Platte River near Grand Island water level

Name: Platte River near Grand Island 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, Platte River, Nebraska, United States

Directions

Normal for mid-October

Water level

3.55ft Up 0.14 ft over the last 24 hours

Measured Oct 19, 2026, 04:15 AM CDT (59 min ago)

Flow: 551 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 Platte River near Grand Island, where the gauge shows 3.55 ft.

That puts it 0.26 ft below the median of 3.81 ft for mid-October, based on 18 years of readings. It is 2.95 ft below the flood stage of 6.50 ft. A year ago it stood at 3.65 ft (−0.10 ft).

It is on the way up, by 0.14 ft over the past 24 hours. There is still 2.95 ft of room before flood stage. The 30-day range is 3.11 ft – 3.77 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: 3.81 ft0.26 ft below the median for this date
Normal for this date: 3.02 ft – 4.34 ft8 years in 10 fall in this range (18 years of records)
Same day last year: 3.65 ft−0.10 ft
Lowest and highest in 30 days: 3.11 ft – 3.77 ft
Lowest and highest in 12 months: 2.88 ft – 5.14 ft
Highest on record: 8.16 ftMarch 27, 1960

Paddling and fishing conditions

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

For reference, flood stage is 6.50 ft.

What happens at each level

13.00 ft: Water reaches the bottom of the Highway 34 bridge.
7.00 ft: A few farmsteads west of Marquette may be threatened by overflows. The city of Grand Island is not threatened by floodwaters.
6.50 ft: Farms and pasturelands flood.
6.20 ft: Water approaches property at 14570 south 190th road.
5.90 ft: Water ponds around the hotel by the Interstate, but water levels remain below flood stage.
3.55 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	8.16 ft	March 27, 1960
2	8.03 ft	March 4, 1949
3	7.99 ft	June 6, 1935
4	7.97 ft	June 30, 1983
5	7.83 ft	March 4, 1940
6	7.79 ft	January 21, 2016
7	7.78 ft	March 15, 2019
8	7.66 ft	June 23, 1947
9	7.65 ft	January 9, 1974
10	7.64 ft	March 3, 1936

Weather at the gauge

Rain in the last 3 days: 0.54 in. Rain that falls upstream can take hours or days to show up at a river gauge.

17 Sat 62° 32° – Wind 19 mph

18 Sun 67° 42° – Wind 19 mph

19 Mon 67° 42° – Wind 15 mph

20 Tue 70° 49° 0.02 in Wind 17 mph

21 Wed 74° 55° – Wind 14 mph

22 Thu 78° 58° – Wind 14 mph

23 Fri 79° 64° – Wind 21 mph

Forecast: Open-Meteo

Sunrise 07:49 AM Sunset 06:48 PM Daylight 10 hr, 59 min First quarter 58%

Map

Other gauges on the Platte River

Gauge	Level	Compared with normal	24 hours	Distance
Platte River near OvertonRiver gauge, Platte River	2.59 ft	Low	+0.03 ft	67 mi
Platte River near KearneyRiver gauge, Platte River	2.40 ft	Normal	−0.20 ft	45 mi
Platte River near DuncanRiver gauge, Platte River	3.47 ft	Normal	−0.04 ft	53 mi
Platte River near SchuylerRiver gauge, Platte River	6.75 ft	Very high	+0.33 ft	74 mi
Platte River at North BendRiver gauge, Platte River	3.36 ft	Normal	−0.23 ft	88 mi
Platte River near FremontRiver gauge, Platte River	6.85 ft	Normal	−0.34 ft	100 mi
Platte River near LesharaRiver gauge, Platte River	4.21 ft	Normal	−0.18 ft	103 mi
Platte River near VeniceRiver gauge, Platte River	11.62 ft	Normal	−0.09 ft	104 mi
Platte River near AshlandRiver gauge, Platte River	14.72 ft	Normal	−0.07 ft	103 mi
Platte River at LouisvilleRiver gauge, Platte River	3.38 ft	Normal	+0.09 ft	111 mi
Platte River at La PlatteRiver gauge, Platte River	10.39 ft	Below flood stage	+0.10 ft	123 mi

Nearby gauges

Gauge	Level	Compared with normal	24 hours	Distance
Wood River at Grand IslandRiver gauge, Wood River	11.36 ft	Below flood stage	−0.02 ft	5.0 mi
Warm Slough near Central CityRiver gauge, Warm Slough	2.13 ft	Below flood stage	±0	18 mi
Middle Loup River at Saint PaulRiver gauge, Middle Loup River	1.99 ft	Normal	−0.02 ft	24 mi
South Loup River at Saint MichaelRiver gauge, South Loup River	2.45 ft	Below flood stage	+0.02 ft	26 mi
North Loup River near Saint PaulRiver gauge, North Loup River	2.81 ft	Normal	±0	28 mi
Cedar River near FullertonRiver gauge, Cedar River	2.16 ft	Below flood stage	+0.01 ft	39 mi
Little Blue River near DeweeseRiver gauge, Little Blue River	2.67 ft	Normal	−0.04 ft	39 mi
Silver Creek, at Mile 4 near Silver CreekRiver gauge, Silver Creek	4.56 ft	High	−0.03 ft	42 mi

Questions and answers

How does the Platte River near Grand Island compare with last year?

It is 0.10 ft lower than on the same day last year, when the reading was 3.65 ft.

What is flood stage for the Platte River near Grand Island?

The official flood stage is 6.50 ft. The level is currently 2.95 ft below it.

What is a normal level for the Platte River near Grand Island in mid-October?

The median for mid-October is 3.81 ft. In 8 years out of 10 the reading falls between 3.02 ft and 4.34 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 Platte River near Grand Island today?

On Oct 19, 2026, 04:15 AM CDT, the water level was 3.55 ft. Up 0.14 ft over the last 24 hours.

Is Platte River near Grand Island rising or falling?

Up 0.14 ft over the last 24 hours. Up 0.21 ft over the last 7 days.

Is the level of Platte River near Grand Island 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:06770500 (Agency page)
Coordinates: 40.87412, -98.28219 (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	3.55 ft	2026-10-19 09:15	Provisional
Flow	551 cfs	2026-10-19 09:15	Provisional

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How to cite

U.S. Geological Survey: Platte River near Grand Island (usgs:06770500). Accessed October 19, 2026 via Nivelmap, https://nivelmap.com/en/united-states/nebraska/platte-river-near-grand-island

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