Elkhorn River at Waterloo water level

Name: Elkhorn River at Waterloo 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, Elkhorn River, Nebraska, United States

Directions

Normal for mid-October

Water level

2.32ft Down 0.04 ft over the last 24 hours

Measured Oct 17, 2026, 05:15 PM CDT (58 min ago)

Flow: 1,250 cfs
Water temperature: 54 °F

History

7 days 30 days 1 year Years compared

20252026

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

What this means

The Elkhorn River at Waterloo is at 2.32 ft, in the normal range for mid-October.

The median for mid-October is 3.13 ft, based on 17 years of readings, so the river stage is 0.81 ft below typical. It is 11.68 ft below the flood stage of 14.00 ft. On the same day last year the reading was 2.25 ft, a difference of +0.07 ft.

It has dropped 0.04 ft over the past 24 hours. In the last month it has stayed between 1.62 ft and 5.23 ft.

Fall is often low-water season on rivers, until steadier rain returns. The water temperature at the gauge is 54 °F.

Compared with 17 years of daily readings for this time of year. How to read levels

Key numbers

Median for this date: 3.13 ft0.81 ft below the median for this date
Normal for this date: 1.06 ft – 5.27 ft8 years in 10 fall in this range (17 years of records)
Same day last year: 2.25 ft+0.07 ft
Lowest and highest in 30 days: 1.62 ft – 5.23 ft
Lowest and highest in 12 months: 1.18 ft – 5.32 ft
Highest on record: 24.68 ftMarch 16, 2019

Floating and fishing near Elkhorn River at Waterloo

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

Flood stage here is 14.00 ft, 11.68 ft above the current reading. Beyond it, the National Weather Service also defines moderate and major flood stages.

What happens at each level

29.00 ft: Water nears the top of the federal levee.
18.00 ft: The state highway approaches from Highway 36 north to Highway 30 and Highway 91 will be threatened.
17.00 ft: King Lake just upstream of Waterloo is threatened.
15.00 ft: Between Highway 36 and Waterloo some roads near the river may be closed.
14.00 ft: Along this stretch of the river low-lying flooding is ongoing or close to starting.
12.50 ft: Water begins to impact the Elkhorn Crossing campground near 252nd Street and Bennington Road.
8.00 ft: The City of Waterloo closes flood gates.
4.00 ft: At this level the Papio NRD closes the following river access sites: Elkhorn Crossing, near West Maple Road, near West Dodge Road, and West Center Road.
2.32 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	24.68 ft	March 16, 2019
2	19.11 ft	April 2, 1960
3	18.77 ft	June 14, 2010
4	18.22 ft	February 22, 1971
5	18.12 ft	June 18, 1984
6	17.80 ft	June 16, 1967
7	17.44 ft	March 21, 1978
8	17.30 ft	June 19, 1990
9	16.53 ft	August 7, 1996
10	16.15 ft	May 31, 2008

Weather at the gauge

Rain in the last 3 days: 0.95 in. Rain that falls upstream can take hours or days to show up at a river gauge.

17 Sat 55° 32° – Wind 15 mph

18 Sun 64° 39° – Wind 17 mph

19 Mon 68° 46° – Wind 13 mph

20 Tue 69° 51° 0.00 in Wind 16 mph

21 Wed 75° 56° 0.00 in Wind 15 mph

22 Thu 78° 57° 0.02 in Wind 12 mph

23 Fri 78° 64° 0.07 in Wind 21 mph

Forecast: Open-Meteo

Sunrise 07:40 AM Sunset 06:43 PM Daylight 11 hr, 3 min First quarter 44%

Map

Other gauges on the Elkhorn River

Gauge	Level	Compared with normal	24 hours	Distance
Elkhorn River at EwingRiver gauge, Elkhorn River	2.56 ft	Normal	+0.01 ft	126 mi
Elkhorn River at NorfolkRiver gauge, Elkhorn River	3.07 ft	Normal	−0.03 ft	77 mi
Elkhorn River at PilgerRiver gauge, Elkhorn River	6.76 ft	Below flood stage	−0.03 ft	63 mi
Elkhorn River at West PointRiver gauge, Elkhorn River	4.02 ft	Low	−0.03 ft	44 mi

Nearby gauges

Gauge	Level	Compared with normal	24 hours	Distance
West Papillion Creek at ElkhornRiver gauge, West Papillion Creek	3.32 ft	Normal	−0.03 ft	1.6 mi
Platte River near LesharaRiver gauge, Platte River	4.40 ft	Normal	+0.02 ft	6 mi
West Papillion Creek at Pacific St at OmahaRiver gauge, West Papillion Creek	8.67 ft	Normal	−0.17 ft	7 mi
Platte River near VeniceRiver gauge, Platte River	11.41 ft	Normal	±0	7 mi
Big Papillion Creek near BenningtonRiver gauge, Big Papillion Creek	5.78 ft	Normal	−0.06 ft	8 mi
South Papillion Creek near GretnaRiver gauge, South Papillion Creek	5.47 ft	Normal	±0	9 mi
Big Papillion Creek at Fort Street at OmahaRiver gauge, Big Papillion Creek	3.53 ft	Normal	−0.11 ft	9 mi
West Papillion Creek at MillardRiver gauge, West Papillion Creek	9.98 ft	Very high	−0.11 ft	10 mi

Questions and answers

Is the Elkhorn River at Waterloo higher than last year?

Yes, it is 0.07 ft higher than on the same day last year, when the reading was 2.25 ft.

What is flood stage for the Elkhorn River at Waterloo?

The official flood stage is 14.00 ft. The level is currently 11.68 ft below it.

What is a normal level for the Elkhorn River at Waterloo in mid-October?

The median for mid-October is 3.13 ft. In 8 years out of 10 the reading falls between 1.06 ft and 5.27 ft, based on 17 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 Elkhorn River at Waterloo today?

On Oct 17, 2026, 05:15 PM CDT, the water level was 2.32 ft. Down 0.04 ft over the last 24 hours.

Is Elkhorn River at Waterloo rising or falling?

Down 0.04 ft over the last 24 hours. Up 0.16 ft over the last 7 days.

Is the level of Elkhorn River at Waterloo normal?

Normal for mid-October. Compared with 17 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:06800500 (Agency page)
Coordinates: 41.29333, -96.28389 (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	2.32 ft	2026-10-17 22:15	Provisional
Flow	1,250 cfs	2026-10-17 22:15	Provisional
Water temperature	54 °F	2026-10-17 22:15	Provisional

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How to cite

U.S. Geological Survey: Elkhorn River at Waterloo (usgs:06800500). Accessed October 17, 2026 via Nivelmap, https://nivelmap.com/en/united-states/nebraska/elkhorn-river-at-waterloo

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