Little Salt Creek near Lincoln water level

Name: Little Salt Creek near Lincoln 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, Little Salt Creek, Nebraska, United States

Directions

Very high for mid-October

Water level

2.60ft Steady over the last 24 hours

Measured Oct 20, 2026, 01:45 AM CDT (24 min ago)

Flow: 7.1 cfs

History

7 days 30 days 1 year Years compared

20252026

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

What this means

Little Salt Creek near Lincoln is well above normal at 2.60 ft.

That puts it 0.86 ft above the median of 1.74 ft for mid-October, based on 18 years of readings. It is 13.40 ft below the flood stage of 16.00 ft. A year ago it stood at 1.64 ft (+0.96 ft).

The level has held steady over the past 24 hours. In the last month it has stayed between 1.46 ft and 3.56 ft.

That stands out in fall, when many rivers are usually near their lowest.

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

Key numbers

Median for this date: 1.74 ft0.86 ft above the median for this date
Normal for this date: 1.47 ft – 2.01 ft8 years in 10 fall in this range (18 years of records)
Same day last year: 1.64 ft+0.96 ft
Lowest and highest in 30 days: 1.46 ft – 3.56 ft
Lowest and highest in 12 months: 1.41 ft – 5.30 ft
Highest on record: 21.65 ftMay 7, 2015

Flood levels and safety

Most flood deaths in the US happen in vehicles. Six inches of fast water can knock an adult off their feet, and a foot or two can float a car. If a road is covered, turn around.

Readings can change quickly after heavy rain upstream, so check again before heading near the water.

What happens at each level

27.00 ft: Water begins to flow over the bridge at Arbor Road.
26.50 ft: Floodwaters begin to impact the bottom of the Arbor Road bridge at the gage site.
21.00 ft: Widespread lowland flooding is ongoing, similar to what was experienced in May of 2015. The severity of the flooding will depend on the amount of backwater flooding due to Salt Creek.
16.00 ft: Lowland flooding begins downstream of the gage site.
2.60 ft: Right now

Impact statements from the U.S. National Weather Service.

Highest crests on record

Rank	Level	Date
1	21.65 ft	May 7, 2015
2	20.58 ft	July 24, 1993
3	20.02 ft	August 25, 1987
4	18.24 ft	July 19, 1985
5	17.86 ft	September 8, 1989
6	17.69 ft	May 20, 2017
7	17.41 ft	July 26, 1990
8	16.93 ft	October 1, 2014
9	16.82 ft	March 23, 1987
10	16.38 ft	October 11, 1973

Weather at the gauge

The forecast is not available right now.

Sunrise 07:44 AM Sunset 06:40 PM Daylight 10 hr, 56 min First quarter 66%

Map

Nearby gauges

Gauge	Level	Compared with normal	24 hours	Distance
Salt Creek at 70th Street at LincolnRiver gauge, Salt Creek	3.93 ft	Normal	−0.08 ft	3.0 mi
Salt Creek at 27th Street at LincolnRiver gauge, Salt Creek	2.88 ft	High	−0.04 ft	3.2 mi
Salt Creek at Innovation Campus at LincolnRiver gauge, Salt Creek	8.76 ft	Normal	−0.08 ft	3.8 mi
Deadmans Run at 38th Street at LincolnRiver gauge, Deadmans Run	8.10 ft	High	−0.03 ft	4.1 mi
Stevens Creek near LincolnRiver gauge, Stevens Creek	10.12 ft	Below flood stage	−0.04 ft	5.2 mi
Oak Creek at Air Park Road at LincolnRiver gauge, Oak Creek	1.28 ft	Very high	−0.06 ft	5.7 mi
Antelope Creek at 27th Street at LincolnRiver gauge, Antelope Creek	3.54 ft	Normal	−0.09 ft	6.1 mi
Middle Creek at SW 63rd St at LincolnRiver gauge, Middle Creek	2.86 ft	Very high	−0.09 ft	9 mi

Questions and answers

How does Little Salt Creek near Lincoln compare with last year?

It is 0.96 ft higher than on the same day last year, when the reading was 1.64 ft.

What is flood stage for Little Salt Creek near Lincoln?

The official flood stage is 16.00 ft. The level is currently 13.40 ft below it.

What is a normal level for Little Salt Creek near Lincoln in mid-October?

The median for mid-October is 1.74 ft. In 8 years out of 10 the reading falls between 1.47 ft and 2.01 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 Little Salt Creek near Lincoln today?

On Oct 20, 2026, 01:45 AM CDT, the water level was 2.60 ft. Steady over the last 24 hours.

Is Little Salt Creek near Lincoln rising or falling?

Steady over the last 24 hours. Steady over the last 7 days.

Is the level of Little Salt Creek near Lincoln normal?

Very high 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:06803510 (Agency page)
Coordinates: 40.89322, -96.68167 (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	2.60 ft	2026-10-20 06:45	Provisional
Flow	7.1 cfs	2026-10-20 06:45	Provisional

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How to cite

U.S. Geological Survey: Little Salt Creek near Lincoln (usgs:06803510). Accessed October 20, 2026 via Nivelmap, https://nivelmap.com/en/united-states/nebraska/little-salt-creek-near-lincoln

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