Driftwood Creek near McCook water level
River gauge, Driftwood Creek, Nebraska, United States
Right now
Normal for mid-October
Water level
- Flow
- 2.0 cfs
History
20252026
What this means
The gauge at Driftwood Creek near McCook reads 2.58 ft, a normal level for mid-October.
That puts it 0.16 ft above the median of 2.42 ft for mid-October, based on 18 years of readings. It is 14.42 ft below the flood stage of 17.00 ft. A year ago it stood at 2.94 ft (−0.36 ft).
The water is rising: up 0.04 ft over the past 24 hours. There is still 14.42 ft of room before flood stage. Over the past 30 days it has moved between 2.15 ft and 3.02 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
- 2.42 ft0.16 ft above the median for this date
- Normal for this date
- 2.20 ft – 2.90 ft8 years in 10 fall in this range (18 years of records)
- Same day last year
- 2.94 ft−0.36 ft
- Lowest and highest in 30 days
- 2.15 ft – 3.02 ft
- Lowest and highest in 12 months
- 2.04 ft – 7.01 ft
- Highest on record
- 25.43 ftAugust 7, 1950
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 17.00 ft, still 14.42 ft away.
What happens at each level
- 17.00 ft
- Lowland areas will become flooded.
- 2.58 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 | 25.43 ft | August 7, 1950 |
| 2 | 24.76 ft | September 8, 1951 |
| 3 | 23.10 ft | June 17, 1956 |
| 4 | 22.16 ft | May 30, 1957 |
| 5 | 22.04 ft | May 26, 2023 |
| 6 | 21.08 ft | March 21, 1960 |
| 7 | 20.57 ft | September 9, 1946 |
| 8 | 18.85 ft | June 25, 1947 |
| 9 | 18.74 ft | August 28, 1968 |
| 10 | 18.48 ft | April 24, 2007 |
Weather at the gauge
No rain in the last 3 days.
Forecast: Open-Meteo
Map
Nearby gauges
| Gauge | Level | Compared with normal | 24 hours | Distance |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Republican River at McCookRiver gauge, Republican River | 2.70 ft | Very low | +0.01 ft | 4.1 mi |
| Red Willow Creek near Red WillowRiver gauge, Red Willow Creek | 4.55 ft | Low | +0.04 ft | 11 mi |
| Frenchman Creek at CulbertsonRiver gauge, Frenchman Creek | 2.75 ft | Normal | +0.03 ft | 12 mi |
| Beaver Creek at Cedar BluffsRiver gauge, Beaver Creek | 2.98 ft | High | ±0 | 13 mi |
| Hugh Butler Lake and Red WillowReservoir | 2,564.61 ft | Normal | 15 mi | |
| Swanson Lake and TrentonReservoir | 2,734.05 ft | Normal | 20 mi | |
| Frenchman Creek at PalisadeRiver gauge, Frenchman Creek | 2.39 ft | Normal | +0.03 ft | 28 mi |
| Harry Strunk Lake and Medicine CreekReservoir | 2,354.39 ft | Low | 29 mi |
Questions and answers
How does Driftwood Creek near McCook compare with last year?
It is 0.36 ft lower than on the same day last year, when the reading was 2.94 ft.
What is flood stage for Driftwood Creek near McCook?
The official flood stage is 17.00 ft. The level is currently 14.42 ft below it.
What is a normal level for Driftwood Creek near McCook in mid-October?
The median for mid-October is 2.42 ft. In 8 years out of 10 the reading falls between 2.20 ft and 2.90 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 Driftwood Creek near McCook today?
On Oct 19, 2026, 04:30 AM CDT, the water level was 2.58 ft. Up 0.04 ft over the last 24 hours.
Is Driftwood Creek near McCook rising or falling?
Up 0.04 ft over the last 24 hours. Up 0.23 ft over the last 7 days.
Is the level of Driftwood Creek near McCook 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:06836500(Agency page)- Coordinates
40.14583, -100.67387(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 | 2.58 ft | 2026-10-19 09:30 | Provisional |
| Flow | 2.0 cfs | 2026-10-19 09:30 | Provisional |
Download
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How to cite
U.S. Geological Survey: Driftwood Creek near McCook (usgs:06836500). Accessed October 19, 2026 via Nivelmap, https://nivelmap.com/en/united-states/nebraska/driftwood-creek-near-mccook
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