North Fork Elkhorn River near Pierce water level

Name: North Fork Elkhorn River near Pierce 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, North Fork Elkhorn River, Nebraska, United States

Directions

Low for mid-October

Water level

2.31ft Down 0.04 ft over the last 24 hours

Measured Oct 18, 2026, 11:45 PM CDT (26 min ago)

Flow: 65.8 cfs

History

7 days 30 days 1 year Years compared

20252026

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

What this means

Low water at North Fork Elkhorn River near Pierce: the gauge reads 2.31 ft, below normal for mid-October.

That puts it 0.44 ft below the median of 2.75 ft for mid-October, based on 16 years of readings. It is 9.69 ft below the flood stage of 12.00 ft. A year ago it stood at 2.61 ft (−0.30 ft).

It is still going down, by 0.04 ft over the past 24 hours. Without real rain upstream, that is unlikely to change quickly. The 30-day range is 2.02 ft – 2.53 ft.

Fall is often low-water season on rivers, and it usually takes a few days of steady rain to change that.

Compared with 16 years of daily readings for this time of year. How to read levels

Key numbers

Median for this date: 2.75 ft0.44 ft below the median for this date
Normal for this date: 1.93 ft – 4.84 ft8 years in 10 fall in this range (16 years of records)
Same day last year: 2.61 ft−0.30 ft
Lowest and highest in 30 days: 2.02 ft – 2.53 ft
Lowest and highest in 12 months: 1.75 ft – 3.28 ft
Highest on record: 17.34 ftMarch 14, 2019

Paddling and fishing conditions

At low levels, plan for shorter paddling trips and expect to walk your boat through a few shoals.

For reference, flood stage is 12.00 ft.

What happens at each level

20.00 ft: Water overtops the bridge at the gage site.
19.00 ft: The levee may be overtopped causing widespread flooding throughout the reach.
16.50 ft: Water reaches the bottom of the bridge at the gage site.
15.00 ft: Flood waters rise up against the federal levee protecting Pierce. Sandbagging and other protective operations are started.
14.50 ft: Water nears the toe of the levee in Norfolk.
14.00 ft: The access road to the river gage site is flooded.
12.00 ft: Widespread lowland flooding occurs.
2.31 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	17.34 ft	March 14, 2019
2	15.10 ft	February 19, 1971
3	14.21 ft	June 13, 2010
4	13.36 ft	October 9, 2017
5	13.15 ft	September 2, 2021
6	13.10 ft	March 5, 2018
7	12.77 ft	March 2, 2008
8	12.44 ft	February 18, 2011
9	11.89 ft	June 8, 2015
10	11.81 ft	February 10, 2009

Weather at the gauge

The forecast is not available right now.

Sunrise 07:48 AM Sunset 06:43 PM Daylight 10 hr, 56 min First quarter 56%

Map

Nearby gauges

Gauge	Level	Compared with normal	24 hours	Distance
Elkhorn River at NorfolkRiver gauge, Elkhorn River	3.03 ft	Normal	−0.02 ft	10 mi
Elkhorn River at PilgerRiver gauge, Elkhorn River	6.71 ft	Below flood stage	−0.05 ft	24 mi
Logan Creek at WakefieldRiver gauge, Logan Creek	7.00 ft	Low	±0	33 mi
Bazile Creek at CenterRiver gauge, Bazile Creek	8.89 ft	High	−0.01 ft	38 mi
Howe Creek below Walker Draw near CenterRiver gauge, Howe Creek	1.66 ft	Very low	−0.01 ft	41 mi
Elkhorn River at West PointRiver gauge, Elkhorn River	4.02 ft	Low	+0.01 ft	44 mi
Bazile Creek near NiobraraRiver gauge, Bazile Creek	1.96 ft	Low	−0.01 ft	46 mi
Missouri River near MaskellRiver gauge, Missouri River	21.16 ft	Normal	+0.04 ft	48 mi

Questions and answers

How does the North Fork Elkhorn River near Pierce compare with last year?

It is 0.30 ft lower than on the same day last year, when the reading was 2.61 ft.

What is flood stage for the North Fork Elkhorn River near Pierce?

The official flood stage is 12.00 ft. The level is currently 9.69 ft below it.

What is a normal level for the North Fork Elkhorn River near Pierce in mid-October?

The median for mid-October is 2.75 ft. In 8 years out of 10 the reading falls between 1.93 ft and 4.84 ft, based on 16 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 North Fork Elkhorn River near Pierce today?

On Oct 18, 2026, 11:45 PM CDT, the water level was 2.31 ft. Down 0.04 ft over the last 24 hours.

Is North Fork Elkhorn River near Pierce rising or falling?

Down 0.04 ft over the last 24 hours. Up 0.10 ft over the last 7 days.

Is the level of North Fork Elkhorn River near Pierce normal?

Low for mid-October. Compared with 16 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:06799100 (Agency page)
Coordinates: 42.14847, -97.47872 (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	2.31 ft	2026-10-19 04:45	Provisional
Flow	65.8 cfs	2026-10-19 04:45	Provisional

Download

Embed this gauge

Add a live card for this gauge to your website. It updates on its own and links back here.

<iframe src="https://nivelmap.com/embed/6203?lang=en" width="360" height="230" style="border:0;max-width:100%" loading="lazy" title="North Fork Elkhorn River near Pierce water level"></iframe>

How to cite

U.S. Geological Survey: North Fork Elkhorn River near Pierce (usgs:06799100). Accessed October 19, 2026 via Nivelmap, https://nivelmap.com/en/united-states/nebraska/north-fork-elkhorn-river-near-pierce

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