Middle Loup River at Saint Paul water level

Name: Middle Loup River at Saint Paul 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, Middle Loup River, Nebraska, United States

Directions

Normal for mid-October

Water level

1.97ft Down 0.04 ft over the last 24 hours

Measured Oct 19, 2026, 11:15 PM CDT (57 min ago)

Flow: 1,250 cfs

History

7 days 30 days 1 year Years compared

20252026

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

What this means

Water levels are unremarkable at Middle Loup River at Saint Paul, where the gauge shows 1.97 ft.

The median for mid-October is 2.34 ft, based on 18 years of readings, so the river stage is 0.37 ft below typical. It is 6.03 ft below the flood stage of 8.00 ft. On the same day last year the reading was 1.76 ft, a difference of +0.21 ft.

It is still going down, by 0.04 ft over the past 24 hours. The 30-day range is 1.66 ft – 2.27 ft.

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

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

Key numbers

Median for this date: 2.34 ft0.37 ft below the median for this date
Normal for this date: 1.17 ft – 2.64 ft8 years in 10 fall in this range (18 years of records)
Same day last year: 1.76 ft+0.21 ft
Lowest and highest in 30 days: 1.66 ft – 2.27 ft
Lowest and highest in 12 months: 0.71 ft – 3.94 ft
Highest on record: 12.69 ftJune 23, 1947

Paddling and fishing conditions

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

For reference, flood stage is 8.00 ft.

What happens at each level

14.80 ft: Water reaches the bottom of the Highway 281 bridge.
12.00 ft: Water will reach the bottom of the railroad bridge. Widespread flooding occurs in lowlands and agricultural lands. The town of Saint Paul is not in the flood plain. There are no major roads or highways in the flood plain. A record flood of 12.69 feet occurred in June of 1947.
10.00 ft: Flooding occurs in lowlands, agricultural areas, and woodlands.
8.00 ft: Flooding occurs in lowlands, agricultural areas, and woodlands adjacent to the river.
1.97 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 %.

Rank	Level	Date
1	12.69 ft	June 23, 1947
2	12.21 ft	March 17, 1978
3	9.54 ft	March 14, 2019
4	8.50 ft	June 15, 1967
5	8.32 ft	March 7, 1993
6	8.28 ft	June 25, 1968
7	8.15 ft	February 14, 1976
8	7.55 ft	February 12, 1966
9	7.43 ft	March 21, 1969
10	7.23 ft	March 10, 1979

Weather at the gauge

No rain in the last 3 days.

19 Mon 68° 38° – Wind 11 mph

20 Tue 70° 42° – Wind 15 mph

21 Wed 73° 47° – Wind 7 mph

22 Thu 77° 56° – Wind 12 mph

23 Fri 80° 60° 0.07 in Wind 24 mph

24 Sat 69° 55° 0.08 in, 54% Wind 22 mph

25 Sun 66° 49° – Wind 6 mph

Forecast: Open-Meteo

Sunrise 07:52 AM Sunset 06:47 PM Daylight 10 hr, 55 min First quarter 65%

Map

Other gauges on the Middle Loup River

Gauge	Level	Compared with normal	24 hours	Distance
Middle Loup River at DunningRiver gauge, Middle Loup River	3.03 ft	Very low	+0.02 ft	96 mi
Middle Loup River near GatesRiver gauge, Middle Loup River	4.72 ft	Low	+0.02 ft	69 mi

Nearby gauges

Gauge	Level	Compared with normal	24 hours	Distance
North Loup River near Saint PaulRiver gauge, North Loup River	2.82 ft	Normal	−0.01 ft	4.1 mi
South Loup River at Saint MichaelRiver gauge, South Loup River	2.46 ft	Normal	+0.02 ft	19 mi
Davis Creek ReservoirReservoir	2,056.58 ft	Normal		19 mi
Warm Slough near Central CityRiver gauge, Warm Slough	2.13 ft	Below flood stage	±0	21 mi
Wood River at Grand IslandRiver gauge, Wood River	11.38 ft	Below flood stage	−0.01 ft	23 mi
Platte River near Grand IslandRiver gauge, Platte River	3.49 ft	Normal	−0.01 ft	24 mi
Cedar River near FullertonRiver gauge, Cedar River	2.17 ft	Below flood stage	+0.02 ft	26 mi
Loup River Power Canal near GenoaCanal gauge, Loup River Power Canal	6.87 ft	Normal	±0	37 mi

Questions and answers

Is the Middle Loup River at Saint Paul higher than last year?

Yes, it is 0.21 ft higher than on the same day last year, when the reading was 1.76 ft.

What is flood stage for the Middle Loup River at Saint Paul?

The official flood stage is 8.00 ft. The level is currently 6.03 ft below it.

What is a normal level for the Middle Loup River at Saint Paul in mid-October?

The median for mid-October is 2.34 ft. In 8 years out of 10 the reading falls between 1.17 ft and 2.64 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 Middle Loup River at Saint Paul today?

On Oct 19, 2026, 11:15 PM CDT, the water level was 1.97 ft. Down 0.04 ft over the last 24 hours.

Is Middle Loup River at Saint Paul rising or falling?

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

Is the level of Middle Loup River at Saint Paul normal?

Normal 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:06785000 (Agency page)
Coordinates: 41.20394, -98.44636 (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	1.97 ft	2026-10-20 04:15	Provisional
Flow	1,250 cfs	2026-10-20 04:15	Provisional

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How to cite

U.S. Geological Survey: Middle Loup River at Saint Paul (usgs:06785000). Accessed October 20, 2026 via Nivelmap, https://nivelmap.com/en/united-states/nebraska/middle-loup-river-at-saint-paul

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