Niobrara River Flow
As of 2026-08-02, the Niobrara River is flowing at a combined 4,391 cfs across 3 USGS streamgauges — 125% of normal for this time of year, versus a seasonal average of 3,518 cfs.
Total streamflow across the Niobrara River was last observed at 4,391 cfs, and is expected to yield approximately 8,709 acre-ft of water today; about 125% of normal. River levels are high. Average streamflow for this time of year is 3,518 cfs, with recent peaks last observed on 2020-12-28 when daily discharge volume was observed at 24,630 cfs.
Maximum discharge along the river is currently at the Niobrara River Nr. Verdel reporting a streamflow rate of 2,300 cfs. This is also the highest stage along the Niobrara River, with a gauge stage of 3.89 ft at this location. This river is monitored from 3 different streamgauging stations along the Niobrara River, the highest being situated at an altitude of 2,295 ft, the Niobrara River Near Sparks.
River streamflow levels
Daily aggregate streamflow across every monitored gauge along the Niobrara River. Use the range buttons to zoom in on a specific period.
Total streamflow
Sum of all monitored streamgauges · daily
Every streamgauge along the Niobrara River
All 3 USGS gauges Snoflo tracks for this river, with current flow, stage, recent change, percent of normal, and the gauge's all-time min / max. Click any header to sort. Cells are heatmapped relative to the column min/max -- darker blue = higher.
| Streamgauge▾ | Streamflow (cfs)▾ | Gauge stage (ft)▾ | 24h Δ (%)▾ | % Normal▾ | Min (cfs)▾ | Max (cfs)▾ | Elevation (ft)▾ |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
Niobrara River Near Sparks
NE
USGS 06461500
|
621 | 2.66 | -3.1 | 115% | 322 | 5,860 | 2,295 |
|
Niobrara River At Mariaville
NE
USGS 06463720
|
1,470 | 3.27 | -21.0 | 124% | 341 | 6,330 | 1,798 |
|
Niobrara River Nr. Verdel
NE
USGS 06465500
|
2,300 | 3.89 | -38.5 | 137% | 354 | 20,600 | 1,311 |
Maximum streamflow discharge by year
The single highest aggregate discharge recorded each year. Spotting the multi-year trend reveals droughts vs. wet cycles long before the headline daily flow does.
Annual peak discharge
From the river's full record · one point per water year
Streamflow elevation profile
Each bubble is one gauge along the river, plotted by current streamflow (x-axis) vs elevation (y-axis), sized by gauge stage. Reading top-to-bottom traces the river from headwaters down to its mouth -- you can see flow accumulate as elevation drops.
Elevation vs streamflow
One point per monitored gauge · bubble size = gauge stage
Niobrara River
The Niobrara River is a 570-mile-long river that runs through the central United States, starting in Wyoming and ending in Nebraska. The river has a rich history and was once used by Native American tribes for transportation and as a source of food. Today, the river is primarily used for recreation, including canoeing, kayaking, and fishing, and is home to several state parks and wildlife refuges.
The Niobrara River is fed by several tributaries and has several reservoirs and dams, including the Merritt Reservoir and the Spencer Dam. These reservoirs provide water for irrigation and hydroelectric power.
The river is also important to agriculture, with many farmers using its water for irrigation. However, the use of the river's water for agriculture has led to conflicts with recreational users and concerns about water quality. Despite these challenges, the Niobrara River remains a vital resource for the communities and ecosystems that rely on it.
Recreation along the Niobrara River
Fishing access and paddle runs Snoflo tracks within the watershed.
Track the Niobrara River in the Snoflo app
Set per-gauge push alerts (e.g. "alert me when flow at the Russian R Nr Healdsburg crosses 5,000 cfs"), and Snoflo's iOS app pushes the moment USGS reports the crossing.
About the Niobrara River
How is the Niobrara River flowing right now?
As of 2026-08-02, the Niobrara River is flowing at a combined 4,391 cfs across its USGS streamgauges, about 125% of normal for this date. The live per-gauge breakdown and 24-hour trend are shown above.
Is the Niobrara River running high or low right now?
Check the percent-of-normal figure on this page: above 100% means the river is running higher than its seasonal average for the date, below 100% means lower. The per-gauge table shows which reaches are highest and lowest.
Where does the data for the Niobrara River come from?
Streamflow and gauge stage data are sourced from the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) National Water Information System. The aggregate flow shown at the top of the page is computed by Snoflo as the sum of all monitored gauges along the river.
How is "percent of normal" calculated?
Today's aggregate streamflow is compared to the historical average aggregate streamflow on this calendar day across the river's full record. 100% means right on average; values above 100% indicate above-normal flow (wet year); values below indicate below-normal (dry year or drought).
Why are some gauges showing very different flows?
Gauges along a river measure flow at different points: headwater gauges read what's coming off the snowpack or mountain runoff; downstream gauges integrate everything upstream, including tributary inputs. Wide spreads usually mean a tributary is contributing significantly between gauges.
What's the elevation profile chart showing?
Each bubble is one gauge along the river, plotted by streamflow (x-axis) and elevation (y-axis), sized by gauge stage. Reading top-down traces the river from headwaters to mouth -- you can see flow build as elevation drops.
Can I get alerts when a specific gauge crosses a threshold?
Yes -- alerts are managed in the Snoflo iOS app on a per-gauge basis. Open any individual streamgauge from the table above and favorite it to set a discharge threshold.