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Frenchman Creek at Culbertson water level

River gauge, Frenchman Creek, Nebraska, United States

Directions

Right now

Normal for mid-October

Water level

2.73ft Steady over the last 24 hours

Flow
13.4 cfs
5 10 15 Highest onrecord 14.80 ft Minor floodstage 8.00 ft

History

History
2.02.53.03.5ftOct 12Oct 13Oct 15Oct 17Oct 182.02.53.03.5ftOct 12Oct 15Oct 18
234ftSep 19Sep 26Oct 3Oct 11Oct 18234ftSep 19Oct 3Oct 18
2468ftOct 2025Jan 2026Apr 2026Jul 2026Oct 2026Minor flood stage2468ftOct 2025Apr 2026Oct 2026Minor flood stage
246ftJanMarMayJulSepNov2026246ftJanAprJulOct2026

20252026

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

What this means

Water levels are unremarkable at Frenchman Creek at Culbertson, where the gauge shows 2.73 ft.

That puts it 0.06 ft above the median of 2.67 ft for mid-October, based on 15 years of readings. It is 5.27 ft below the flood stage of 8.00 ft. A year ago it stood at 3.65 ft (−0.92 ft).

The level has held steady over the past 24 hours. The 30-day range is 2.29 ft – 2.73 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
2.67 ft0.06 ft above the median for this date
Normal for this date
2.11 ft – 3.42 ft8 years in 10 fall in this range (15 years of records)
Same day last year
3.65 ft−0.92 ft
Lowest and highest in 30 days
2.29 ft – 2.73 ft
Lowest and highest in 12 months
1.90 ft – 5.93 ft
Highest on record
14.80 ftMay 31, 1935

Paddling and fishing conditions

Most paddlers and anglers will find the river in good shape at this stage.

For reference, flood stage is 8.00 ft.

What happens at each level

8.00 ft
Lowland areas near the vicinity of the gage will become flooded.
2.73 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
114.80 ftMay 31, 1935
210.43 ftJune 17, 1951
310.40 ftMay 26, 2023
49.87 ftAugust 9, 2008
59.85 ftMay 30, 2007
69.36 ftJune 18, 1956
78.97 ftJuly 5, 1965
88.97 ftAugust 25, 1977
98.95 ftJuly 31, 1962
108.91 ftJune 18, 1972

Weather at the gauge

No rain in the last 3 days.

18 Sun 71° 38° – Wind 7 mph
19 Mon 67° 39° – Wind 8 mph
20 Tue 76° 48° 0.02 in Wind 17 mph
21 Wed 79° 55° 0.01 in Wind 9 mph
22 Thu 79° 58° 0.00 in Wind 17 mph
23 Fri 80° 69° 0.03 in, 23% Wind 26 mph
24 Sat 65° 49° 0.02 in, 29% Wind 20 mph

Forecast: Open-Meteo

Sunrise 07:58 AM Sunset 07:01 PM Daylight 11 hr, 3 min First quarter 51%

Map

Other gauges on Frenchman Creek

Gauge Level Compared with normal 24 hours Distance
Frenchman Creek at PalisadeRiver gauge, Frenchman Creek 2.37 ft Normal +0.01 ft 15 mi

Nearby gauges

Gauge Level Compared with normal 24 hours Distance
Swanson Lake and TrentonReservoir 2,734.05 ft Normal 11 mi
Driftwood Creek near McCookRiver gauge, Driftwood Creek 2.57 ft Normal +0.07 ft 12 mi
Hugh Butler Lake and Red WillowReservoir 2,564.61 ft Normal 14 mi
Republican River at McCookRiver gauge, Republican River 2.71 ft Very low +0.01 ft 14 mi
Republican River at StrattonRiver gauge, Republican River 4.19 ft Low ±0 20 mi
Red Willow Creek near Red WillowRiver gauge, Red Willow Creek 4.53 ft Low +0.04 ft 20 mi
Beaver Creek at Cedar BluffsRiver gauge, Beaver Creek 2.98 ft High ±0 24 mi
Enders ReservoirReservoir 3,080.08 ft Very low 36 mi

Questions and answers

How does Frenchman Creek at Culbertson compare with last year?

It is 0.92 ft lower than on the same day last year, when the reading was 3.65 ft.

What is flood stage for Frenchman Creek at Culbertson?

The official flood stage is 8.00 ft. The level is currently 5.27 ft below it.

What is a normal level for Frenchman Creek at Culbertson in mid-October?

The median for mid-October is 2.67 ft. In 8 years out of 10 the reading falls between 2.11 ft and 3.42 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 Frenchman Creek at Culbertson today?

On Oct 18, 2026, 12:15 PM CDT, the water level was 2.73 ft. Steady over the last 24 hours.

Is Frenchman Creek at Culbertson rising or falling?

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

Is the level of Frenchman Creek at Culbertson 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:06835500 (Agency page)
Coordinates
40.23429, -100.87807 (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 2.73 ft 2026-10-18 17:15 Provisional
Flow 13.4 cfs 2026-10-18 17:15 Provisional

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How to cite

U.S. Geological Survey: Frenchman Creek at Culbertson (usgs:06835500). Accessed October 18, 2026 via Nivelmap, https://nivelmap.com/en/united-states/nebraska/frenchman-creek-at-culbertson

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.