Missouri River at Rulo water level

Name: Missouri River at Rulo 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, Missouri River, Nebraska, United States

Directions

Below flood stage

Water level

8.78ft Up 0.28 ft over the last 24 hours

Measured Oct 17, 2026, 01:30 PM CDT (28 min ago)

Flow: 41,400 cfs

History

7 days

Water level Forecast Minor flood stage

The forecast expects the river to fall to 8.00 ft by Thursday, October 22 at 07:00 AM. Issued Saturday, October 17 at 09:30 AM by NOAA National Weather Service.

What this means

The Missouri River at Rulo is at 8.78 ft, in the normal range.

It is 8.22 ft below the flood stage of 17.00 ft.

It has risen 0.28 ft over the past 24 hours. The forecast expects the river to fall to 8.00 ft by Thursday, October 22 at 07:00 AM. There is still 8.22 ft of room before flood stage. In the last month it has stayed between 8.32 ft and 8.80 ft.

Judged against the official flood stage for this gauge. How to read levels

Key numbers

Highest on record: 28.13 ftMarch 20, 2019
Lowest on record: −1.39 ftJanuary 17, 2024
Forecast peak: 8.80 ftSaturday, October 17 at 01:00 PM

Floating and fishing near Missouri River at Rulo

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

Flood stage here is 17.00 ft, 8.22 ft above the current reading. Beyond it, the National Weather Service also defines moderate and major flood stages.

What happens at each level

30.00 ft: Widespread flooding ensues as federal levees begin to be overtopped.
27.26 ft: Significant flooding will encompass a very large area similar to what was experienced in 2011.
26.00 ft: At this level the levee protecting Big Lake may be overtopped. In addition, Highway 159 in Missouri may begin to flood.
21.00 ft: Several riverfront cabins along the Nebraska side begin to flood.
20.00 ft: The Rulo boat ramp begins to flood.
16.00 ft: Agricultural lowlands along the river begin to flood.
8.78 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: 32 %.

Rank	Level	Date
1	28.13 ft	March 20, 2019
2	27.26 ft	June 27, 2011
3	26.63 ft	June 23, 2010
4	25.60 ft	April 22, 1952
5	25.37 ft	July 24, 1993
6	25.09 ft	May 7, 2007
7	24.98 ft	June 14, 2008
8	24.86 ft	May 29, 2019
9	24.40 ft	June 16, 1984
10	24.01 ft	July 2, 2024

Weather at the gauge

Rain in the last 3 days: 0.32 in. Rain that falls upstream can take hours or days to show up at a river gauge.

17 Sat 59° 33° – Wind 12 mph

18 Sun 64° 38° – Wind 16 mph

19 Mon 68° 47° – Wind 14 mph

20 Tue 71° 51° – Wind 13 mph

21 Wed 74° 55° 0.03 in Wind 16 mph

22 Thu 79° 58° – Wind 8 mph

23 Fri 80° 65° 0.02 in Wind 18 mph

Forecast: Open-Meteo

Sunrise 07:35 AM Sunset 06:41 PM Daylight 11 hr, 6 min First quarter 42%

Map

Other gauges on the Missouri River

Gauge	Level	Compared with normal	24 hours	Distance
Missouri River at OmahaRiver gauge, Missouri River	13.76 ft	Below flood stage	−0.01 ft	87 mi
Missouri River at Hwy 92 at OmahaRiver gauge, Missouri River	13.98 ft	Below flood stage	−0.10 ft	84 mi
Missouri River at Hwy 370 at BellevueRiver gauge, Missouri River	15.57 ft	Below flood stage	−0.15 ft	79 mi
Missouri River at Nebraska CityRiver gauge, Missouri River	9.47 ft	Below flood stage	−0.11 ft	49 mi
Missouri River at BrownvilleRiver gauge, Missouri River	25.44 ft	Below flood stage	−0.03 ft	27 mi
Missouri River at St. JosephRiver gauge, Missouri River	8.00 ft	Below flood stage	+0.47 ft	36 mi
Missouri River at AtchisonRiver gauge, Missouri River	9.83 ft	Below flood stage	+0.38 ft	38 mi
Missouri River at LeavenworthRiver gauge, Missouri River	5.04 ft	Below flood stage	+0.24 ft	57 mi
Missouri River above ParkvilleRiver gauge, Missouri River	10.32 ft	Below flood stage	+0.08 ft	69 mi
Missouri River at Kansas CityRiver gauge, Missouri River	13.01 ft	Below flood stage	−0.35 ft	79 mi
Missouri River at NapoleonRiver gauge, Missouri River	9.75 ft	Below flood stage	−0.54 ft	96 mi
Missouri River at WaverlyRiver gauge, Missouri River	14.07 ft	Below flood stage	−0.62 ft	117 mi

Nearby gauges

Gauge	Level	Compared with normal	24 hours	Distance
Big Nemaha River at Falls CityRiver gauge, Big Nemaha River	4.69 ft	Normal	−0.07 ft	9 mi
Tarkio River at FairfaxRiver gauge, Tarkio River	6.66 ft	Below flood stage	−0.08 ft	20 mi
Nodaway River near GrahamRiver gauge, Nodaway River	1,250 cfs	Normal	+220 cfs	21 mi
North Fork Big Nemaha River at HumboldtRiver gauge, North Fork Big Nemaha River	1.96 ft	Normal	−0.09 ft	29 mi
One Hundred Two River near BolckowRiver gauge, One Hundred Two River	235 cfs	Normal	±0	31 mi
Little Nemaha River at AuburnRiver gauge, Little Nemaha River	3.48 ft	Normal	−0.11 ft	31 mi
Nodaway River near Burlington JunctionRiver gauge, Nodaway River	6.21 ft	Below flood stage	+0.29 ft	32 mi
Turkey Creek near SenecaRiver gauge, Turkey Creek	1.16 ft	Low	−0.05 ft	37 mi

Questions and answers

What is flood stage for the Missouri River at Rulo?

The official flood stage is 17.00 ft. The level is currently 8.22 ft below it.

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 Missouri River at Rulo today?

On Oct 17, 2026, 01:30 PM CDT, the water level was 8.78 ft. Up 0.28 ft over the last 24 hours.

Is Missouri River at Rulo rising or falling?

Up 0.28 ft over the last 24 hours.

Is the level of Missouri River at Rulo normal?

Below flood stage. Judged against the official flood stage for this gauge.

What is the highest water level ever recorded at Missouri River at Rulo?

The highest level on record is 28.13 ft on March 20, 2019. The lowest is −1.39 ft on January 17, 2024.

Is Missouri River at Rulo expected to rise?

The forecast expects the river to fall to 8.00 ft by Thursday, October 22 at 07:00 AM.

For specialists

Station codes, datum, parameters, data quality and downloads

Operator: U.S. Geological Survey
Station code: usgs:06813500 (Agency page)
Coordinates: 40.05206, -95.42175 (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	8.78 ft	2026-10-17 18:30	Provisional
Flow	41,400 cfs	2026-10-17 18:30	Provisional

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How to cite

U.S. Geological Survey: Missouri River at Rulo (usgs:06813500). Accessed October 17, 2026 via Nivelmap, https://nivelmap.com/en/united-states/nebraska/missouri-river-at-rulo

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