River Report

North Loup River river

2 streamgauges 56% of normal Last updated 2026-05-27
Aggregate flow
830cfs
% of normal
56%
Daily volume
1,646AF
Seasonal avg
1,494cfs

Total streamflow across the North Loup River was last observed at 830 cfs, and is expected to yield approximately 1,646 acre-ft of water today; about 56% of normal. River levels are low and may signify a drought. Average streamflow for this time of year is 1,494 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 540 cfs. However, the streamgauge with the highest stage along the river is the North Loup River At Taylor with a gauge stage of 2.8 ft. 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.

Max discharge

North Loup River Nr St Paul Nebr

540cfs
Highest stage

North Loup River At Taylor

2.8ft
Highest-elevation gauge

North Loup River At Taylor

2,253ft
Aggregate trend

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

Per-gauge breakdown

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
290 2.80 -15.7 36% 56 4,830 2,253
North Loup River Nr St Paul Nebr NE
USGS 06790500
540 2.34 -1.8 42% 63 5,930 1,771
Annual peaks

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

Profile

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

About this river

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.

Around the river

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.

FAQ

About the North Loup River

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.