North Platte River at Scottsbluff water level

Name: North Platte River at Scottsbluff 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 Platte River, Nebraska, United States

Directions

Below flood stage

Water level

4.10ft Steady over the last 24 hours

Measured Oct 18, 2026, 03:00 PM MDT (43 min ago)

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 Platte River at Scottsbluff, where the gauge shows 4.10 ft.

It is 7.40 ft below the flood stage of 11.50 ft. A year ago it stood at 5.32 ft (−1.22 ft).

The level has held steady over the past 24 hours. The 30-day range is 3.93 ft – 4.15 ft.

Fall is often low-water season on rivers, until steadier rain returns.

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

Key numbers

Same day last year: 5.32 ft−1.22 ft
Lowest and highest in 30 days: 3.93 ft – 4.15 ft
Lowest and highest in 12 months: 3.46 ft – 5.56 ft
Highest on record: 12.74 ftMay 28, 2016

Paddling and fishing conditions

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

For reference, flood stage is 11.50 ft.

What happens at each level

13.50 ft: Monument Pathway is totally inundated with flood waters and is not accessible. Major flooding of homes and agricultural land along the North Platte River. Low lying ares of Riverside Park are totally inundated with water.
12.50 ft: Low lying areas along the Monument Pathway are totally inundated with water. Minor flooding of homes near and along the North Platte River. Flooding of agricultural land along the river intensifies and becomes more widespread. Flood waters begin to encroach low lying areas of Riverside Park.
11.50 ft: Flood stage. Standing water over low lying areas along Monument Pathway along left bank of river. Homes near the river will have basement flooding. Minor flooding of agricultural land along the river.
10.50 ft: Bankfull stage. Water begins to encroach low lying areas along Monument Pathway along the left bank of river. Homes near the river may experience water in basements.
4.10 ft: Right now

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

Highest crests on record

Rank	Level	Date
1	12.74 ft	May 28, 2016
2	11.72 ft	May 30, 2015
3	10.19 ft	June 5, 2017
4	8.45 ft	June 5, 2019
5	7.30 ft	May 20, 2018

Weather at the gauge

The forecast is not available right now.

Sunrise 07:11 AM Sunset 06:10 PM Daylight 10 hr, 59 min First quarter 53%

Map

Other gauges on the North Platte River

Gauge	Level	Compared with normal	24 hours	Distance
North Platte River near NorthgateRiver gauge, North Platte River	2.41 ft	Below flood stage	−0.04 ft	152 mi
North Platte River at OrinRiver gauge, North Platte River	3.38 ft	Below flood stage	−0.05 ft	94 mi
North Platte River below Whalen Diversion DamRiver gauge, North Platte River	14.0 cfs	Low	−0.9 cfs	56 mi

Nearby gauges

Gauge	Level	Compared with normal	24 hours	Distance
Little Lake Alice ReservoirReservoir	4,130.99 ft	Normal		9 mi
Lake Alice and DamsLake	4,159.00 ft	Very low		10 mi
Winters Creek LakeLake	4,118.90 ft	Very low		10 mi
Lake MinatareLake	4,097.57 ft	Low		11 mi
Niobrara River at AgateRiver gauge, Niobrara River	6.17 ft	Very high	−0.21 ft	40 mi

Questions and answers

How does the North Platte River at Scottsbluff compare with last year?

It is 1.22 ft lower than on the same day last year, when the reading was 5.32 ft.

What is flood stage for the North Platte River at Scottsbluff?

The official flood stage is 11.50 ft. The level is currently 7.40 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 North Platte River at Scottsbluff today?

On Oct 18, 2026, 03:00 PM MDT, the water level was 4.10 ft. Steady over the last 24 hours.

Is North Platte River at Scottsbluff rising or falling?

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

Is the level of North Platte River at Scottsbluff normal?

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

What is the highest water level ever recorded at North Platte River at Scottsbluff?

The highest level on record is 12.74 ft on May 28, 2016.

For specialists

Station codes, datum, parameters, data quality and downloads

Operator: U.S. Geological Survey
Station code: usgs:06680500 (Agency page)
Coordinates: 41.85051, -103.67552 (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	4.10 ft	2026-10-18 21:00	Provisional

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How to cite

U.S. Geological Survey: North Platte River at Scottsbluff (usgs:06680500). Accessed October 18, 2026 via Nivelmap, https://nivelmap.com/en/united-states/nebraska/north-platte-river-at-scottsbluff

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