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River report

Little Blue River Flow Today

As of October 7, 2026 at 3:45 AM, the Little Blue River is flowing at 1,360 cfs near Fairbury, NE and down 22% in 24 hours. 3 of 3 USGS gauges reported in the last 3 days; flows range from 41 to 1,360 cfs. ❤ Favorite

USGS gauges
3 3 reporting · upstream → down
Little Blue River Near Deweese: 523% of normalLittle Blue River Near Lake City: 131% of normal
Typical gauge
327% of normal for the date
0%normal200%
Paddle runs
2 0 in range now
Updated
Oct 7, 3:45 AM
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Little Blue River map

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Every gauge, dam and paddle run on the river, one tap each:

  • Gauges now — which reaches are high or low
  • Dams & paddle runs — storage and what’s in range
  • Rain — past 24 hrs and the 72-hr forecast, press play

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River briefing · Oct 7, 2026

Little Blue River conditions today

Where the river is running versus normal, what’s rising or dropping, and what it means for a trip — built from the live USGS readings below.

At Fairbury, the Little Blue River is running 1,360 cfs, down 22% since yesterday. Along the river, 2 of 2 reporting gauges are above normal (the typical gauge is at 327% of normal).

In the last 24 hours the river is dropping at Deweese (-23%) and Fairbury (-22%).

Headwaters to mouth

How the Little Blue River compares to normal

Every reporting gauge from the top of the river to the bottom: bar length is today’s flow, colour is percent of normal for the date.

Flow along the river, upstream to downstream

  1. Deweese1,636 ft 227 cfs523%
  2. Fairbury1,283 ft 1,360 cfs
  3. Lake City727 ft 41 cfs131%

Bar length uses a square-root scale so small headwater flows stay visible next to big downstream ones. Colour: <50% 50–90 90–110 110–150 150%+ of normal.

Where every gauge sits

One dot per Little Blue River streamgauge, placed by its own percent of normal. The line is the typical gauge (327%).

Typical gauge 327%
0%50%100% · normal150%200%+
Much below normal0Below normal0Near normal0Above normal1Much above normal1

Little Blue River flow report

3 gauges
Streamgage Streamflow % of normal 24h Gage height To flood stage Elevation
Little Blue River Near Deweese NE
Oct 7, 4:15 AM · USGS 06883000
227 cfs 523% -23% 3.44 ft 6.6 ft below 1,636 ft
Little Blue River Near Fairbury NE
Oct 7, 3:45 AM · USGS 06884000
1,360 cfs · -22% 9.77 ft 8.7 ft below 1,283 ft
Little Blue River Near Lake City MO
Oct 7, 4:30 AM · USGS 06894000
41 cfs 131% -10% 4.56 ft 13.4 ft below 727 ft

USGS provisional data. Readings are in each gauge’s local time; gauges silent for more than 3 days are marked “Last reported”. Tap any gauge for its hydrograph, forecast and history.

Whitewater & paddle

Paddle runs on the Little Blue River

Each run is checked against its runnable range using the gauge it is keyed to (or the nearest gauge on this river).

RunStatusFlow nowRunnable rangeClass
Carnes Mill Site To 7.65 Miles Above Confluece With Ohio River At Confluence With Turkey Creek No live range · 364–1,232 cfs typical II–III+
City Limits Of English, In To Carnes Mill Site In Ne1/4Ne1/4 Of Sec 13, T3S, R1W No live range · 364–1,232 cfs typical ·
History

Little Blue River streamflow over time

Daily total flow across every monitored gauge on the river.

Maximum streamflow by year

About this river

Little Blue River

The Little Blue River is a river in the central United States. It runs through northeastern Kansas and southeastern Nebraska, and it is approximately 65 miles long. The river was named for the bluish tint of its water, which is caused by limestone deposits in the area. The Little Blue River has a rich history, having been used by Native American tribes for hunting and fishing. Today, the river is used for recreation, including fishing, kayaking, and camping. It is also an important source of water for agriculture, with several reservoirs and dams along its course, including the Lovewell Dam and Reservoir and the Milford Dam and Reservoir. These reservoirs provide irrigation water for crops and help to regulate the flow of the river.

Around the river

Fishing near the Little Blue River

FAQ

About the Little Blue River

How is the Little Blue River flowing right now?

As of October 7, 2026, the Little Blue River is flowing at 1,360 cfs near Fairbury, NE. Across its 3 USGS gauges, current flows range from 41 to 1,360 cfs. Every gauge’s live reading is in the table above.

Is the Little Blue River running high or low?

The typical gauge on the Little Blue River is at 327% of normal for the date. Above 100% means higher than the historical average for this calendar day; below 100% means lower. The profile above shows which reaches are high or low.

What is flood stage on the Little Blue River?

The National Weather Service sets flood stages for Deweese (10.0 ft), Fairbury (18.5 ft), Lake City (18.0 ft). The table shows how far each gauge is below its flood stage right now.

Is the Little Blue River runnable for paddling today?

Each run in the paddle table is checked against its runnable range using its gauge's live flow.

Where does the data come from?

Discharge and gage height are from the USGS National Water Information System; flood stages from the National Weather Service. The history chart sums every monitored gauge on the river.

Can I get alerts for a gauge?

Yes — open any gauge from the table, favorite it in the Snoflo app and set a flow threshold.

More river levels

Rivers in Nebraska & Missouri