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Box Butte Reservoir water level

Reservoir, Nebraska, United States

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Right now

Low for mid-October

Surface elevation

3,984.23ft Up 0.30 ft over the last 7 days

Water stored
4,875 acre‑ft
3,980 3,985 3,990 3,995

History

History
3,9803,9853,9903,995ftOct 11Oct 12Oct 13Oct 14Oct 163,9803,9853,9903,995ftOct 11Oct 13Oct 16
3,9803,9853,9903,995ftSep 18Sep 25Oct 2Oct 9Oct 163,9803,9853,9903,995ftSep 18Oct 2Oct 16
3,9803,9904,000ftOct 2025Jan 2026Apr 2026Jul 2026Oct 20263,9803,9904,000ftOct 2025Apr 2026Oct 2026
3,9803,9904,000ftOct 2016Apr 2019Oct 2021Apr 2024Oct 20263,9803,9904,000ftOct 2016Oct 2021Oct 2026
3,9803,9904,000ftJanMarMayJulSepNov20263,9803,9904,000ftJanAprJulOct2026

202120222023202420252026

Surface elevation Normal range (10–90 %)

What this means

Box Butte Reservoir is below normal for mid-October, with the lake level at 3,984.23 ft.

The median for mid-October is 3,988.11 ft, based on 36 years of readings, so the lake level is 3.88 ft below typical. On the same day last year the reading was 3,988.05 ft, a difference of −3.82 ft.

It has risen 0.30 ft over the past week. In the last month it has stayed between 3,982.92 ft and 3,984.23 ft.

Many reservoirs are drawn down through summer and fall; most of the refill comes later, with winter rain or spring snowmelt.

Compared with 36 years of daily readings for this time of year. How to read levels

Key numbers

Median for this date
3,988.11 ft3.88 ft below the median for this date
Normal for this date
3,981.04 ft – 3,994.04 ft8 years in 10 fall in this range (36 years of records)
Same day last year
3,988.05 ft−3.82 ft
Lowest and highest in 30 days
3,982.92 ft – 3,984.23 ft
Lowest and highest in 12 months
3,980.26 ft – 3,994.57 ft

On the water at Box Butte Reservoir

A receding shoreline opens up beaches but also uncovers hazards: stumps, rocks and soft mud that are usually well under water.

Wear a life jacket on the water. Most boating deaths involve people who were not wearing one.

Weather at the gauge

The forecast is not available right now.

Sunrise 07:08 AM Sunset 06:08 PM Daylight 11 hr First quarter 44%

Map

Nearby gauges

Gauge Level Compared with normal 24 hours Distance
Niobrara River at AgateRiver gauge, Niobrara River 6.37 ft Very high −0.01 ft 37 mi
White River near Ne-Sd State LineRiver gauge, White River 3.93 ft Below flood stage +0.10 ft 40 mi
Winters Creek LakeLake 4,118.90 ft Very low 42 mi
Little Lake Alice ReservoirReservoir 4,130.99 ft Normal 43 mi
Lake MinatareLake 4,097.57 ft Low 43 mi
Lake Alice and DamsLake 4,159.00 ft Very low 44 mi

Questions and answers

Is Box Butte Reservoir higher than last year?

No, it is 3.82 ft lower than on the same day last year, when the reading was 3,988.05 ft.

What is a normal level for Box Butte Reservoir in mid-October?

The median for mid-October is 3,988.11 ft. In 8 years out of 10 the reading falls between 3,981.04 ft and 3,994.04 ft, based on 36 years of records.

Is Box Butte Reservoir really 3,984.23 ft deep?

No. 3,984.23 ft is the height of the water surface above sea level (or the agency's vertical datum), not the depth of the water.

What is the water level of Box Butte Reservoir today?

On Oct 16, 2026, the surface elevation was 3,984.23 ft. Up 0.30 ft over the last 7 days.

Is Box Butte Reservoir rising or falling?

Up 0.30 ft over the last 7 days.

Is the level of Box Butte Reservoir normal?

Low for mid-October. Compared with 36 years of daily readings for this time of year.

How often is this data updated?

The U.S. Bureau of Reclamation publishes a new reading once a day. This page refreshes within minutes of each update.

For specialists

Station codes, datum, parameters, data quality and downloads
Operator
U.S. Bureau of Reclamation
Station code
usbr:268 (Agency page)
Coordinates
42.45830, -103.06670 (WGS84)
Update interval
once a day
Licence
Public domain. Data: U.S. Bureau of Reclamation (RISE), provisional data subject to revision

Published series

ParameterLast valueTime (UTC)Quality
Surface elevation 3,984.23 ft 2026-10-16 06:00 Provisional
Water stored 4,875 acre‑ft 2026-10-16 06:00 Provisional

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How to cite

U.S. Bureau of Reclamation: Box Butte Reservoir (usbr:268). Accessed October 17, 2026 via Nivelmap, https://nivelmap.com/en/united-states/nebraska/box-butte-reservoir

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.