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Middle Loup River near Gates water level

River gauge, Middle Loup River, Nebraska, United States

Directions

Right now

Low for mid-October

Water level

4.69ft Steady over the last 24 hours

Flow
912 cfs
5 8 10 Minor floodstage 10.00 ft Highest onrecord 8.16 ft

History

History
4.34.54.85.0ftOct 13Oct 14Oct 16Oct 17Oct 194.34.54.85.0ftOct 13Oct 16Oct 19
4.34.54.85.0ftSep 20Sep 27Oct 4Oct 12Oct 194.34.54.85.0ftSep 20Oct 4Oct 19
46810ftOct 2025Jan 2026Apr 2026Jul 2026Oct 2026Minor flood stage46810ftOct 2025Apr 2026Oct 2026Minor flood stage
468ftJanMarMayJulSepNov2026468ftJanAprJulOct2026

20252026

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

What this means

Low water at Middle Loup River near Gates: the gauge reads 4.69 ft, below normal for mid-October.

That puts it 0.10 ft below the median of 4.79 ft for mid-October, based on 9 years of readings. It is 5.31 ft below the flood stage of 10.00 ft. A year ago it stood at 4.72 ft (−0.03 ft).

The level has held steady over the past 24 hours. Without real rain upstream, that is unlikely to change quickly. The 30-day range is 3.30 ft – 4.87 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
4.79 ft0.10 ft below the median for this date
Normal for this date
4.66 ft – 4.90 ft8 years in 10 fall in this range (9 years of records)
Same day last year
4.72 ft−0.03 ft
Lowest and highest in 30 days
3.30 ft – 4.87 ft
Lowest and highest in 12 months
4.24 ft – 6.29 ft
Highest on record
8.16 ftMarch 13, 2019

Paddling and fishing conditions

At low levels, plan for shorter paddling trips and expect to walk your boat through a few shoals.

For reference, flood stage is 10.00 ft.

What happens at each level

15.00 ft
Major Flood Stage. Significant and widespread flooding of agricultural land along the Middle Loup River. Water may approach homes close to the river. Flood waters reach the bottom of the bridge.
13.00 ft
Moderate Flood Stage. Widespread flooding of agricultural land along the Middle Loup River. Septic system may be affected at a home upstream along the south side of the river.
10.00 ft
Minor Flood Stage. Minor flooding of agricultural land along the Middle Loup River.
8.00 ft
Action Stage. Low lying areas along the Middle Loup River may begin to flood.
4.69 ft
Right now

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

Highest crests on record

RankLevelDate
18.16 ftMarch 13, 2019
27.29 ftFebruary 16, 2021
36.88 ftJanuary 4, 2018
46.86 ftDecember 29, 2022
55.65 ftOctober 1, 2017
65.49 ftAugust 26, 2019
75.40 ftJuly 26, 2020
85.25 ftAugust 16, 2017
95.23 ftSeptember 30, 2021
105.18 ftMay 8, 2022

Weather at the gauge

Rain in the last 3 days: 0.17 in. Rain that falls upstream can take hours or days to show up at a river gauge.

18 Sun 69° 39° – Wind 14 mph
19 Mon 65° 38° – Wind 10 mph
20 Tue 72° 40° – Wind 13 mph
21 Wed 78° 53° – Wind 11 mph
22 Thu 79° 56° – Wind 13 mph
23 Fri 78° 60° 0.09 in Wind 26 mph
24 Sat 70° 49° – Wind 24 mph

Forecast: Open-Meteo

Sunrise 07:56 AM Sunset 06:53 PM Daylight 10 hr, 57 min First quarter 57%

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 3.04 ft Very low +0.02 ft 27 mi
Middle Loup River at Saint PaulRiver gauge, Middle Loup River 1.98 ft Normal ±0 69 mi

Nearby gauges

Gauge Level Compared with normal 24 hours Distance
North Loup River at TaylorRiver gauge, North Loup River 3.00 ft Below flood stage ±0 15 mi
North Loup River at BrewsterRiver gauge, North Loup River 2.82 ft Very low −0.04 ft 22 mi
Calamus Reservoir and Virginia SmithReservoir 2,234.43 ft Normal 24 mi
South Loup River at Pressey WMA near OcontoRiver gauge, South Loup River 0.62 ft Normal +0.02 ft 33 mi
South Loup River at ArnoldRiver gauge, South Loup River 4.36 ft Normal −0.03 ft 34 mi

Questions and answers

How does the Middle Loup River near Gates compare with last year?

It is 0.03 ft lower than on the same day last year, when the reading was 4.72 ft.

What is flood stage for the Middle Loup River near Gates?

The official flood stage is 10.00 ft. The level is currently 5.31 ft below it.

What is a normal level for the Middle Loup River near Gates in mid-October?

The median for mid-October is 4.79 ft. In 8 years out of 10 the reading falls between 4.66 ft and 4.90 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 Middle Loup River near Gates today?

On Oct 19, 2026, 03:15 AM CDT, the water level was 4.69 ft. Steady over the last 24 hours.

Is Middle Loup River near Gates rising or falling?

Steady over the last 24 hours. Down 0.07 ft over the last 7 days.

Is the level of Middle Loup River near Gates normal?

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:06777495 (Agency page)
Coordinates
41.66318, -99.63571 (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 4.69 ft 2026-10-19 08:15 Provisional
Flow 912 cfs 2026-10-19 08:15 Provisional

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How to cite

U.S. Geological Survey: Middle Loup River near Gates (usgs:06777495). Accessed October 19, 2026 via Nivelmap, https://nivelmap.com/en/united-states/nebraska/middle-loup-river-near-gates

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.