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Salt Creek at 27th Street at Lincoln water level

River gauge, Salt Creek, Nebraska, United States

Directions

High for mid-October

Water level

2.81ft Down 0.05 ft over the last 24 hours

Flow
176 cfs
0 10 20 30 Highest onrecord 28.87 ft Minor floodstage 20.50 ft

History

2.02.53.0ftOct 16Oct 17Oct 18Oct 19Oct 202.02.53.0ftOct 16Oct 18Oct 20
1020ftSep 21Sep 28Oct 5Oct 13Oct 20Minor flood stage1020ftSep 21Oct 5Oct 20Minor flood stage
1020ftOct 2025Jan 2026Apr 2026Jul 2026Oct 2026Minor flood stage1020ftOct 2025Apr 2026Oct 2026Minor flood stage
1020ftJanMarMayJulSepNov20261020ftJanAprJulOct2026

20252026

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

What this means

The gauge at Salt Creek at 27th Street at Lincoln shows 2.81 ft, above normal for mid-October.

That puts it 0.20 ft above the median of 2.61 ft for mid-October, based on 18 years of readings. It is 17.69 ft below the flood stage of 20.50 ft. A year ago it stood at 2.16 ft (+0.65 ft).

The level is falling, down 0.05 ft over the past 24 hours. Over the past 30 days it has moved between 2.30 ft and 20.89 ft.

That stands out in fall, when many rivers are usually near their lowest.

Compared with 18 years of daily readings for this time of year. How to read levels

Key numbers

Median for this date
2.61 ft0.20 ft above the median for this date
Normal for this date
2.01 ft – 2.96 ft8 years in 10 fall in this range (18 years of records)
Same day last year
2.16 ft+0.65 ft
Lowest and highest in 30 days
2.30 ft – 20.89 ft
Lowest and highest in 12 months
2.05 ft – 20.89 ft
Highest on record
28.87 ftMay 7, 2015

What the stage means on the water

Fast, high water is not the time for casual paddling. Strainers, debris and cold water make an unplanned swim dangerous.

The National Weather Service puts flood stage for this gauge at 20.50 ft, still 17.69 ft away.

What happens at each level

33.00 ft
Water reaches the bottom of the 27th street bridge.
29.00 ft
Major flooding is imminent, or ongoing, as levees may begin to be overtopped all along Salt Creek. At this level the water is near the level observed in May of 2015 when areas like Nebraska Innovation Campus flooded and levees were at capacity.
26.50 ft
Areas of the North Bottoms begin to flood as does the area around, and including, the baseball field at Haymarket Park.
23.00 ft
Lower areas between Capitol Beach and Interstate 80 flood, this includes commerical areas west of Sun Valley Boulevard and north of West O Street. Capitol Beach itself may see flooding along the east side closer to the railroad tracks.
21.00 ft
Flooding is contained to the channel at the gage site. Upstream of the gage site, southwest of North 14 Street, lowland flooding begins in areas between West O Street and Rosa Parks Way, including the railyard.
14.00 ft
There is no flooding at this level. However, at this level local officials begin increased monitoring of Salt Creek as the creek is two-thirds bankfull.
2.81 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: 6 %.

RankLevelDate
128.87 ftMay 7, 2015
226.52 ftJuly 24, 1993
326.15 ftJune 2, 1951
426.05 ftMay 9, 1950
525.86 ftOctober 1, 2026
623.80 ftOctober 11, 1973
723.60 ftJune 25, 1963
823.00 ftJuly 10, 1958
922.67 ftSeptember 8, 1989
1021.90 ftJune 15, 1982

Weather at the gauge

The forecast is not available right now.

Sunrise 07:44 AM Sunset 06:40 PM Daylight 10 hr, 56 min First quarter 69%

Map

Other gauges on Salt Creek

Gauge Level Compared with normal 24 hours Distance
Salt Creek at RocaRiver gauge, Salt Creek 2.12 ft High −0.12 ft 13 mi
Salt Creek at Pioneers Boulevard at LincolnRiver gauge, Salt Creek 5.57 ft Normal −0.04 ft 5.6 mi
Salt Creek at Innovation Campus at LincolnRiver gauge, Salt Creek 8.71 ft Normal −0.10 ft 0.7 mi
Salt Creek at 70th Street at LincolnRiver gauge, Salt Creek 3.81 ft Normal −0.08 ft 4.1 mi
Salt Creek at GreenwoodRiver gauge, Salt Creek 1.83 ft Low −0.10 ft 14 mi
Salt Creek near AshlandRiver gauge, Salt Creek 6.83 ft Normal −0.06 ft 23 mi
Salt Creek near AdaRiver gauge, Salt Creek 4.44 ft Normal −0.09 ft 133 mi

Nearby gauges

Gauge Level Compared with normal 24 hours Distance
Deadmans Run at 38th Street at LincolnRiver gauge, Deadmans Run 8.09 ft High −0.01 ft 1.2 mi
Antelope Creek at 27th Street at LincolnRiver gauge, Antelope Creek 3.52 ft Normal −0.07 ft 2.9 mi
Little Salt Creek near LincolnRiver gauge, Little Salt Creek 2.60 ft Very high −0.02 ft 3.2 mi
Stevens Creek near LincolnRiver gauge, Stevens Creek 10.11 ft Below flood stage −0.03 ft 4.6 mi
Oak Creek at Air Park Road at LincolnRiver gauge, Oak Creek 1.27 ft Very high −0.05 ft 5.1 mi
Middle Creek at SW 63rd St at LincolnRiver gauge, Middle Creek 2.84 ft Very high −0.09 ft 7 mi
Haines Branch at SW 56th St at LincolnRiver gauge, Haines Branch 3.11 ft Normal −0.02 ft 8 mi

Questions and answers

How does Salt Creek at 27th Street at Lincoln compare with last year?

It is 0.65 ft higher than on the same day last year, when the reading was 2.16 ft.

What is flood stage for Salt Creek at 27th Street at Lincoln?

The official flood stage is 20.50 ft. The level is currently 17.69 ft below it.

What is a normal level for Salt Creek at 27th Street at Lincoln in mid-October?

The median for mid-October is 2.61 ft. In 8 years out of 10 the reading falls between 2.01 ft and 2.96 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 Salt Creek at 27th Street at Lincoln today?

On Oct 20, 2026, 08:25 AM CDT, the water level was 2.81 ft. Down 0.05 ft over the last 24 hours.

Is Salt Creek at 27th Street at Lincoln rising or falling?

Down 0.05 ft over the last 24 hours. Down 0.18 ft over the last 7 days.

Is the level of Salt Creek at 27th Street at Lincoln normal?

High 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:06803500 (Agency page)
Coordinates
40.84652, -96.68198 (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 2.81 ft 2026-10-20 13:25 Provisional
Flow 176 cfs 2026-10-20 13:25 Provisional

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How to cite

U.S. Geological Survey: Salt Creek at 27th Street at Lincoln (usgs:06803500). Accessed October 20, 2026 via Nivelmap, https://nivelmap.com/en/united-states/nebraska/salt-creek-at-27th-street-at-lincoln

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