West Papillion Creek at Elkhorn water level
River gauge, West Papillion Creek, Nebraska, United States
Right now
Normal for mid-October
Water level
History
20252026
What this means
The gauge at West Papillion Creek at Elkhorn reads 3.30 ft, a normal level for mid-October.
That puts it 0.01 ft below the median of 3.31 ft for mid-October, based on 12 years of readings. It is 6.20 ft below the flood stage of 9.50 ft. A year ago it stood at 3.42 ft (−0.12 ft).
The level has held steady over the past 24 hours. Over the past 30 days it has moved between 3.30 ft and 5.18 ft.
Fall is often low-water season on rivers, until steadier rain returns.
Compared with 12 years of daily readings for this time of year. How to read levels
Key numbers
- Median for this date
- 3.31 ft0.01 ft below the median for this date
- Normal for this date
- 2.98 ft – 4.43 ft8 years in 10 fall in this range (12 years of records)
- Same day last year
- 3.42 ft−0.12 ft
- Lowest and highest in 30 days
- 3.30 ft – 5.18 ft
- Lowest and highest in 12 months
- 3.29 ft – 5.34 ft
- Highest on record
- 13.02 ftOctober 1, 2026
What the stage means on the water
A normal level is usually prime time for floating and wade fishing, as long as the weather holds upstream.
The National Weather Service puts flood stage for this gauge at 9.50 ft, still 6.20 ft away.
What happens at each level
- 13.50 ft
- Water may begin to impact residential areas along the creek.
- 12.50 ft
- Floodwaters begin to impact a business north of West Maple Road.
- 11.00 ft
- The eastbound lane of West Maple Road, east of the creek, begins to flood.
- 10.50 ft
- Significant flooding is occurring along the westbound lane of West Maple Road, likely closing the road to traffic.
- 9.50 ft
- Floodwaters are impacting the westbound lane of West Maple Road east of the creek.
- 8.00 ft
- Low lying areas along the creek and north of West Maple Road are inundated. In addition, water begins to impact the westbound lanes.
- 3.30 ft
- Right now
Impact statements from the U.S. National Weather Service.
Highest crests on record
| Rank | Level | Date |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | 13.02 ft | October 1, 2026 |
| 2 | 12.66 ft | May 21, 2024 |
| 3 | 11.23 ft | July 31, 2025 |
| 4 | 11.12 ft | May 11, 2016 |
| 5 | 10.80 ft | June 19, 2018 |
| 6 | 10.29 ft | June 18, 2016 |
| 7 | 10.01 ft | August 31, 2021 |
| 8 | 8.49 ft | October 5, 2019 |
| 9 | 7.73 ft | June 20, 2014 |
| 10 | 7.10 ft | September 24, 2015 |
Weather at the gauge
The forecast is not available right now.
Map
Other gauges on West Papillion Creek
| Gauge | Level | Compared with normal | 24 hours | Distance |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| West Papillion Creek at Pacific St at OmahaRiver gauge, West Papillion Creek | 8.49 ft | Normal | −0.10 ft | 5.3 mi |
| West Papillion Creek at MillardRiver gauge, West Papillion Creek | 9.80 ft | Very high | −0.09 ft | 9 mi |
| West Papillion Creek at PapillionRiver gauge, West Papillion Creek | 10.71 ft | Very high | −0.07 ft | 14 mi |
Nearby gauges
| Gauge | Level | Compared with normal | 24 hours | Distance |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Elkhorn River at WaterlooRiver gauge, Elkhorn River | 2.25 ft | Low | −0.07 ft | 1.6 mi |
| Big Papillion Creek near BenningtonRiver gauge, Big Papillion Creek | 5.69 ft | Normal | −0.03 ft | 7 mi |
| Big Papillion Creek at Fort Street at OmahaRiver gauge, Big Papillion Creek | 3.37 ft | Normal | −0.09 ft | 8 mi |
| Platte River near VeniceRiver gauge, Platte River | 11.40 ft | Normal | −0.18 ft | 8 mi |
| Platte River near LesharaRiver gauge, Platte River | 4.05 ft | Normal | −0.22 ft | 8 mi |
| South Papillion Creek near GretnaRiver gauge, South Papillion Creek | 5.45 ft | Normal | −0.02 ft | 8 mi |
| Thomas Creek near BenningtonRiver gauge, Thomas Creek | 2.81 ft | Normal | +0.15 ft | 9 mi |
| Big Papillion Creek at Pacific St at OmahaRiver gauge, Big Papillion Creek | 10.47 ft | Normal | −0.05 ft | 10 mi |
Questions and answers
How does West Papillion Creek at Elkhorn compare with last year?
It is 0.12 ft lower than on the same day last year, when the reading was 3.42 ft.
What is flood stage for West Papillion Creek at Elkhorn?
The official flood stage is 9.50 ft. The level is currently 6.20 ft below it.
What is a normal level for West Papillion Creek at Elkhorn in mid-October?
The median for mid-October is 3.31 ft. In 8 years out of 10 the reading falls between 2.98 ft and 4.43 ft, based on 12 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 West Papillion Creek at Elkhorn today?
On Oct 19, 2026, 12:00 PM CDT, the water level was 3.30 ft. Steady over the last 24 hours.
Is West Papillion Creek at Elkhorn rising or falling?
Steady over the last 24 hours. Steady over the last 7 days.
Is the level of West Papillion Creek at Elkhorn normal?
Normal for mid-October. Compared with 12 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:06610773(Agency page)- Coordinates
41.29273, -96.25233(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 | 3.30 ft | 2026-10-19 17:00 | Provisional |
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How to cite
U.S. Geological Survey: West Papillion Creek at Elkhorn (usgs:06610773). Accessed October 19, 2026 via Nivelmap, https://nivelmap.com/en/united-states/nebraska/west-papillion-creek-at-elkhorn
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