South Loup River at Pressey WMA near Oconto water level

Name: South Loup River at Pressey WMA near Oconto 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, South Loup River, Nebraska, United States

Directions

Normal for mid-October

Water level

0.60ft Steady over the last 24 hours

Measured Oct 20, 2026, 06:45 PM CDT (23 min ago)

Flow: 99.1 cfs

History

7 days 30 days 1 year Years compared

20252026

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

What this means

The South Loup River at Pressey WMA near Oconto is at 0.60 ft, in the normal range for mid-October.

That puts it 0.02 ft above the median of 0.58 ft for mid-October, based on 9 years of readings. It is 8.40 ft below the flood stage of 9.00 ft. A year ago it stood at 0.81 ft (−0.21 ft).

The level has held steady over the past 24 hours. In the last month it has stayed between 0.55 ft and 0.65 ft.

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

Compared with 9 years of daily readings for this time of year. How to read levels

Key numbers

Median for this date: 0.58 ft0.02 ft above the median for this date
Normal for this date: 0.43 ft – 1.54 ft8 years in 10 fall in this range (9 years of records)
Same day last year: 0.81 ft−0.21 ft
Lowest and highest in 30 days: 0.55 ft – 0.65 ft
Lowest and highest in 12 months: 0.42 ft – 1.82 ft
Highest on record: 9.59 ftMarch 14, 2019

Floating and fishing near South Loup River at Pressey WMA near Oconto

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

Flood stage here is 9.00 ft, 8.40 ft above the current reading. Beyond it, the National Weather Service also defines moderate and major flood stages.

What happens at each level

12.00 ft: Major Flood Stage. Significant and widespread flooding of agricultural land along the South Loup River.
10.00 ft: Moderate Flood Stage. Widespread flooding of agricultural land along the South Loup River.
9.00 ft: Minor Flood Stage. Minor flooding of agricultural land along the South Loup River.
8.00 ft: Action Stage. Low lying areas along the South Loup River begin to flood.
0.60 ft: Right now

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

Highest crests on record

Rank	Level	Date
1	9.59 ft	March 14, 2019
2	3.45 ft	July 5, 2018
3	3.21 ft	May 24, 2020
4	3.03 ft	August 18, 2017
5	2.98 ft	February 12, 2021
6	2.42 ft	January 1, 2022
7	1.90 ft	January 31, 2023
8	1.76 ft	May 12, 2023
9	1.63 ft	June 6, 2022
10	1.21 ft	March 15, 2021

Weather at the gauge

No rain in the last 3 days.

20 Tue 69° 39° – Wind 13 mph

21 Wed 74° 44° – Wind 8 mph

22 Thu 78° 56° – Wind 14 mph

23 Fri 80° 62° – Wind 27 mph

24 Sat 70° 51° 0.05 in, 49% Wind 24 mph

25 Sun 67° 46° – Wind 8 mph

26 Mon 51° 47° – Wind 13 mph

Forecast: Open-Meteo

Sunrise 07:58 AM Sunset 06:50 PM Daylight 10 hr, 53 min Waxing gibbous 72%

Map

Other gauges on the South Loup River

Gauge	Level	Compared with normal	24 hours	Distance
South Loup River at ArnoldRiver gauge, South Loup River	4.39 ft	Normal	±0	30 mi
South Loup River at Saint MichaelRiver gauge, South Loup River	2.46 ft	Normal	+0.01 ft	52 mi

Nearby gauges

Gauge	Level	Compared with normal	24 hours	Distance
Middle Loup River near GatesRiver gauge, Middle Loup River	4.68 ft	Very low	−0.04 ft	33 mi
Buffalo Creek near OvertonRiver gauge, Buffalo Creek	3.75 ft	Normal	−0.06 ft	33 mi
Spring Creek near OvertonRiver gauge, Spring Creek	2.71 ft	Low	−0.01 ft	34 mi
Elm Creek near Elm CreekRiver gauge, Elm Creek	0.86 ft	Below flood stage	−0.01 ft	36 mi
Platte River near OvertonRiver gauge, Platte River	2.54 ft	Very low	−0.02 ft	36 mi
Platte R,So-Ch,Cottonwood Ranch near OvertonRiver gauge, Platte R,So-Ch,Cottonwood Ranch	4.04 ft	Low	−0.01 ft	37 mi
Platte R Mid-Ch, Cottonwood Ranch near Elm CrRiver gauge, Platte R Mid-Ch, Cottonwood Ranch	3.88 ft	Very low	−0.01 ft	38 mi
North Loup River at TaylorRiver gauge, North Loup River	3.01 ft	Very low	±0	44 mi

Questions and answers

How does the South Loup River at Pressey WMA near Oconto compare with last year?

It is 0.21 ft lower than on the same day last year, when the reading was 0.81 ft.

What is flood stage for the South Loup River at Pressey WMA near Oconto?

The official flood stage is 9.00 ft. The level is currently 8.40 ft below it.

What is a normal level for the South Loup River at Pressey WMA near Oconto in mid-October?

The median for mid-October is 0.58 ft. In 8 years out of 10 the reading falls between 0.43 ft and 1.54 ft, based on 9 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 South Loup River at Pressey WMA near Oconto today?

On Oct 20, 2026, 06:45 PM CDT, the water level was 0.60 ft. Steady over the last 24 hours.

Is South Loup River at Pressey WMA near Oconto rising or falling?

Steady over the last 24 hours. Steady over the last 7 days.

Is the level of South Loup River at Pressey WMA near Oconto normal?

Normal for mid-October. Compared with 9 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:06781900 (Agency page)
Coordinates: 41.19255, -99.70871 (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	0.60 ft	2026-10-20 23:45	Provisional
Flow	99.1 cfs	2026-10-20 23:45	Provisional

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How to cite

U.S. Geological Survey: South Loup River at Pressey WMA near Oconto (usgs:06781900). Accessed October 21, 2026 via Nivelmap, https://nivelmap.com/en/united-states/nebraska/south-loup-river-at-pressey-wma-near-oconto

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