North Platte River river
Total streamflow across the North Platte River was last observed at 686 cfs, and is expected to yield approximately 1,361 acre-ft of water today; about 9% of normal. River levels are low and may signify a drought. Average streamflow for this time of year is 7,257 cfs, with recent peaks last observed on 2011-06-21 when daily discharge volume was observed at 36,130 cfs.
Maximum discharge along the river is currently at the North Platte River Below Glendo Reservoir reporting a streamflow rate of 5,710 cfs. This is also the highest stage along the North Platte River, with a gauge stage of 8.94 ft at this location. This river is monitored from 5 different streamgauging stations along the North Platte River, the highest being situated at an altitude of 7,823 ft, the North Platte River Near Northgate.
River streamflow levels
Daily aggregate streamflow across every monitored gauge along the North Platte 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 Platte River
All 5 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 Platte River Near Northgate
CO
USGS 06620000
|
263 | 2.76 | -14.3 | 27% | 26 | 5,840 | 7,823 |
|
North Platte River At Orin
WY
USGS 06652000
|
423 | 3.31 | -7.0 | 14% | 350 | 10,500 | 4,651 |
|
North Platte River Below Glendo Reservoir
WY
USGS 06652800
|
5,710 | 8.94 | · | · | · | · | 4,503 |
|
North Platte River Below Whalen Diversion Dam
WY
USGS 06657000
|
0 | 4.12 | -55.7 | 1% | 0 | 8,530 | 4,265 |
|
North Platte River At Wyoming-Nebraska State Line
WY
USGS 06674500
|
193 | 2.24 | -3.1 | 51% | 4 | 17,900 | 4,032 |
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 Platte River
The North Platte River is a major tributary of the Platte River, spanning over 700 miles in Wyoming, Colorado, and Nebraska. Historically, the river served as a major transportation route for early fur traders and pioneers. Today, it is used for irrigation and hydroelectric power generation, with several dams and reservoirs along its length, including the Seminoe, Pathfinder, and Alcova Reservoirs. The river also supports recreational activities such as fishing, boating, and camping, with sections designated as Wild and Scenic. Agriculture also relies heavily on the river, with extensive irrigation systems supporting crops such as sugar beets, corn, and wheat. Despite its many uses, the river faces challenges such as low water flows and pollution, requiring careful management and conservation efforts.
Recreation along the North Platte River
Fishing access and paddle runs Snoflo tracks within the watershed.
Fishing
Track the North Platte 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 Platte River
Where does the data for the North Platte 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.