Ponca Creek at Verdel, NE
River level and flood forecast · Knox County
Normal5.8 ftas of Mon 2:15 PM
The river is 7.7 ft below flood stage (13.5 ft).
Flow: 8 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 | 17 ft |
| Moderate flood stage | 15 ft |
| Flood stage | 13.5 ft |
| Action stage | 12 ft |
| Record crest (March 14, 2019) | 18.26 ft |
What floods at each level
From the National Weather Service, highest first.
- 21.5 ftWater reaches the bottom of the Highway 12 bridge at the gauge.
- 17 ftConsiderable flooding occurs within the defined reach.
- 16 ftLocal levees along the river near Highway 12 begin to be overtopped.
- 15 ftUrban lowlands near Ponca Creek at Verdel and Lynch can flood.
- 13.5 ftAt this level Rayder Swanson Road floods.
- 12 ftMinor rural lowlands begin to flood.
Highest crests on record
- 18.26 ft — March 14, 2019
- 17.3 ft — March 6, 1993
- 16.58 ft — March 4, 1994
- 16.27 ft — February 20, 1997
- 15.71 ft — June 23, 2024
Recent crests: 9.24 ft (February 28, 2025) · 15.71 ft (June 23, 2024) · 15.29 ft (June 25, 2023) · 9.22 ft (May 1, 2022) · 9.07 ft (March 25, 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 (VERN1); flow from the U.S. Geological Survey. Readings are provisional. In a flood, follow your local officials and the NWS at weather.gov.