Middle Loup River at Gates, NE
River level and flood forecast · Custer County
Normal4.8 ftas of Mon 3:15 PM
The river is 5.2 ft below flood stage (10 ft).
Flow: 1,030 cubic feet per second (USGS).
The last 7 days and the forecast
NWS forecast issued Sun, Dec 31, 6 PM. Forecasts change as rain falls and as upstream water arrives.
Flood stages
| Major flood stage | 15 ft |
| Moderate flood stage | 13 ft |
| Flood stage | 10 ft |
| Action stage | 8 ft |
| Record crest (March 13, 2019) | 8.16 ft |
What floods at each level
From the National Weather Service, highest first.
- 15 ftMajor Flood Stage. Significant and widespread flooding of agricultural land along the Middle Loup River. Water may approach homes close to the river. Flood waters reach the bottom of the bridge.
- 13 ftModerate Flood Stage. Widespread flooding of agricultural land along the Middle Loup River. Septic system may be affected at a home upstream along the south side of the river.
- 10 ftMinor Flood Stage. Minor flooding of agricultural land along the Middle Loup River.
- 8 ftAction Stage. Low lying areas along the Middle Loup River may begin to flood.
Highest crests on record
- 8.16 ft — March 13, 2019
- 7.29 ft — February 16, 2021
- 6.88 ft — January 4, 2018
- 6.86 ft — December 29, 2022
- 5.65 ft — October 1, 2017
Recent crests: 5.01 ft (May 12, 2023) · 6.86 ft (December 29, 2022) · 5.18 ft (May 8, 2022) · 5.23 ft (September 30, 2021) · 7.29 ft (February 16, 2021)
Up and down the river, and nearby
Not an official source. River levels, forecasts, flood stages and impacts are from the National Weather Service (GATN1); flow from the U.S. Geological Survey. Readings are provisional. In a flood, follow your local officials and the NWS at weather.gov.