North Loup River near Saint Paul water level

Name: North Loup River near Saint Paul 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 Loup River, Nebraska, United States

Directions

Normal for mid-October

Water level

2.83ft Up 0.05 ft over the last 24 hours

Measured Oct 19, 2026, 07:15 AM CDT (54 min ago)

Flow: 1,180 cfs

History

7 days 30 days 1 year Years compared

20252026

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

What this means

Water levels are unremarkable at North Loup River near Saint Paul, where the gauge shows 2.83 ft.

That puts it 0.16 ft below the median of 2.99 ft for mid-October, based on 18 years of readings. It is 4.17 ft below the flood stage of 7.00 ft. A year ago it stood at 2.72 ft (+0.11 ft).

It is on the way up, by 0.05 ft over the past 24 hours. There is still 4.17 ft of room before flood stage. The 30-day range is 2.72 ft – 3.12 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: 2.99 ft0.16 ft below the median for this date
Normal for this date: 2.61 ft – 3.37 ft8 years in 10 fall in this range (18 years of records)
Same day last year: 2.72 ft+0.11 ft
Lowest and highest in 30 days: 2.72 ft – 3.12 ft
Lowest and highest in 12 months: 2.19 ft – 4.91 ft
Highest on record: 11.49 ftMarch 14, 2019

Paddling and fishing conditions

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

For reference, flood stage is 7.00 ft.

What happens at each level

14.50 ft: Water will reach the bottom of the Highway 281 bridge.
12.00 ft: Numerous homes within the Lake of the Woods Residential Area would be inundated by flood waters. This is more than 2 feet above the historical record crest of 9.6 feet set in 1947.
10.00 ft: Outbuildings within the Lake of the Woods Residential Area may be impacted by flooding.
8.50 ft: The North Loup State Recreation Area will experience significant flooding.
7.00 ft: Flooding occurs in lowland and wooded areas adjacent to the river. In addition, the North Loup State Recreation Area will begin to be impacted by flood waters.
2.83 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	11.49 ft	March 14, 2019
2	9.60 ft	June 22, 1947
3	8.85 ft	March 7, 1993
4	8.26 ft	February 22, 1982
5	8.13 ft	March 15, 1979
6	8.02 ft	December 21, 1979
7	7.70 ft	March 18, 1978
8	7.38 ft	August 5, 1981
9	6.79 ft	March 4, 1994
10	6.72 ft	February 19, 1971

Weather at the gauge

Rain in the last 3 days: 0.53 in. Rain that falls upstream can take hours or days to show up at a river gauge.

18 Sun 68° 38° – Wind 17 mph

19 Mon 65° 38° – Wind 9 mph

20 Tue 70° 49° – Wind 16 mph

21 Wed 75° 55° – Wind 10 mph

22 Thu 77° 58° 0.02 in Wind 11 mph

23 Fri 76° 62° 0.07 in Wind 22 mph

24 Sat 69° 48° – Wind 21 mph

Forecast: Open-Meteo

Sunrise 07:51 AM Sunset 06:48 PM Daylight 10 hr, 58 min First quarter 59%

Map

Other gauges on the North Loup River

Gauge	Level	Compared with normal	24 hours	Distance
North Loup River at BrewsterRiver gauge, North Loup River	2.83 ft	Very low	−0.03 ft	87 mi
North Loup River at TaylorRiver gauge, North Loup River	2.97 ft	Below flood stage	−0.03 ft	60 mi

Nearby gauges

Gauge	Level	Compared with normal	24 hours	Distance
Middle Loup River at Saint PaulRiver gauge, Middle Loup River	1.97 ft	Normal	+0.04 ft	4.1 mi
Davis Creek ReservoirReservoir	2,056.60 ft	Normal		17 mi
South Loup River at Saint MichaelRiver gauge, South Loup River	2.44 ft	Below flood stage	+0.01 ft	22 mi
Warm Slough near Central CityRiver gauge, Warm Slough	2.13 ft	Below flood stage	±0	23 mi
Cedar River near FullertonRiver gauge, Cedar River	2.17 ft	Below flood stage	+0.03 ft	25 mi
Wood River at Grand IslandRiver gauge, Wood River	11.38 ft	Below flood stage	±0	27 mi
Platte River near Grand IslandRiver gauge, Platte River	3.56 ft	Normal	+0.15 ft	28 mi
Loup River Power Canal near GenoaCanal gauge, Loup River Power Canal	6.90 ft	Normal	±0	35 mi

Questions and answers

How does the North Loup River near Saint Paul compare with last year?

It is 0.11 ft higher than on the same day last year, when the reading was 2.72 ft.

What is flood stage for the North Loup River near Saint Paul?

The official flood stage is 7.00 ft. The level is currently 4.17 ft below it.

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

The median for mid-October is 2.99 ft. In 8 years out of 10 the reading falls between 2.61 ft and 3.37 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 North Loup River near Saint Paul today?

On Oct 19, 2026, 07:15 AM CDT, the water level was 2.83 ft. Up 0.05 ft over the last 24 hours.

Is North Loup River near Saint Paul rising or falling?

Up 0.05 ft over the last 24 hours. Up 0.09 ft over the last 7 days.

Is the level of North Loup River near 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:06790500 (Agency page)
Coordinates: 41.26333, -98.44889 (WGS84)
Vertical datum: NGVD29
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	2.83 ft	2026-10-19 12:15	Provisional
Flow	1,180 cfs	2026-10-19 12:15	Provisional

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How to cite

U.S. Geological Survey: North Loup River near Saint Paul (usgs:06790500). Accessed October 19, 2026 via Nivelmap, https://nivelmap.com/en/united-states/nebraska/north-loup-river-near-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.

Readings are provisional, can be delayed or wrong and are not a flood warning. Read the disclaimer