South Papillion Creek near Gretna water level

Name: South Papillion Creek near Gretna 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 Papillion Creek, Nebraska, United States

Directions

Normal for mid-October

Water level

5.44ft Steady over the last 24 hours

Measured Oct 20, 2026, 04:55 AM CDT (55 min ago)

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 South Papillion Creek near Gretna, where the gauge shows 5.44 ft.

The median for mid-October is 5.39 ft, based on 13 years of readings, so the river stage is 0.05 ft above typical. It is 16.56 ft below the flood stage of 22.00 ft. On the same day last year the reading was 5.38 ft, a difference of +0.06 ft.

It has barely moved over the past 24 hours. The 30-day range is 5.40 ft – 6.96 ft.

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

Compared with 13 years of daily readings for this time of year. How to read levels

Key numbers

Median for this date: 5.39 ft0.05 ft above the median for this date
Normal for this date: 5.14 ft – 6.61 ft8 years in 10 fall in this range (13 years of records)
Same day last year: 5.38 ft+0.06 ft
Lowest and highest in 30 days: 5.40 ft – 6.96 ft
Lowest and highest in 12 months: 5.14 ft – 6.96 ft
Highest on record: 19.47 ftOctober 1, 2026

Paddling and fishing conditions

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

For reference, flood stage is 22.00 ft.

What happens at each level

24.00 ft: Areas along the south bank begin to flood.
23.00 ft: Water reaches the bottom of the 192nd street bridge at the gage site.
22.00 ft: Low lying areas begin to flood.
5.44 ft: Right now

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

Highest crests on record

Rank	Level	Date
1	19.47 ft	October 1, 2026
2	16.16 ft	August 23, 2016
3	15.33 ft	June 20, 2014
4	13.12 ft	May 28, 2019
5	13.08 ft	September 24, 2015
6	13.02 ft	August 31, 2021
7	12.58 ft	June 14, 2013
8	12.08 ft	July 2, 2024
9	11.89 ft	June 16, 2017
10	11.14 ft	June 16, 2012

Weather at the gauge

The forecast is not available right now.

Sunrise 07:43 AM Sunset 06:38 PM Daylight 10 hr, 55 min First quarter 67%

Map

Other gauges on South Papillion Creek

Gauge	Level	Compared with normal	24 hours	Distance
South Papillion Creek at ChalcoRiver gauge, South Papillion Creek	16.13 ft	Normal	+0.02 ft	4.0 mi

Nearby gauges

Gauge	Level	Compared with normal	24 hours	Distance
West Papillion Creek at MillardRiver gauge, West Papillion Creek	9.77 ft	Very high	−0.05 ft	5.2 mi
West Papillion Creek at Pacific St at OmahaRiver gauge, West Papillion Creek	8.48 ft	Normal	−0.02 ft	5.8 mi
Platte River near VeniceRiver gauge, Platte River	11.80 ft	Normal	+0.19 ft	7 mi
Springfield Creek at SpringfieldRiver gauge, Springfield Creek	5.47 ft	Below flood stage	−0.03 ft	7 mi
Buffalo Creek at S 168th St near SpringfieldRiver gauge, Buffalo Creek	9.52 ft	Below flood stage	−0.02 ft	8 mi
West Papillion Creek at ElkhornRiver gauge, West Papillion Creek	3.30 ft	Normal	±0	8 mi
Big Papillion Creek at Pacific St at OmahaRiver gauge, Big Papillion Creek	10.44 ft	Normal	−0.04 ft	9 mi
Elkhorn River at WaterlooRiver gauge, Elkhorn River	2.27 ft	Normal	−0.02 ft	9 mi

Questions and answers

Is South Papillion Creek near Gretna higher than last year?

Yes, it is 0.06 ft higher than on the same day last year, when the reading was 5.38 ft.

What is flood stage for South Papillion Creek near Gretna?

The official flood stage is 22.00 ft. The level is currently 16.56 ft below it.

What is a normal level for South Papillion Creek near Gretna in mid-October?

The median for mid-October is 5.39 ft. In 8 years out of 10 the reading falls between 5.14 ft and 6.61 ft, based on 13 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 Papillion Creek near Gretna today?

On Oct 20, 2026, 04:55 AM CDT, the water level was 5.44 ft. Steady over the last 24 hours.

Is South Papillion Creek near Gretna rising or falling?

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

Is the level of South Papillion Creek near Gretna normal?

Normal for mid-October. Compared with 13 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:06610786 (Agency page)
Coordinates: 41.17307, -96.21571 (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	5.44 ft	2026-10-20 09:55	Provisional

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How to cite

U.S. Geological Survey: South Papillion Creek near Gretna (usgs:06610786). Accessed October 20, 2026 via Nivelmap, https://nivelmap.com/en/united-states/nebraska/south-papillion-creek-near-gretna

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