Platte River near Overton water level
River gauge, Platte River, Nebraska, United States
Right now
Low for mid-October
Water level
- Flow
- 161 cfs
- Water temperature
- 53 °F
History
20252026
What this means
Low water at Platte River near Overton: the gauge reads 2.58 ft, below normal for mid-October.
The median for mid-October is 3.17 ft, based on 16 years of readings, so the river stage is 0.59 ft below typical. It is 4.92 ft below the flood stage of 7.50 ft. On the same day last year the reading was 2.79 ft, a difference of −0.21 ft.
It is still going down, by 0.32 ft over the past 24 hours. Without real rain upstream, that is unlikely to change quickly.
Fall is often low-water season on rivers, and it usually takes a few days of steady rain to change that. The water temperature at the gauge is 53 °F.
Compared with 16 years of daily readings for this time of year. How to read levels
Key numbers
- Median for this date
- 3.17 ft0.59 ft below the median for this date
- Normal for this date
- 2.54 ft – 4.06 ft8 years in 10 fall in this range (16 years of records)
- Same day last year
- 2.79 ft−0.21 ft
- Lowest and highest in 30 days
- 2.49 ft – 3.75 ft
- Lowest and highest in 12 months
- 2.26 ft – 3.99 ft
- Highest on record
- 10.43 ftMay 15, 1973
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 7.50 ft.
What happens at each level
- 14.00 ft
- Floodwaters reach the bottom of the Platte River Overton Bridge. In addition the gage house begins to be impacted.
- 12.00 ft
- At this level water begins to impact nearby gravel pit operations on the north side of the channel.
- 7.50 ft
- Minor flooding begins downstream near the Interstate 80 Elm Creek exchange.
- 2.58 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 | 10.43 ft | May 15, 1973 |
| 2 | 10.36 ft | January 9, 1974 |
| 3 | 9.78 ft | January 26, 1972 |
| 4 | 9.57 ft | January 23, 1969 |
| 5 | 9.44 ft | June 22, 1983 |
| 6 | 9.38 ft | June 28, 1983 |
| 7 | 9.25 ft | January 21, 1988 |
| 8 | 9.05 ft | May 25, 2008 |
| 9 | 8.94 ft | June 13, 1971 |
| 10 | 8.81 ft | June 15, 1995 |
Weather at the gauge
Rain in the last 3 days: 0.17 in. Rain that falls upstream can take hours or days to show up at a river gauge.
Forecast: Open-Meteo
Map
Other gauges on the Platte River
| Gauge | Level | Compared with normal | 24 hours | Distance |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Platte River near KearneyRiver gauge, Platte River | 2.71 ft | Normal | +0.08 ft | 24 mi |
| Platte River near Grand IslandRiver gauge, Platte River | 3.42 ft | Normal | +0.01 ft | 67 mi |
| Platte River near DuncanRiver gauge, Platte River | 3.52 ft | Normal | ±0 | 117 mi |
| Platte River near SchuylerRiver gauge, Platte River | 6.60 ft | Very high | −0.06 ft | 139 mi |
| Platte River at North BendRiver gauge, Platte River | 3.52 ft | Normal | +0.06 ft | 154 mi |
Nearby gauges
| Gauge | Level | Compared with normal | 24 hours | Distance |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring Creek near OvertonRiver gauge, Spring Creek | 2.72 ft | Low | ±0 | 2.0 mi |
| Platte R,So-Ch,Cottonwood Ranch near OvertonRiver gauge, Platte R,So-Ch,Cottonwood Ranch | 4.07 ft | Low | −0.55 ft | 2.7 mi |
| Buffalo Creek near OvertonRiver gauge, Buffalo Creek | 3.92 ft | Normal | −0.04 ft | 4.0 mi |
| Platte R Mid-Ch, Cottonwood Ranch near Elm CrRiver gauge, Platte R Mid-Ch, Cottonwood Ranch | 3.94 ft | Very low | −0.70 ft | 5.3 mi |
| Elm Creek near Elm CreekRiver gauge, Elm Creek | 0.87 ft | Below flood stage | −0.01 ft | 8 mi |
| South Loup River at Pressey WMA near OcontoRiver gauge, South Loup River | 0.58 ft | Normal | ±0 | 36 mi |
| Republican River near OrleansRiver gauge, Republican River | 0.82 ft | Normal | +0.01 ft | 38 mi |
| Sappa Creek near StamfordRiver gauge, Sappa Creek | 5.98 ft | Normal | ±0 | 39 mi |
Questions and answers
Is the Platte River near Overton higher than last year?
No, it is 0.21 ft lower than on the same day last year, when the reading was 2.79 ft.
What is flood stage for the Platte River near Overton?
The official flood stage is 7.50 ft. The level is currently 4.92 ft below it.
What is a normal level for the Platte River near Overton in mid-October?
The median for mid-October is 3.17 ft. In 8 years out of 10 the reading falls between 2.54 ft and 4.06 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 Platte River near Overton today?
On Oct 17, 2026, 10:00 PM CDT, the water level was 2.58 ft. Down 0.32 ft over the last 24 hours.
Is Platte River near Overton rising or falling?
Down 0.32 ft over the last 24 hours. Down 0.06 ft over the last 7 days.
Is the level of Platte River near Overton 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:06768000(Agency page)- Coordinates
40.68257, -99.54024(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 | 2.58 ft | 2026-10-18 03:00 | Provisional |
| Flow | 161 cfs | 2026-10-18 03:00 | Provisional |
| Water temperature | 53 °F | 2026-10-18 03:45 | Provisional |
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How to cite
U.S. Geological Survey: Platte River near Overton (usgs:06768000). Accessed October 18, 2026 via Nivelmap, https://nivelmap.com/en/united-states/nebraska/platte-river-near-overton
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