Missouri River near Maskell water level

Name: Missouri River near Maskell 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, Missouri River, Nebraska, United States

Directions

Normal for mid-October

Water level

21.15ft Steady over the last 24 hours

Measured Oct 18, 2026, 04:15 PM CDT (59 min ago)

History

7 days 30 days 1 year Years compared

20252026

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

What this means

The gauge at Missouri River near Maskell reads 21.15 ft, a normal level for mid-October.

That puts it 0.36 ft below the median of 21.51 ft for mid-October, based on 15 years of readings. It is 8.85 ft below the flood stage of 30.00 ft. A year ago it stood at 21.21 ft (−0.06 ft).

The level has held steady over the past 24 hours. Over the past 30 days it has moved between 21.07 ft and 21.45 ft.

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

Compared with 15 years of daily readings for this time of year. How to read levels

Key numbers

Median for this date: 21.51 ft0.36 ft below the median for this date
Normal for this date: 20.57 ft – 25.13 ft8 years in 10 fall in this range (15 years of records)
Same day last year: 21.21 ft−0.06 ft
Lowest and highest in 30 days: 21.07 ft – 21.45 ft
Lowest and highest in 12 months: 18.49 ft – 23.67 ft
Highest on record: 31.86 ftJune 29, 2011

What the stage means on the water

A normal level is usually prime time for floating and wade fishing, as long as the weather holds upstream.

The National Weather Service puts flood stage for this gauge at 30.00 ft, still 8.85 ft away.

What happens at each level

31.50 ft: The road near Mounts Landing in Clay County is flooded.
30.00 ft: Both banks overflow.
21.15 ft: Right now

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

Highest crests on record

Rank	Level	Date
1	31.86 ft	June 29, 2011
2	28.17 ft	April 14, 1997
3	27.25 ft	July 17, 1996
4	27.15 ft	May 31, 2019
5	26.95 ft	October 6, 1997
6	26.90 ft	February 7, 1989
7	26.48 ft	January 12, 1993
8	26.14 ft	February 18, 1994
9	26.08 ft	December 28, 1990
10	25.93 ft	September 15, 1988

Weather at the gauge

Rain in the last 3 days: 0.28 in. Rain that falls upstream can take hours or days to show up at a river gauge.

18 Sun 71° 43° – Wind 16 mph

19 Mon 66° 41° – Wind 11 mph

20 Tue 70° 43° – Wind 15 mph

21 Wed 77° 54° – Wind 12 mph

22 Thu 78° 59° – Wind 11 mph

23 Fri 76° 62° 0.05 in Wind 23 mph

24 Sat 69° 52° 0.19 in, 32% Wind 21 mph

Forecast: Open-Meteo

Sunrise 07:45 AM Sunset 06:42 PM Daylight 10 hr, 57 min First quarter 53%

Map

Other gauges on the Missouri River

Gauge	Level	Compared with normal	24 hours	Distance
Missouri River below GreenwoodRiver gauge, Missouri River	25.49 ft	Normal	−0.20 ft	72 mi
Missouri River below Ponca Creek near VerdelRiver gauge, Missouri River	20.71 ft	Normal	−0.24 ft	58 mi
Missouri River at NiobraraRiver gauge, Missouri River	16.38 ft	Very low	−0.26 ft	53 mi
Missouri River at YanktonRiver gauge, Missouri River	10.14 ft	Very low	−0.03 ft	25 mi
Missouri River near St. JamesRiver gauge, Missouri River	32.02 ft	Below flood stage	+0.01 ft	7 mi
Missouri River at Sioux CityRiver gauge, Missouri River	10.51 ft	Below flood stage	+0.09 ft	32 mi
Missouri River at DecaturRiver gauge, Missouri River	19.09 ft	Below flood stage	−0.04 ft	61 mi
Missouri River at OmahaRiver gauge, Missouri River	13.58 ft	Below flood stage	−0.16 ft	114 mi
Missouri River at Hwy 92 at OmahaRiver gauge, Missouri River	13.79 ft	Very low	−0.15 ft	117 mi
Missouri River at Hwy 370 at BellevueRiver gauge, Missouri River	15.36 ft	Very low	−0.20 ft	122 mi
Missouri River at Nebraska CityRiver gauge, Missouri River	9.14 ft	Below flood stage	−0.27 ft	152 mi

Nearby gauges

Gauge	Level	Compared with normal	24 hours	Distance
Bow Creek near WynotRiver gauge, Bow Creek	2.20 ft	Low	−0.01 ft	12 mi
Big Sioux River at AkronRiver gauge, Big Sioux River	5.75 ft	Below flood stage	+0.14 ft	21 mi
Big Sioux River near JeffersonRiver gauge, Big Sioux River	9.45 ft	Below flood stage	+0.12 ft	23 mi
Big Sioux River at Sioux CityRiver gauge, Big Sioux River	9.97 ft	Very low	+0.16 ft	27 mi
James River near YanktonRiver gauge, James River	3.43 ft	Below flood stage	+0.03 ft	28 mi
Perry Creek near MillnervilleRiver gauge, Perry Creek	0.98 ft	Below flood stage	±0	29 mi
Perry Creek near HintonRiver gauge, Perry Creek	15.22 ft	Below flood stage	+0.02 ft	30 mi
Perry Creek at 38th Street at Sioux CityRiver gauge, Perry Creek	6.56 ft	Normal	±0	30 mi

Questions and answers

How does the Missouri River near Maskell compare with last year?

It is 0.06 ft lower than on the same day last year, when the reading was 21.21 ft.

What is flood stage for the Missouri River near Maskell?

The official flood stage is 30.00 ft. The level is currently 8.85 ft below it.

What is a normal level for the Missouri River near Maskell in mid-October?

The median for mid-October is 21.51 ft. In 8 years out of 10 the reading falls between 20.57 ft and 25.13 ft, based on 15 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 Missouri River near Maskell today?

On Oct 18, 2026, 04:15 PM CDT, the water level was 21.15 ft. Steady over the last 24 hours.

Is Missouri River near Maskell rising or falling?

Steady over the last 24 hours. Down 0.06 ft over the last 7 days.

Is the level of Missouri River near Maskell normal?

Normal for mid-October. Compared with 15 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:06478526 (Agency page)
Coordinates: 42.72206, -96.94901 (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	21.15 ft	2026-10-18 21:15	Provisional

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How to cite

U.S. Geological Survey: Missouri River near Maskell (usgs:06478526). Accessed October 18, 2026 via Nivelmap, https://nivelmap.com/en/united-states/nebraska/missouri-river-near-maskell

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