protecting Tahazouka Park is overtopped.
16.00 ft
U.S. Highway 81 will begin to be overtopped.
13.00 ft
The river is bankfull within the city limits of Norfolk. Outside the Norfolk area, serious flooding of lowlands and bridge approaches take place. Some county roads and rural homes flood.
12.00 ft
Considerable lowland flooding and approaches to bridges flood upstream and downstream of the gage for several miles.
10.00 ft
The trail under Highway 81 begins to flood.
3.02 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
117.22 ftJune 15, 2010
215.63 ftMarch 11, 1949
315.59 ftMarch 14, 2019
413.05 ftMay 31, 1995
511.42 ftJune 8, 2008
610.18 ftFebruary 19, 1997
79.53 ftJune 18, 1998
89.28 ftFebruary 10, 2009
99.13 ftMay 30, 2007
108.93 ftMay 8, 1999

Weather at the gauge

The forecast is not available right now.

Sunrise 07:47 AM Sunset 06:43 PM Daylight 10 hr, 56 min First quarter 55%

Map

Other gauges on the Elkhorn River

Gauge Level Compared with normal 24 hours Distance
Elkhorn River at EwingRiver gauge, Elkhorn River 2.56 ft Normal −0.01 ft 50 mi
Elkhorn River at PilgerRiver gauge, Elkhorn River 6.72 ft Below flood stage −0.04 ft 19 mi
Elkhorn River at West PointRiver gauge, Elkhorn River 4.02 ft Low +0.02 ft 38 mi
Elkhorn River at WaterlooRiver gauge, Elkhorn River 2.29 ft Normal −0.03 ft 77 mi

Nearby gauges

Gauge Level Compared with normal 24 hours Distance
North Fork Elkhorn River near PierceRiver gauge, North Fork Elkhorn River 2.31 ft Low −0.04 ft 10 mi
Shell Creek near ColumbusRiver gauge, Shell Creek 10.10 ft High −0.04 ft 34 mi
Logan Creek at WakefieldRiver gauge, Logan Creek 6.99 ft Low −0.01 ft 35 mi
Beaver Creek at GenoaRiver gauge, Beaver Creek 3.17 ft Low −0.01 ft 42 mi
Loup River near GenoaRiver gauge, Loup River 4.10 ft Normal −0.26 ft 43 mi
Platte River near SchuylerRiver gauge, Platte River 6.44 ft High −0.21 ft 45 mi
Loup River Power Canal near GenoaCanal gauge, Loup River Power Canal 6.89 ft Normal −0.02 ft 45 mi
Platte River at North BendRiver gauge, Platte River 3.26 ft Normal −0.26 ft 51 mi

Questions and answers

Is the Elkhorn River at Norfolk higher than last year?

No, it is 0.01 ft lower than on the same day last year, when the reading was 3.03 ft.

What is flood stage for the Elkhorn River at Norfolk?

The official flood stage is 12.00 ft. The level is currently 8.98 ft below it.

What is a normal level for the Elkhorn River at Norfolk in mid-October?

The median for mid-October is 2.47 ft. In 8 years out of 10 the reading falls between 1.52 ft and 4.17 ft, based on 17 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 Elkhorn River at Norfolk today?

On Oct 18, 2026, 09:15 PM CDT, the water level was 3.02 ft. Down 0.04 ft over the last 24 hours.

Is Elkhorn River at Norfolk rising or falling?

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

Is the level of Elkhorn River at Norfolk normal?

Normal for mid-October. Compared with 17 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:06799000 (Agency page)
Coordinates
42.00378, -97.42603 (WGS84)
Vertical datum
NGVD29
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 3.02 ft 2026-10-19 02:15 Provisional
Flow 302 cfs 2026-10-19 02:15 Provisional

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How to cite

U.S. Geological Survey: Elkhorn River at Norfolk (usgs:06799000). Accessed October 19, 2026 via Nivelmap, https://nivelmap.com/en/united-states/nebraska/elkhorn-river-at-norfolk

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.