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Middle Loup River at Saint Paul water level

River gauge, Middle Loup River, Nebraska, United States

Directions

Right now

Normal for mid-October

Water level

2.01ft Steady over the last 24 hours

Flow
1,310 cfs
0 5 10 Highest onrecord 12.69 ft Minor floodstage 8.00 ft

History

History
123ftOct 13Oct 14Oct 16Oct 18Oct 19123ftOct 13Oct 16Oct 19
123ftSep 20Sep 27Oct 4Oct 12Oct 19123ftSep 20Oct 4Oct 19
-0358ftOct 2025Jan 2026Apr 2026Jul 2026Oct 2026Minor flood stage-0358ftOct 2025Apr 2026Oct 2026Minor flood stage
24ftJanMarMayJulSepNov202624ftJanAprJulOct2026

20252026

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

What this means

Water levels are unremarkable at Middle Loup River at Saint Paul, where the gauge shows 2.01 ft.

The median for mid-October is 2.34 ft, based on 18 years of readings, so the river stage is 0.33 ft below typical. It is 5.99 ft below the flood stage of 8.00 ft. On the same day last year the reading was 1.91 ft, a difference of +0.10 ft.

It has barely moved over the past 24 hours. The 30-day range is 1.66 ft – 2.27 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
2.34 ft0.33 ft below the median for this date
Normal for this date
1.04 ft – 2.71 ft8 years in 10 fall in this range (18 years of records)
Same day last year
1.91 ft+0.10 ft
Lowest and highest in 30 days
1.66 ft – 2.27 ft
Lowest and highest in 12 months
0.71 ft – 3.94 ft
Highest on record
12.69 ftJune 23, 1947

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

14.80 ft
Water reaches the bottom of the Highway 281 bridge.
12.00 ft
Water will reach the bottom of the railroad bridge. Widespread flooding occurs in lowlands and agricultural lands. The town of Saint Paul is not in the flood plain. There are no major roads or highways in the flood plain. A record flood of 12.69 feet occurred in June of 1947.
10.00 ft
Flooding occurs in lowlands, agricultural areas, and woodlands.
8.00 ft
Flooding occurs in lowlands, agricultural areas, and woodlands adjacent to the river.
2.01 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
112.69 ftJune 23, 1947
212.21 ftMarch 17, 1978
39.54 ftMarch 14, 2019
48.50 ftJune 15, 1967
58.32 ftMarch 7, 1993
68.28 ftJune 25, 1968
78.15 ftFebruary 14, 1976
87.55 ftFebruary 12, 1966
97.43 ftMarch 21, 1969
107.23 ftMarch 10, 1979

Weather at the gauge

The forecast is not available right now.

Sunrise 07:50 AM Sunset 06:48 PM Daylight 10 hr, 58 min First quarter 61%

Map

Other gauges on the Middle Loup River

Gauge Level Compared with normal 24 hours Distance
Middle Loup River at DunningRiver gauge, Middle Loup River 3.04 ft Very low +0.04 ft 96 mi
Middle Loup River near GatesRiver gauge, Middle Loup River 4.72 ft Low +0.03 ft 69 mi

Nearby gauges

Gauge Level Compared with normal 24 hours Distance
North Loup River near Saint PaulRiver gauge, North Loup River 2.85 ft Normal +0.05 ft 4.1 mi
South Loup River at Saint MichaelRiver gauge, South Loup River 2.45 ft Below flood stage +0.02 ft 19 mi
Davis Creek ReservoirReservoir 2,056.58 ft Normal 19 mi
Warm Slough near Central CityRiver gauge, Warm Slough 2.13 ft Below flood stage ±0 21 mi
Wood River at Grand IslandRiver gauge, Wood River 11.39 ft Below flood stage −0.01 ft 23 mi
Platte River near Grand IslandRiver gauge, Platte River 3.55 ft Normal +0.12 ft 24 mi
Cedar River near FullertonRiver gauge, Cedar River 2.19 ft Below flood stage +0.01 ft 26 mi
Loup River Power Canal near GenoaCanal gauge, Loup River Power Canal 6.91 ft Normal ±0 37 mi

Questions and answers

Is the Middle Loup River at Saint Paul higher than last year?

Yes, it is 0.10 ft higher than on the same day last year, when the reading was 1.91 ft.

What is flood stage for the Middle Loup River at Saint Paul?

The official flood stage is 8.00 ft. The level is currently 5.99 ft below it.

What is a normal level for the Middle Loup River at Saint Paul in mid-October?

The median for mid-October is 2.34 ft. In 8 years out of 10 the reading falls between 1.04 ft and 2.71 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 Middle Loup River at Saint Paul today?

On Oct 19, 2026, 12:15 PM CDT, the water level was 2.01 ft. Steady over the last 24 hours.

Is Middle Loup River at Saint Paul rising or falling?

Steady over the last 24 hours. Up 0.05 ft over the last 7 days.

Is the level of Middle Loup River at Saint Paul 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:06785000 (Agency page)
Coordinates
41.20394, -98.44636 (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 2.01 ft 2026-10-19 17:15 Provisional
Flow 1,310 cfs 2026-10-19 17:15 Provisional

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How to cite

U.S. Geological Survey: Middle Loup River at Saint Paul (usgs:06785000). Accessed October 19, 2026 via Nivelmap, https://nivelmap.com/en/united-states/nebraska/middle-loup-river-at-saint-paul

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.