Howe Creek below Walker Draw near Center water level
River gauge, Howe Creek, Nebraska, United States
Right now
Very low for mid-October
Water level
- Flow
- 8.2 cfs
History
20252026
What this means
Howe Creek below Walker Draw near Center is running far below normal at 1.67 ft.
That puts it 0.48 ft below the median of 2.15 ft for mid-October, based on 9 years of readings. It is 13.33 ft below the flood stage of 15.00 ft. A year ago it stood at 2.00 ft (−0.33 ft).
The level has held steady over the past 24 hours. Without real rain upstream, that is unlikely to change quickly. In the last month it has stayed between 1.64 ft and 1.71 ft.
Fall is often low-water season on rivers, and it usually takes a few days of steady rain to change that.
Compared with 9 years of daily readings for this time of year. How to read levels
Key numbers
- Median for this date
- 2.15 ft0.48 ft below the median for this date
- Normal for this date
- 1.73 ft – 2.98 ft8 years in 10 fall in this range (9 years of records)
- Same day last year
- 2.00 ft−0.33 ft
- Lowest and highest in 30 days
- 1.64 ft – 1.71 ft
- Lowest and highest in 12 months
- 1.57 ft – 3.69 ft
- Highest on record
- 13.96 ftMarch 13, 2019
Floating and fishing near Howe Creek below Walker Draw near Center
Low water exposes gravel bars that make good wading access, but some boat ramps may be left high and dry.
Flood stage here is 15.00 ft, 13.33 ft above the current reading. Beyond it, the National Weather Service also defines moderate and major flood stages.
What happens at each level
- 21.00 ft
- Floodwaters begin to flow over the bridge.
- 18.00 ft
- Water reaches the bottom of the bridge.
- 16.50 ft
- 886 Road begins to flood north of the creek.
- 14.50 ft
- Lowland flooding begins along the south bank.
- 1.67 ft
- Right now
Impact statements from the U.S. National Weather Service.
Highest crests on record
| Rank | Level | Date |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | 13.96 ft | March 13, 2019 |
| 2 | 8.49 ft | August 3, 2025 |
| 3 | 7.46 ft | March 3, 2018 |
| 4 | 6.06 ft | May 13, 2023 |
| 5 | 5.31 ft | June 17, 2024 |
| 6 | 4.58 ft | May 30, 2022 |
| 7 | 4.25 ft | February 24, 2021 |
| 8 | 3.70 ft | January 17, 2020 |
Weather at the gauge
Rain in the last 3 days: 0.16 in. Rain that falls upstream can take hours or days to show up at a river gauge.
Forecast: Open-Meteo
Map
Nearby gauges
| Gauge | Level | Compared with normal | 24 hours | Distance |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bazile Creek at CenterRiver gauge, Bazile Creek | 8.82 ft | High | −0.08 ft | 4.2 mi |
| Bazile Creek near NiobraraRiver gauge, Bazile Creek | 1.93 ft | Low | −0.02 ft | 5.3 mi |
| Missouri River at NiobraraRiver gauge, Missouri River | 16.30 ft | Very low | −0.08 ft | 10 mi |
| Niobrara River at NiobraraRiver gauge, Niobrara River | 32.02 ft | High | −0.01 ft | 12 mi |
| Lewis and Clark Lake at SpringfieldRiver gauge, Lewis and Clark Lake | 9.56 ft | High | +0.04 ft | 13 mi |
| Missouri River below Ponca Creek near VerdelRiver gauge, Missouri River | 20.60 ft | Normal | −0.11 ft | 14 mi |
| Ponca Creek at VerdelRiver gauge, Ponca Creek | 5.79 ft | Normal | ±0 | 19 mi |
| Niobrara River near VerdelRiver gauge, Niobrara River | 3.32 ft | Normal | −0.03 ft | 19 mi |
Questions and answers
How does Howe Creek below Walker Draw near Center compare with last year?
It is 0.33 ft lower than on the same day last year, when the reading was 2.00 ft.
What is flood stage for Howe Creek below Walker Draw near Center?
The official flood stage is 15.00 ft. The level is currently 13.33 ft below it.
What is a normal level for Howe Creek below Walker Draw near Center in mid-October?
The median for mid-October is 2.15 ft. In 8 years out of 10 the reading falls between 1.73 ft and 2.98 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 Howe Creek below Walker Draw near Center today?
On Oct 19, 2026, 04:30 PM CDT, the water level was 1.67 ft. Steady over the last 24 hours.
Is Howe Creek below Walker Draw near Center rising or falling?
Steady over the last 24 hours. Steady over the last 7 days.
Is the level of Howe Creek below Walker Draw near Center normal?
Very low 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:06466470(Agency page)- Coordinates
42.67347, -97.85396(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 | 1.67 ft | 2026-10-19 21:30 | Provisional |
| Flow | 8.2 cfs | 2026-10-19 21:30 | Provisional |
Download
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How to cite
U.S. Geological Survey: Howe Creek below Walker Draw near Center (usgs:06466470). Accessed October 19, 2026 via Nivelmap, https://nivelmap.com/en/united-states/nebraska/howe-creek-below-walker-draw-near-center
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