North Loup River Flow
As of 2026-08-15, the North Loup River is flowing at a combined 1,767 cfs across 2 USGS streamgauges — 122% of normal for this time of year, versus a seasonal average of 1,454 cfs.
Total streamflow across the North Loup River was last observed at 1,767 cfs, and is expected to yield approximately 3,505 acre-ft of water today; about 122% of normal. River levels are high. Average streamflow for this time of year is 1,454 cfs, with recent peaks last observed on 2025-06-26 when daily discharge volume was observed at 5,433 cfs.
Maximum discharge along the river is currently at the North Loup River Nr St Paul Nebr reporting a streamflow rate of 1,280 cfs. This is also the highest stage along the North Loup River, with a gauge stage of 2.99 ft at this location. This river is monitored from 2 different streamgauging stations along the North Loup River, the highest being situated at an altitude of 2,253 ft, the North Loup River At Taylor.
River streamflow levels
Daily aggregate streamflow across every monitored gauge along the North Loup River. Use the range buttons to zoom in on a specific period.
Total streamflow
Sum of all monitored streamgauges · daily
Every streamgauge along the North Loup River
All 2 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)▾ |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
North Loup River At Taylor
NE
USGS 06786000
|
487 | 2.98 | -6.9 | 129% | 56 | 4,830 | 2,253 |
|
North Loup River Nr St Paul Nebr
NE
USGS 06790500
|
1,280 | 2.99 | -3.8 | 131% | 63 | 5,930 | 1,771 |
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
North Loup River
The North Loup River is a tributary of the Platte River, located in north-central Nebraska. It is approximately 68 miles long and has a drainage area of about 1,250 square miles. The North Loup River was an important water source for Native American tribes, and later became a popular route for pioneers traveling westward. The river flows through several reservoirs, including the Calamus Reservoir and the Davis Creek Reservoir. These reservoirs provide irrigation water for agriculture and serve as recreational destinations for fishing, boating, and camping. The river also supports a variety of wildlife, including fish, birds, and mammals. Despite being used for agricultural and recreational purposes, the North Loup River is considered healthy and well-maintained by local conservation groups.
Recreation along the North Loup River
Fishing access and paddle runs Snoflo tracks within the watershed.
Track the North Loup 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 North Loup River
How is the North Loup River flowing right now?
As of 2026-08-15, the North Loup River is flowing at a combined 1,767 cfs across its USGS streamgauges, about 122% of normal for this date. The live per-gauge breakdown and 24-hour trend are shown above.
Is the North Loup 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 North Loup 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.