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Ponca Creek at Verdel water level

River gauge, Ponca Creek, Nebraska, United States

Directions

Right now

Normal for mid-October

Water level

5.82ft Steady over the last 24 hours

Flow
9.1 cfs
5 10 15 Highest onrecord 18.26 ft Minor floodstage 13.50 ft

History

History
46ftOct 12Oct 13Oct 15Oct 16Oct 1846ftOct 12Oct 15Oct 18
46ftSep 19Sep 26Oct 3Oct 10Oct 1846ftSep 19Oct 3Oct 18
510ftOct 2025Jan 2026Apr 2026Jul 2026Oct 2026Minor flood stage510ftOct 2025Apr 2026Oct 2026Minor flood stage
581013ftJanMarMayJulSepNov2026581013ftJanAprJulOct2026

20252026

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

What this means

Ponca Creek at Verdel is at 5.82 ft, in the normal range for mid-October.

That puts it 0.94 ft above the median of 4.89 ft for mid-October, based on 18 years of readings. It is 7.68 ft below the flood stage of 13.50 ft. A year ago it stood at 5.91 ft (−0.09 ft).

The level has held steady over the past 24 hours. In the last month it has stayed between 5.78 ft and 6.18 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
4.89 ft0.94 ft above the median for this date
Normal for this date
3.86 ft – 7.06 ft8 years in 10 fall in this range (18 years of records)
Same day last year
5.91 ft−0.09 ft
Lowest and highest in 30 days
5.78 ft – 6.18 ft
Lowest and highest in 12 months
5.50 ft – 7.26 ft
Highest on record
18.26 ftMarch 14, 2019

Floating and fishing near Ponca Creek at Verdel

Normal flows mean predictable rapids and good access at most put-ins.

Flood stage here is 13.50 ft, 7.68 ft above the current reading. Beyond it, the National Weather Service also defines moderate and major flood stages.

What happens at each level

21.50 ft
Water reaches the bottom of the Highway 12 bridge at the gauge.
17.00 ft
Considerable flooding occurs within the defined reach.
16.00 ft
Local levees along the river near Highway 12 begin to be overtopped.
15.00 ft
Urban lowlands near Ponca Creek at Verdel and Lynch can flood.
13.50 ft
At this level Rayder Swanson Road floods.
12.00 ft
Minor rural lowlands begin to flood.
5.82 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 %.

RankLevelDate
118.26 ftMarch 14, 2019
217.30 ftMarch 6, 1993
316.58 ftMarch 4, 1994
416.27 ftFebruary 20, 1997
515.71 ftJune 23, 2024
615.39 ftMarch 12, 2011
715.32 ftFebruary 16, 2017
815.29 ftJune 25, 2023
914.91 ftJune 10, 2020
1014.82 ftMarch 5, 2018

Weather at the gauge

The forecast is not available right now.

Sunrise 07:50 AM Sunset 06:47 PM Daylight 10 hr, 57 min First quarter 47%

Map

Nearby gauges

Gauge Level Compared with normal 24 hours Distance
Missouri River below Ponca Creek near VerdelRiver gauge, Missouri River 21.28 ft Normal +0.63 ft 4.9 mi
Niobrara River near VerdelRiver gauge, Niobrara River 3.28 ft Normal −0.04 ft 5.5 mi
Niobrara River at NiobraraRiver gauge, Niobrara River 32.11 ft High ±0 7 mi
Missouri River at NiobraraRiver gauge, Missouri River 17.16 ft Low +0.88 ft 10 mi
Missouri River below GreenwoodRiver gauge, Missouri River 24.77 ft Normal −0.68 ft 11 mi
Bazile Creek near NiobraraRiver gauge, Bazile Creek 1.96 ft Low +0.01 ft 14 mi
Lewis and Clark Lake at SpringfieldRiver gauge, Lewis and Clark Lake 9.50 ft Normal +0.26 ft 15 mi
Howe Creek below Walker Draw near CenterRiver gauge, Howe Creek 1.67 ft Very low −0.01 ft 19 mi

Questions and answers

How does Ponca Creek at Verdel compare with last year?

It is 0.09 ft lower than on the same day last year, when the reading was 5.91 ft.

What is flood stage for Ponca Creek at Verdel?

The official flood stage is 13.50 ft. The level is currently 7.68 ft below it.

What is a normal level for Ponca Creek at Verdel in mid-October?

The median for mid-October is 4.89 ft. In 8 years out of 10 the reading falls between 3.86 ft and 7.06 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 Ponca Creek at Verdel today?

On Oct 18, 2026, 02:15 AM CDT, the water level was 5.82 ft. Steady over the last 24 hours.

Is Ponca Creek at Verdel rising or falling?

Steady over the last 24 hours. Up 0.04 ft over the last 7 days.

Is the level of Ponca Creek at Verdel 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:06453600 (Agency page)
Coordinates
42.81086, -98.17540 (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

ParameterLast valueTime (UTC)Quality
Water level 5.82 ft 2026-10-18 07:15 Provisional
Flow 9.1 cfs 2026-10-18 07:15 Provisional

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How to cite

U.S. Geological Survey: Ponca Creek at Verdel (usgs:06453600). Accessed October 18, 2026 via Nivelmap, https://nivelmap.com/en/united-states/nebraska/ponca-creek-at-verdel

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.