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Niobrara River near Verdel water level

River gauge, Niobrara River, Nebraska, United States

Directions

Normal for mid-October

Water level

3.25ft Down 0.07 ft over the last 24 hours

Flow
435 cfs
Water temperature
50 °F
10 20 Highest onrecord 19.38 ft Minor floodstage 8.00 ft

History

3.03.5ftOct 16Oct 17Oct 18Oct 19Oct 203.03.5ftOct 16Oct 18Oct 20
3.03.54.0ftSep 21Sep 28Oct 5Oct 13Oct 203.03.54.0ftSep 21Oct 5Oct 20
468ftOct 2025Jan 2026Apr 2026Jul 2026Oct 2026Minor flood stage468ftOct 2025Apr 2026Oct 2026Minor flood stage
46ftJanMarMayJulSepNov202646ftJanAprJulOct2026

20252026

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

What this means

The Niobrara River near Verdel is at 3.25 ft, in the normal range for mid-October.

That puts it 0.18 ft above the median of 3.07 ft for mid-October, based on 18 years of readings. It is 4.75 ft below the flood stage of 8.00 ft. A year ago it stood at 3.74 ft (−0.49 ft).

It has dropped 0.07 ft over the past 24 hours. In the last month it has stayed between 3.25 ft and 3.90 ft.

Fall is often low-water season on rivers, until steadier rain returns. The sensor also reports a water temperature of 50 °F.

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

Key numbers

Median for this date
3.07 ft0.18 ft above the median for this date
Normal for this date
2.80 ft – 3.73 ft8 years in 10 fall in this range (18 years of records)
Same day last year
3.74 ft−0.49 ft
Lowest and highest in 30 days
3.25 ft – 3.90 ft
Lowest and highest in 12 months
2.78 ft – 5.97 ft
Highest on record
19.38 ftMarch 14, 2019

Floating and fishing near Niobrara River near Verdel

Normal flows mean predictable rapids and good access at most put-ins.

Flood stage here is 8.00 ft, 4.75 ft above the current reading. Beyond it, the National Weather Service also defines moderate and major flood stages.

What happens at each level

13.50 ft
Water reaches the bottom of the Pishelville bridge located at the gage site.
10.00 ft
A large expanse of the floodplain is inundated with water.
9.00 ft
Both banks overflow and widespread flooding commences along the vast majority of the reach.
7.00 ft
Some minor overflows begin along the low banks upstream of the gage.
3.25 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
119.38 ftMarch 14, 2019
28.20 ftMarch 20, 2001
37.92 ftFebruary 22, 1997
47.18 ftMarch 1, 1986
57.08 ftDecember 30, 2020
67.06 ftJanuary 8, 2023
77.06 ftJanuary 5, 2021
87.00 ftDecember 30, 2022
96.90 ftJuly 22, 2010
106.31 ftFebruary 16, 2011

Weather at the gauge

Rain in the last 3 days: 0.09 in. Rain that falls upstream can take hours or days to show up at a river gauge.

18 Sun 74° 46° – Wind 15 mph
19 Mon 69° 43° – Wind 11 mph
20 Tue 71° 45° – Wind 16 mph
21 Wed 77° 56° 0.00 in Wind 13 mph
22 Thu 78° 59° – Wind 13 mph
23 Fri 82° 65° 0.05 in Wind 23 mph
24 Sat 71° 49° 0.03 in, 34% Wind 20 mph

Forecast: Open-Meteo

Sunrise 07:53 AM Sunset 06:44 PM Daylight 10 hr, 51 min First quarter 67%

Map

Other gauges on the Niobrara River

Gauge Level Compared with normal 24 hours Distance
Niobrara River near SparksRiver gauge, Niobrara River 2.66 ft Normal ±0 109 mi
Niobrara River at MariavilleRiver gauge, Niobrara River 3.13 ft Normal −0.04 ft 56 mi
Niobrara River below Soldier Cr near NiobraraRiver gauge, Niobrara River 8.19 ft No reference yet −0.02 ft 6.0 mi
Niobrara River at NiobraraRiver gauge, Niobrara River 32.11 ft High +0.07 ft 8 mi

Nearby gauges

Gauge Level Compared with normal 24 hours Distance
Ponca Creek at VerdelRiver gauge, Ponca Creek 5.80 ft Normal −0.01 ft 5.5 mi
Missouri River below Ponca Creek near VerdelRiver gauge, Missouri River 21.00 ft Normal −0.01 ft 8 mi
Missouri River at NiobraraRiver gauge, Missouri River 16.99 ft Low +0.04 ft 12 mi
Missouri River below GreenwoodRiver gauge, Missouri River 23.92 ft Low −0.02 ft 13 mi
Bazile Creek near NiobraraRiver gauge, Bazile Creek 1.93 ft Low −0.03 ft 15 mi
Lewis and Clark Lake at SpringfieldRiver gauge, Lewis and Clark Lake 9.61 ft High +0.02 ft 19 mi
Howe Creek below Walker Draw near CenterRiver gauge, Howe Creek 1.66 ft Very low −0.01 ft 19 mi
Bazile Creek at CenterRiver gauge, Bazile Creek 8.81 ft High −0.07 ft 19 mi

Questions and answers

How does the Niobrara River near Verdel compare with last year?

It is 0.49 ft lower than on the same day last year, when the reading was 3.74 ft.

What is flood stage for the Niobrara River near Verdel?

The official flood stage is 8.00 ft. The level is currently 4.75 ft below it.

What is a normal level for the Niobrara River near Verdel in mid-October?

The median for mid-October is 3.07 ft. In 8 years out of 10 the reading falls between 2.80 ft and 3.73 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 Niobrara River near Verdel today?

On Oct 20, 2026, 04:15 AM CDT, the water level was 3.25 ft. Down 0.07 ft over the last 24 hours.

Is Niobrara River near Verdel rising or falling?

Down 0.07 ft over the last 24 hours. Down 0.20 ft over the last 7 days.

Is the level of Niobrara River near Verdel 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:06465500 (Agency page)
Coordinates
42.73979, -98.22286 (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 3.25 ft 2026-10-20 09:15 Provisional
Flow 435 cfs 2026-10-20 09:15 Provisional
Water temperature 50 °F 2026-10-20 09:15 Provisional

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How to cite

U.S. Geological Survey: Niobrara River near Verdel (usgs:06465500). Accessed October 20, 2026 via Nivelmap, https://nivelmap.com/en/united-states/nebraska/niobrara-river-near-verdel

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